Polyvinylpyrrolidone Storage Disease
Michael R. Lewin-Smith, MD
Julie C. Fanburg-Smith, MD
Key Facts
Etiology/Pathogenesis
PVP storage disease is phagocytic foreign body-type reactive condition
Found in aerosol hair sprays, adhesives, lithographic solutions, shaving products, plastics
Used to improve clarity and stability of wine and fruit juice; used in oral medications and Betadine
Presents as skin rash with nodules and macules, untreatable anemia due to bone marrow involvement
Microscopic Pathology
Histiocytes with blue-gray, bubbly cytoplasm, in small groups or large sheets
No nuclear atypia or mitotic activity
Giant cells may be present
PAS, Alcian blue, and Giemsa negative
Mucicarmine, Congo red, Sirius red, and colloidal iron positive
CD68(+), CD163(+)
 This is a low magnification image of PVP storage disease showing soft tissue infiltrated by sheets and nests of uniform macrophages containing basophilic material in the cytoplasm. |
 Hematoxylin & eosin shows histiocytic infiltrate with “bubbly” basophilic cytoplasm containing PVP and circular spaces  . The nuclei  are small and lack atypia and mitotic activity |
TERMINOLOGY
Abbreviations
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) storage disease
Synonyms
Mucicarminophilic histiocytosis
Polyvinylpyrrolidone granuloma
Definitions
Phagocytic foreign body-type reactive condition in which PVP is deposited and retained in tissue
ETIOLOGY/PATHOGENESIS
Causes
Synthesized during World War II, used intravenously as plasma expander
PVP found in aerosol hair sprays, adhesives, and lithographic solutions, and cosmetics, including shaving products, plastics, and inks
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