Simultaneous systemic lupus erythematosus and dermatitis herpetiformis.

In April 1973, a 28-year-old woman had an eruption that was subsequently found to be dermatitis herpetiformis. In March 1974, she developed polyarthralgia and mriteria for each diagnosis were present. The concurrence of these two diseases has not been previously recorded, but we present reasons for believing that the two disorders may have similarities in pathogenesis based on disturbances in immune mechanisms.