Chronic iritis associated with cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis

Cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) is a systemic condition that can be associated with iritis. LCV is characterized as a small-vessel vasculitis of the cutaneous area. The disease demonstrates purple lesions on the skin due to the destruction of small cutaneous blood vessels. These lesions are palpable and most often coalesce forming larger patches on the surface of the skin. During early stages of LCV, the disease can be undetected due to the infrequency and small size of the skin lesions. As such, the patient might go undiagnosed for years while having symptoms of LCV or iritis of unknown etiology. This article discusses the correlation seen with LCV and iritis. We report a case on a patient that presented to our clinic with a history of bilateral chronic iritis. After extensive laboratory testing, we concluded that the chronicity of her iritis was due to her LCV. The correlation between LCV and iritis was not evident for several years in our patient. We also discuss the correlation with systemic Sjogren's syndrome and LVC and how these two separate diseases are linked in many patients. We will illustrate the importance of serological testing, imaging, and skin lesion biopsy for the diagnosis of LCV.