Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis with cutaneous cords and arthritis: A disorder associated with autoantibodies

Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis with arthritis is a new entity charac terized by linear or arciform subcutaneous cords. We describe a patient pre senting with typical cutaneous Lesions extending from the anterior and post erior part of the axillae to the flank. The lesions had been present for 6 years with flares and remission. Histopathologic examination revealed a ban dlike infiltrate of histiocytes in the reticular dermis with focal areas of palisading around necrotic collagen bundles. A few atypical histiocytes we re also present. As previously described, it was associated with serologic findings of an autoimmune disease, especially high titers of anti-DNA antib odies. The possible inclusion of the interstitial granulomatous dermatitis in the continuous spectrum of the palisaded neutrophilic and granulomatous dermatitis of immune complex disease is also discussed.