A Case of Papulonodular Mucinosis in a Patient With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Papulonodular mucinosis is a distinctive lupus erythematosus cutaneous variant that generally occurs in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Despite a higher incidence of SLE in women, lupus cutaneous mucinosis occurs more frequently in men. Typically, papulonodular mucinosis appears as asymptomatic, flesh-colored papules and nodules with a propensity for the trunk and upper extremities. Herein, we report a case of papulonodular mucinosis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in a middle-aged woman. On presentation, patient had multiple flesh-colored papules coalescing into plaques on the trunk and upper extremities. Histological findings of the lesions demonstrated a pale dermis secondary to profuse mucin deposition. Immunofluorescent staining revealed a 'lupus band' with granular deposition of immunoglobulins/complement proteins at the dermal-epidermal junction.