Panniculitis in modern rheumatology

Aim. To study clinical and laboratory features of panniculitis (Pn) in modern rheumatology.

Materials and methods. The study included 690 patients with Pn (615 women and 75 men, average age – 39.4±10.26) with the prevailing referral diagnosis of Erythema nodosum (59.2%), Pn (27.5%), Rheumatic disease – Rd (9%), other diseases (4.4%),who had been on outpatient and/or inpatient treatment for 10 years. All patients were examined according to our diagnostic algorithm: general clinical, immunological and histological examinations, computed tomography of the chest organs, tuberculin tests.

Results. Pn with Rd was diagnosed in 140 patients (118 women and 22 men, average age 40.21±14.87), average disease duration 31.06 [0.1; 541] months. In most cases (49%) patients had idiopathic lobular Pn which belongs to the group of systematic lesions of connective tissue (M35.6), as well as systemic lupus erythematosus and Behcet disease (13% each), rheumatoid arthritis (8%), dermatomyositis (6.4%), etc. Matching of the referral and final diagnoses was 35% in case of Rd. Among the examined patients prevailed those with a moderate (51.07%) degree of activity of the underlying disease. Within the study group Pn was represented by all forms, but mainly by nodular form (64.02%). Mesenteric form was characteristic only for idiopathic lobular Pn. The main features of Pn associated with Rd were identified. In modern clinical practice the type of Pn and the activity of the underlying disease determine the approaches to treatment.