Prurigo pigmentosa: an underdiagnosed disease in patients of Iranian descent?

Abstract

Prurigo pigmentosa (PP) is a rare inflammatory disease of the skin typified by recurrent, pruritic erythematous macules and papules that resolve leaving behind netlike pigmentation. PP is diagnosed most commonly in Japanese women. Preponderance of the disease in other ethnic populations has yet to be identified. We conducted a clinicopathologic case study in 4 Iranian women. The clinical diagnosis of PP was confirmed by typical histopathologic findings, elucidating the morphologic spectrum of the disease. The small number of patients in this study is a limitation. We suspect that PP may have a proclivity in the Iranian population.