Myelodysplastic syndrome with vasculitic manifestations

Vasculitis in patients with the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a rare phenomenon. We describe a patient who presented with necrotic lesions of his toes, which proved to be the result of immune complex mediated vasculitis. This unusual combination of vasculitis and MDS prompted us to review the literature. Forty-four cases of vasculitis in association with MDS were found. The pathogenesis of the vasculitis in MDS remains speculative, although several reports suggest an immunological mechanism. The temporal relationship could not be determined in 20 (45%) of reported cases. The prognosis of these patients appears to be worse than in patients with MDS without vasculitis. Steroids were used in 41 (93%) of the reported cases. Our patient did not receive any drug therapy, nevertheless his necrotic lesions improved within a few weeks.