Lupus erythematosus panniculitis in a patient with autoimmune hepatitis.

Lupus erythematosus panniculitis (profundus), a rare variant of chronic panniculitis, sometimes develops during the course of discoid lupus erythematosus or systemic lupus erythematosus. A 61-year-old woman had suffered from autoimmune hepatitis type I for 5 years. Prednisolone had been administered as maintenance therapy and her hepatitis had been well controlled. However, asymptomatic erythematous indurated nodules developed symmetrically in both pre-auricular regions, and skin biopsy revealed lupus erythematosus panniculitis (profundus). Increase in dosage of prednisolone resolved the skin lesion, leaving depressed atrophic scars. This is the first report of lupus erythematosus panniculitis complicating autoimmune hepatitis.