eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Reactive & Inflammatory Dermatoses

Acute Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis: Follow-up

Author: Yoon-Soo Bae-Harboe, MD, General Surgery Intern, New York-Presbyterian Hospital of Weill Cornell Medical College
Coauthor(s): Sharon A Salter, MD, Staff Physician, Department of Psychiatry, Tufts-New England Medical Center; Alexa F Boer Kimball, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Harvard University School of Medicine; Vice Chair, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Director of Clinical Unit for Research Trials in Skin (CURTIS), Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 31, 2009

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Outpatient care for the skin lesions of acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet syndrome) is usually coordinated by a dermatologist in conjunction with other physicians who may be involved if other underlying diseases are present.

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Deterrence is based on avoiding known triggers, such as medications, and treatment of underlying conditions that may be factors.

Complications

  • Some lesions resolve without scarring, though pigmentary changes may take months to fade.

Prognosis

  • The outcome depends on the underlying condition, but recurrence may occur in up to 50% of patients and is most likely in cases associated with hematologic malignancy or drug reactions.

Patient Education

  • Patient education should include information about the variable course of this condition, as well as advice on self-monitoring for signs and symptoms of other diseases.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Failure to evaluate for associated underlying conditions could be a reason for medical/legal problems.

Special Concerns

  • Underlying disease
    • It is important to recognize and treat any associated or underlying systemic diseases or malignancies.
    • Sweet syndrome may be a clue to the diagnosis of a systemic disorder or malignancy, and important clues should not be ignored.
    • Imaging studies, such as ultrasonography, CT scanning, PET scanning, or MRI,  may be helpful in identifying underlying malignancies.
  • Pregnancy
    • Acute neutrophilic dermatosis can occur during pregnancy and may recur in subsequent pregnancies.
    • Presently, it is believed that the disease is not associated with fetal harm.
 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Christina N. Alavian, MD, to the development and writing of this article.



More on Acute Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis

Overview: Acute Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Acute Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis
Treatment & Medication: Acute Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis
Follow-up: Acute Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis
Multimedia: Acute Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis
References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, Sweet syndrome, Sweet disease, Sweet's syndrome, Sweet's disease, neutrophilic dermatitis, Gomm-Button disease, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, G-CSF

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Yoon-Soo Bae-Harboe, MD, General Surgery Intern, New York-Presbyterian Hospital of Weill Cornell Medical College
Yoon-Soo Bae-Harboe, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Student Association/Foundation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Sharon A Salter, MD, Staff Physician, Department of Psychiatry, Tufts-New England Medical Center
Sharon A Salter, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Alexa F Boer Kimball, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Harvard University School of Medicine; Vice Chair, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Director of Clinical Unit for Research Trials in Skin (CURTIS), Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Alexa F Boer Kimball, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Timothy McCalmont, MD, Director, UCSF Dermatopathology Service, Professor of Clinical Pathology and Dermatology, Departments of Pathology and Dermatology, University of California at San Francisco
Timothy McCalmont, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Medical Association, American Society of Dermatopathology, California Medical Association, College of American Pathologists, and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology
Disclosure: Apsara Consulting fee Independent contractor

Pharmacy Editor

Michael J Wells, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

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: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Catherine Quirk, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Brown University
Catherine Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD, Director, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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