Papular mucinosis associated with scleroderma

A 49-year-old Japanese woman had been suffering from limited cutaneous scleroderma with papular mucinosis. Papular mucinosis was characterized by multiple, asymptomatic, elevated, skin-colored papules on the dorsal regions of the hands. Histopathological findings of the hard papules showed a marked deposition of hyaluronic acid along sclerosis in the middle and the lower parts of dermis. Serological studies revealed a positive antinuclear antibody (speckled type). Intravenous administration of prostaglandin E1 derivatives reduced the size of the papules, the degree of sclerodactyly and the severity of her Raynaud's phenomenon. These observations suggest that manifestations of scleroderma could be found in some cases of papular mucinosis.