home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
CD-ROM Today (UK) (Spanish) 15
/
CDRT.iso
/
dp
/
0424
/
04246.txt
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1994-01-17
|
6KB
|
150 lines
$Unique_ID{BRK04246}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Sweet Syndrome}
$Subject{Sweet Syndrome Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis, Acute Erythema
Multiforme Leiner Disease Ritter Disease (Dermatitis Exfoliativa Neonatorum)
Erythema Elevatum Diutinum}
$Volume{}
$Log{}
Copyright (C) 1987, 1989 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
424:
Sweet Syndrome
** IMPORTANT **
It is possible the main title of the article (Sweet Syndrome) is not the
name you expected. Please check the SYNONYMS listing on the next page to
find alternate names, disorder subdivisions, and related disorders covered
by this article.
Synonyms
Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis, Acute
Information on the following disorders can be found in the Related
Disorders section of this report:
Erythema Elevatum Diutinum
Erythema Multiforme
Leiner Disease
Ritter Disease (Dermatitis Exfoliativa Neonatorum)
General Discussion
** REMINDER **
The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for
educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment
purposes. If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please
contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources"
section of this report.
Sweet Syndrome is a rare skin disorder characterized by painful red
eruptions usually on the arms, face, neck, and legs. The exact cause of this
disorder is not known, although it may be associated with an injury to the
skin.
Symptoms
Major symptoms of Sweet Syndrome are tender or painful skin eruptions and
generalized discomfort (malaise). Skin lesions usually occur on the arms,
but also on the face, neck, legs, and occasionally the thighs and trunk. The
lesions may be up to an inch in diameter. They are usually bluish-red,
irregular, flat or raised, sharply outlined, circular, and/or hardened, with
a rounded edge. Blisters or bacteria-free pimples usually cover the plaques.
Scarring is usually absent. Fever may occur. Protein in the urine is
sometimes present. Remission may occur after a few weeks, but recurrences
are possible. Tests usually reveal infiltration of white blood cells called
neutrophils in the skin. On rare occasions, the female genital tract (vagina
and uterus) may be involved.
Causes
The exact cause of Sweet Syndrome is not known. Possibly it is an allergic
reaction to an unknown agent. The disorder may be associated with an injury
to the skin such as vaccination or a scrape. An upper respiratory or skin
infection may also precipitate Sweet Syndrome.
Affected Population
Sweet Syndrome affects mainly middle aged females, but it may also affect
men, infants and children in rare cases. It is a rare disorder.
Related Disorders
Symptoms of the following disorders can be similar to those of Sweet
Syndrome. Comparisons may be useful for a differential diagnosis:
Erythema Multiforme is an inflammatory skin disorder characterized by
symmetric, red, blistery lesions appearing on the skin of the hands and feet.
Mucous membranes and skin of the eyelids may also be affected. (For more
information on this disorder, choose "Erythema Multiforme" as your search
term in the Rare Disease Database.)
Erythema Elevatum Diutinum is possibly a variant of Erythema Multiforme.
It is a rare chronic skin disorder usually occurring in adults between 30 and
60 years of age. This disorder may be associated with recurrent
polyarthritis and is characterized by symmetric nodules and plaques near the
joints. These lesions commonly appear on the back of the hands and feet.
The size of the lesions may vary over the course of a day.
Leiner Disease is a skin disorder which usually occurs during the first
two months of life. A reddish patch of thickened skin appears first on the
buttocks and spreads to other parts of the infant's body. Scaling and
peeling may occur as well as anemia, itching and diarrhea. The redness and
scaliness usually decrease after a few weeks with treatment. (For more
information on this disorder, choose "Leiner" as your search term in the Rare
Disease Database.)
Ritter Disease (Dermatitis Exfoliativa Neonatorum) is a skin disorder
affecting infants which is usually caused by a bacterial infection. Reddened
skin may peel leaving raw areas which heal in dry crusty yellow patches.
This disorder may follow upper respiratory infections, impetigo, or other
improperly treated skin infections.
Therapies: Standard
Sweet Syndrome may go into spontaneous remission after a few weeks even
without treatment. Systemic steroid drugs such as prednisone may produce
dramatic improvement.
Therapies: Investigational
The investigational drug dapsone has been used experimentally to treat Sweet
Syndrome. However, more research is needed before this drug can be
prescribed for general use.
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through
October 1987. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep
every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate.
Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most
current information about this disorder.
Resources
For more information on Sweet Syndrome, please contact:
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
P.O. Box 8923
New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783
(203) 746-6518
The National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information
Clearinghouse
Box AMS
Bethesda, MD 20892
(301) 495-4484
References
ACUTE FEBRILE NEUTROPHILIC DERMATOSIS. SWEET'S SYNDROME: M.A. Bechtel, et
al.; Archives Dermatol (October 1981: issue 117,10). Pp. 664-666.
SWEET'S SYNDROME: HISTOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF 15 CASES:
J.J. Going, et al.; Journal Clin Pathol (February 1987: issue 40,2). Pp.
175-179.
ACUTE FEBRILE NEUTROPHILIC DERMATOSIS: SWEET'S SYNDROME: H. Chmel, et
al.; South Med Journal (November 1978: issue 71,11). Pp. 1350-1352.