Skin Manifestations of Rheumatological Diseases

In 2021, a document was published discussing the skin manifestations of various rheumatological diseases. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) was noted to cause skin conditions such as Pyoderma Gangrenosum, Rheumatoid Vasculitis, Rheumatoid Nodules, and Skin Ulceration. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) was reported to commonly present with dermatological manifestations, including Malar Rash, Disseminated ACLE, SCLE, and CCLE, and alopecia. Systemic Sclerosis or "Scleroderma" was described as causing thickened skin. Psoriasis was discussed, with nail disease being more common in patients with psoriatic arthritis. Other conditions such as Dermatomyositis, Sarcoidosis, Rheumatic Fever, Behçet’s Disease, Lichen Planus, Necrolytic Acral Erythema, and Polyarteritis Nodosa were also discussed. Behçet’s disease was noted to cause non-erosive, asymmetrical arthritis in about 50% of patients. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) was mentioned to cause skin and musculoskeletal manifestations. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) were discussed as rare, acute immune complex mediated hypersensitive reactions. Lastly, Gonococcal Arthritis, the most common form of septic arthritis in the United States, was discussed.