Erythroderma (Generalized Exfoliative Dermatitis) Medication

  • Author: Sanusi H Umar, MD, FAAD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 24, 2012
 

Medication Summary

Topical steroids are the primary category of medications used to treat exfoliative dermatitis (ED). A sedative antihistamine may be a useful adjunct for pruritic patients, since it helps patients to sleep at night, thus limiting nocturnal scratching and excoriations. Antimicrobial agents often are used if an infection is suspected to be precipitating or complicating exfoliative dermatitis. Other drugs specifically indicated for management of underlying etiology of exfoliative dermatitis may be necessary.

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Topical steroids

Class Summary

Exert anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting early processes (eg, edema, fibrin deposition, capillary dilatation, movement of phagocytes into the area, phagocytic activities). In exfoliative dermatitis, they may inhibit the increased epidermal cell turnover that occurs. Indications include symptomatic relief of inflammation and/or pruritus associated with acute and chronic corticosteroid-responsive disorders.

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Triamcinolone topical (Aristocort)

 

Medium-potency topical steroid. Use creams and lotions for moist weepy lesions and with intense inflammation (eg, exfoliative dermatitis). Frequency of use in exfoliative dermatitis depends on acute nature of disease and frequency with which wet dressings are changed.

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Antihistamines

Class Summary

Exert both antipruritic and sedating effects. Used in treating histamine-mediated allergic reactions by competitively inhibiting H1 receptors on effector cells. To varying degrees, they exert sedative effects by crossing the blood-brain barrier and blocking central histaminogenic receptors.

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Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril)

 

Antagonizes H1 receptors in periphery. May suppress histamine activity in subcortical region of CNS providing antipruritic effects

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Sanusi H Umar, MD, FAAD  Attending Physician, Department of Dermatology, Charles R Drew/MLK Medical Center

Sanusi H Umar, MD, FAAD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and American Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

A Paul Kelly, MD  Chief, Clinical Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Dermatology, King/Drew Medical Center, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science

A Paul Kelly, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Dermatological Association, American Medical Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, National Medical Association, and Pacific Dermatologic Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

James W Patterson, MD  Professor of Pathology and Dermatology, Director of Dermatopathology, University of Virginia Medical Center

James W Patterson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, American Society of Dermatopathology, Royal Society of Medicine, Society for Investigative Dermatology, and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard P Vinson, MD  Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Mountain View Dermatology, PA

Richard P Vinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Texas Dermatological Society, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Rosalie Elenitsas, MD  Herman Beerman Associate Professor of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Director, Penn Cutaneous Pathology Services, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Health System

Rosalie Elenitsas, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and American Society of Dermatopathology

Disclosure: Lippincott Williams Wilkins Royalty Textbook editor; DLA Piper Consulting fee Consulting

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE  Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds Investigator; Genentech Grant/research funds investigator; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Abbott Grant/research funds investigator; Abbott Consulting fee Consulting; Novartis investigator; Pfizer Grant/research funds investigator; Celgene Consulting fee DMC Chair; NIAMS and NHLBI Grant/research funds investigator

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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  8. Ram-Wolff C, Martin-Garcia N, Bensussan A, Bagot M, Ortonne N. Histopathologic diagnosis of lymphomatous versus inflammatory erythroderma: a morphologic and phenotypic study on 47 skin biopsies. Am J Dermatopathol. Dec 2010;32(8):755-63. [Medline].

  9. Zackheim HS, Kashani-Sabet M, Hwang ST. Low-dose methotrexate to treat erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: results in twenty-nine patients. J Am Acad Dermatol. Apr 1996;34(4):626-31. [Medline].

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  13. Cohen LM, Skopicki DK, Harrist TJ. Non-infectious vesiculobullous and vesiculopostular diseases. In: Elenitsas R, ed. Lever's Histopathology of Skin. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1997:216.

  14. Freedberg IM. Exfoliative dermatitis. In: Freedburg IM, Fitzpatrick TB, Goldsmith LA, et al, eds. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 5th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 1999:534-7.

  15. Nakamura M, Tokura Y. Tocilizumab-induced erythroderma. Eur J Dermatol. May-Jun 2009;19(3):273-4. [Medline].

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  18. Torres-Camacho P, Tirado-Sánchez A, Ponce-Olivera RM. A study of erythroderma: clues from eosinophilia and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. Sep-Oct 2008;74(5):499-500. [Medline].

  19. Wong KS, Wong SN, Tham SN, Giam YC. Generalised exfoliative dermatitis--a clinical study of 108 patients. Ann Acad Med Singapore. Oct 1988;17(4):520-3. [Medline].

 
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Exfoliative dermatitis diffuse skin involvement.
Exfoliative dermatitis close-up view showing erythema and scaling.
Table. Drugs Implicated in the Causation of Exfoliative Dermatitis
ACE inhibitorsAllopurinolAminoglutethimideAmiodaroneAmitriptyline
AmoxicillinAmpicillinArsenicAspirinAtropine
AuranofinAurothioglucoseBarbituratesBenactyzineBeta-blockers
Beta caroteneBumetanideBupropionButabarbitalButalbital
CaptoprilCarbamazepineCarbidopaChloroquineChlorpromazine
ChlorpropamideCimetidineCiprofloxacinClofazimineClofibrate
Co-trimoxazoleCromolynCytarabineDapsoneDemeclocycline
DesipramineDiazepamDiclofenacDiflunisalDiltiazem
DoxorubicinDoxycyclineEnalaprilEtodolacFenoprofen
FluconazoleFluphenazineFlurbiprofenFurosemideGemfibrozil
GoldGriseofulvinHydroxychloroquineImipramineIndomethacin
IsoniazidIsosorbideKetoconazoleKetoprofenKetorolac
LithiumMeclofenamateMefenamic AcidMeprobamateMethylphenidate
MinocyclineNalidixic AcidNaproxenNifedipineNitrofurantoin
NitroglycerinNizatidineNorfloxacinOmeprazolePenicillamine
PenicillinPentobarbitalPerphenazinePhenobarbitalPhenothiazines
PhenylbutazonePhenytoinPiroxicamPrimidoneProchlorperazine
PropranololPyrazolonesQuinaprilQuinidineQuinine
RetinoidsRifampinStreptomycinSulfadoxineSulfamethoxazole
SulfasalazineSulfisoxazoleSulfonamidesSulfonylureasSulindac
TetracyclineTobramycinTrazodoneTrifluoperazineTrimethoprim
VancomycinVerapamil
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