Kaposi Sarcoma in a Patient with Bullous Pemphigoid Treated with Low-Dose Corticosteroids.

Abstract

Dear Editor: Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is a lymphatic and vascular neoplasm, that develops in patients with human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) infection and presents as multiple purplish papules or nodules. KS is classified into four clinical types: classic, endemic, iatrogenic immunosuppression-related, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome-associated KS. The risk of KS is increased in immunosuppressed patients owing to their lack of immunity to HHV-8. Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disorder characterized by subepidermal bullae on pruritic and urticarial plaques. BP occurs when autoantibodies develop against BP180 and BP230 and systemic corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressive agents are required. Some case reports have discussed the coexistence of KS in terms of BP; however, no case reports from Korea have been published. Herein, we describe a case of KS in a patient with BP who had received low-dose systemic corticosteroids for 25 months. An 84-year-old female patient presented with a 4-month history of purpuric patches and nodules on the right lower leg. She had a history of hypertension and atrial fibrillation. She presented with multiple bullae and erosions on the chest for 30 months. She was diagnosed with BP based on the findings of a subepidermal blister with granulocytes in histology, C3 deposition along the basement membrane in direct immunofluo-