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Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Skin Biopsy for Diagnosing Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
Published on: June 10, 2025
Idiopathic linear IgA bullous dermatosis treated with prednisone
Christopher Cantoria Garces1, M Fahad Salam2, Brian Nohomovich3,4
1Department of Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Lansing, Michigan, USA garcesch@msu.edu.
Abstract:
We present a case of a 43-year-old man with a medical history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation that presented with acute onset generalised vesiculobullous rash of 1-week duration. The rash was initially noticed on his groin and then spread to his hands, feet and mucosal surfaces. Laboratory tests were unremarkable, including an extensive infection aetiology work-up. Punch biopsies were obtained of a fresh lesion and were stained with H&E and sent for direct immunofluorescence. Light microscopy and immunofluorescence study demonstrated a subepidermal blister with predominant neutrophilic infiltrates and a linear band of IgA at the dermoepidermal junction, respectively. The patient was diagnosed with linear IgA bullous dermatosis and was subsequently treated with 0.5 mg/kg of prednisone daily following previous case reports. At 1-week follow-up as an outpatient, the bullae became crusted, and the rash was nearly completely regressed.
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