Pyoderma gangrenosum and myeloproliferative disorders. Report of a case and review of the literature.

The exact mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) still remains unclear, yet there is an increasing number of reports associating PG with immunologic abnormalities. A correlation between PG and myeloproliferative disorders has also been described. We describe a patient with chronic myelocytic leukemia in whom PG developed during the course of illness. We present an immunologic analysis of this case, speculation on the pathogenesis of PG, and a review of the literature. We report the futility of current therapeutic modalities in the treatment of PG.