ABSTRACT

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, laboratory and histopathological findings of 50 patients with erythroderma that were treated in our clinic.

Method:

This study was retrospective, including 50 erythrodermic patients, hospitalized between 2001 and 2006 in inpatient clinic of Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology. Patient information including clinical, laboratory and histopathologic findings were recorded.

Results:

The frequency of erythroderma in our clinic was 1.5% of all patients hospitalized during this period. There were 26 males and 24 females patients aged between 20 and 79 years (mean, 55.7±15.7 years). The underlying causes included dermatological disorders in 46%, drugs in 16%, malignancies in 12% and was undetermined in 26% of the patients. Psoriasis was the most common cause of the disease amongst the dermatologic disorders. Pruritus was the most common finding (56%), followed by nail dystrophies (40%), fever (28%), and palmoplantar hyperkeratosis/desquamation (20%).

Conclusion:

The clinical features of erythroderma in our patients were identical, irrespective of the etiology. Our study demonstrated that clinical, laboratory and histopathological findings in early phase erythroderma may not be helpful in determining the etiology. In patients with idiopathic or recurrent erythroderma, they should be followed up and multipl biopsies should be performed to exclude cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.