Subcutaneous granuloma pyogenicum in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies.

We describe 2 cases of subcutaneous granuloma pyogenicum occurring in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies. The 2 patients had asymptomatic nodules with histopathological findings of a typical subcutaneous granuloma pyogenicum. In addition, case 1 was diagnosed as primary antiphospholipid syndrome with livedo reticularis, superficial thrombophlebitis, thrombocytopenia, cerebral and pulmonary infarcts and renal involvement. Case 2 had no clinical manifestations of vascular occlusive diseases, although anticardiolipin antibody levels were highly positive. To our knowledge, these are the first reported cases of subcutaneous granuloma pyogenicum associated with antiphospholipid antibodies. Antiphospholipid-antibody-mediated thrombosis or immunological mechanisms may be involved in subcutaneous granuloma pyogenicum in our cases. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel