Erythroderma

• life-threatening exfoliative dermatitis

Typical Patient

• suffering from

  • psoriasis

  • eczema

  • lymphoma (esp. cutaneous T-cell lymphoma)

  • drug reactions

Symptoms / Signs

• skin

  • red

  • hot

  • scaly

• generalised lymphadenopathy

• increased cardiac output

• loss of temperature control

Variants

Pathology

• cardiac output increased

• protein lost from skin and gut

• water loss from skin increased

• heat radiated to surroundings

• rise in metabolic rate

• mobilisation of energy sources (fat and protein)

• increased muscle activity

Investigations

• skin biopsy

Treatments

• Stop any causative drugs

• Nurse in warm room

• Attend to secondary problems

• short course of system steroids

  • unless caused by psoriasis when anti-psoriatic drugs used

• treat underlying diagnosis

Prognosis

Complications

• cardiac failure

• renal failure

• sudden death due to hypothermia

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