Erythroderma: a clinicopathological study of 102 cases

Abstract

Background Erythroderma may result from different causes and is a rare skin disorder. Objective Our objective has been to determine the frequency of erythroderma in our environment, its causes and patient evolution. Patients and methods We reviewed the clinical features and laboratory profile of 102 patients diagnosed with erythroderma who were treated in our department over a 10 years period (1993-2003). Results The mean age at diagnosis was 48.6 years with male to female ratio of 1.9:1. The most common causative factors were dermatoses (55.9%), followed by drug reactions (29.4%), idiopathic cause (11.8%) and malignancies (2.9%). Apart from erythema that was present in all patients, itching was the most common complaint (64.7%), followed by generalized scaling (56.8%) and chills (30.3%). Most common physical findings were generalized scaling, onychopathy, pitting edema and lymphadenopathy. Skin biopsy was performed in 54 cases with clinical correlation in 36 patients (66.4%). Conclusions As in other series, preexisting dermatoses were the most common cause of erythroderma. Many of skin biopsies of idiopathic erythrodermic patients showed drug reactions without any history of drug consumption, showing that drugs were suspected as the cause in many patients that were overlooked by them. Drug-related erythroderma had the best prognosis.