Shima’a Jaffer Al-Amer211504748

ERYTHEMA NODOSUM

What is Erythema Nodosum?

• A painful inflammatory disorder in which crops of tender nodules occur in response to antigenic stimuli.

• Usually it is limited to the extensor aspects of the lower legs.

Causes: • Hypersensitivity reaction

1- Infection:

Streptcoccus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae

2- certain medication:• Antibiotic e.g. amoxicillin• Sulfonamides• Birth control pills

3- pregnancy

4- sarcoidosis

5- leukemia

6- Ulcerative colitis

Clinical presentation:1- At the beginning:

* red tender nodules ,* poorly Defined border,* vary from 2-6 cm.

2- During the first week:

lesions become tense, hard, and painful

3- During the second week:

they may become fluctuant, as in an abscess, but do not suppurate or ulcerate.

4- Aching legs and swelling ankles may persist for weeks.

Investigations:• 1- Throat culture for streptococcus

• 2- Chest X-ray sarcoidosis and TB

• 3- Skin biopsy for difficult cases

Treatment:self-limited disease

symptomatic relief using :

• ROXBURGH’S, Common Skin Disease, R. MARKS

• Medscape• DermNet NZ

REFRANCES