Lupus erythematosus gyratus repens

"Lupus erythematosus gyratus repens" is viewed clinically and histologically as an annular variant of a subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus and was described for the first time in French by the authors Laugier, Lénys and Bulte in 1959 as chronic-recurrent figurate erythema. The current name of the disease goes back to Hewitt et al. (1975) and Laugier (1977). There are only a few cases known thus far in the literature. We report a 74-year-old patient, in whom the clinical and histological patterns corresponded to the presence of lupus erythematosus gyratus repens. Systemic and topical therapy with glucocorticosteroids and administration of antimalarials resulted within several months in nearly complete disappearance of the disease. We give an overview of the literature and discuss the characteristic features of lupus erythematosus gyratus repens and its possible association with drug intake or internal malignancies. A differential-diagnostic distinguishing from other annular configured, peripheral-emphasized dermatoses is required. As a paraneoplastic dermatosis, erythema gyratum repens should not be overlooked in the diagnosis.