Connective tissue panniculitis.

Two patients with lobular lymphohistiocytic panniculitis had chronic lesions that produced subcutaneous atrophy and that were responsive to antimalarial drugs. Massive lymphocytic infiltrate was associated with caseation necrosis of the fat lobules. In both patients, an unusual antibody to extractable nuclear antigen was seen, and antinuclear antibody was sometimes present. The unusual manifestation, course of the disease, serologic findings, and response to therapy suggest that the panniculitis is related to (but does not evolve into) lupus erythematosus panniculitis or subcutaneous morphea or both. A satisfactory term for this entity would be "connective tissue panniculitis."