Low-dose methotrexate as an adjunctive therapy with surgery for ectropion complicating dermatomyositis

We describe the clinical and histopathologic features of a 44-year-old woman who developed bilateral lower eyelid ectropion and upper lid entropion presumably secondary to dermatomyositis. A variety of inflammatory, infiltrative and/or scarring dermatoses have been associated with ectropion. Chronic inflammation, poikilodermatous change and mucinous infiltration of the eyelids due to dermatomyositis are the postulated mechanisms leading to ectropion in our patient. This case is unique in that neither dermatomyositis nor papular mucinosis has previously been reported as a cause of ectropion. Also interesting was the adjunctive effect of methotrexate therapy.