Lucio’s phenomenon: A systematic literature review of definition, clinical features, histopathogenesis and management
Marco Andrey Cipriani Frade, Pedro Soler Coltro, Fred Bernardes Filho, Grazielle Souza Horácio, Antônio Afonso de Miranda Neto, Vinicius Z. da Silva, Andrezza Telles Westin, Francielle Rodrigues Guimarães, Lara Maria Alencar Ramos Innocentini, Ana Carolina Fragoso Motta, Jayme Adriano Farina
Abstract
Leprosy is a chronic disease with clinical presentations according to the immunologic spectrum. Lepromatous form is the most advanced, with the highest transmissibility and risk of causing disabilities. Lucio's phenomenon is a rare manifestation among lepromatous patients with a rapid and severe evolution and high mortality. It is difficult to differentiate from ulcerative/necrotic erythema nodosum leprosum and has no consensus on how it should be treated. This article is a qualitative review of the literature after the introduction of multidrug therapy, aiming to bring consensus related to the clinical, laboratory and histopathological diagnostic criteria of the disease and its management.