Cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis in systemic lupus erythematosus

This paper presents a case of cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis in a Japanese woman, who had systemic lupus erythematosus complicated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and lupus nephritis from the age of 12. The patient had painful multiple purplish subcutaneous nodules on the face, trunk and extremities, high fever and liver dysfunction without coagulopathy. The histological features of the skin nodules were extensive histiocyte and/or macrophage infiltration often with leuko- and/or erythrophagocytosis in the subcutaneous fat tissue.