eMedicine Specialties > Emergency Medicine > Dermatology

Pityriasis Rosea: Follow-up

Author: Richard Lichenstein, MD, Associate Professor, Pediatric Emergency Department, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Dec 8, 2009

Follow-up

Inpatient & Outpatient Medications

  • A mild topical steroid or an emollient with 0.25% menthol may relieve the itching associated with pityriasis rosea (PR).
  • Oral antipruritics may be helpful.
  • Ultraviolet B therapy may be used to hasten resolution of the rash.8
  • Oral erythromycin has been used with success in one study in patients with pityriasis rosea who were older than 2 years.6
  • Acyclovir may hasten resolution if given within 1 week of illness.9

Prognosis

  • The prognosis of pityriasis rosea is excellent.
  • Fewer than 3% of affected individuals experience recurrences.

Patient Education

  • The long duration of pityriasis rosea must be explained to patients and their families.
  • The secondary rash develops over 2 weeks, persists for another 2 weeks, and then fades over another 2 weeks.
  • Some lesions have persisted for as long as 3-4 months.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Other treatable conditions (eg, syphilis) may be missed if not considered.10
 


More on Pityriasis Rosea

Overview: Pityriasis Rosea
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Pityriasis Rosea
Treatment & Medication: Pityriasis Rosea
Follow-up: Pityriasis Rosea
Multimedia: Pityriasis Rosea
References
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References

  1. Neoh CY, Tan AW, Mohamed K, Sun YJ, Tan SH. Characterization of the inflammatory cell infiltrate in herald patches and fully developed eruptions of pityriasis rosea. Clin Exp Dermatol. Jul 29 2009;[Medline].

  2. Amer A, Fischer H, Li X. The natural history of pityriasis rosea in black American children: how correct is the "classic" description?. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. May 2007;161(5):503-6. [Medline].

  3. Drago F, Ranieri E, Malaguti F. Human herpesvirus 7 in patients with pityriasis rosea. Electron microscopy investigations and polymerase chain reaction in mononuclear cells, plasma and skin. Dermatology. 1997;195(4):374-8. [Medline].

  4. Drago F, Broccolo F, Rebora A. Pityriasis rosea: an update with a critical appraisal of its possible herpesviral etiology. J Am Acad Dermatol. Aug 2009;61(2):303-18. [Medline].

  5. Drago F, Rebora A. Treatments for pityriasis rosea. Skin Therapy Lett. Mar 2009;14(3):6-7. [Medline].

  6. Sharma PK, Yadav TP, Gautam RK. Erythromycin in pityriasis rosea: A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Am Acad Dermatol. Feb 2000;42(2 Pt 1):241-4. [Medline].

  7. [Best Evidence] Amer A, Fischer H. Azithromycin does not cure pityriasis rosea. Pediatrics. May 2006;117(5):1702-5. [Medline].

  8. Stulberg DL, Wolfrey J. Pityriasis rosea. Am Fam Physician. Jan 1 2004;69(1):87-91. [Medline].

  9. Drago F, Vecchio F, Rebora A. Use of high-dose acyclovir in pityriasis rosea. J Am Acad Dermatol. Jan 2006;54(1):82-5. [Medline].

  10. [Guideline] Finnish Medical Society Duodecim. Syphilis. In: EBM Guidelines. Evidence-Based Medicine [Internet]. Helsinki, Finland: Wiley Interscience. John Wiley & Sons; 2008 Jun 6. [Full Text].

  11. Chuh A, Chan H, Zawar V. Pityriasis rosea--evidence for and against an infectious aetiology. Epidemiol Infect. Jun 2004;132(3):381-90. [Medline].

  12. Chuh A, Lee A, Zawar V. Pityriasis rosea--an update. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. Sep-Oct 2005;71(5):311-5. [Medline].

  13. Coustou D, Leaute-Labreze C, Bioulac-Sage P, et al. Asymmetric periflexural exanthem of childhood: a clinical, pathologic, and epidemiologic prospective study. Arch Dermatol. Jul 1999;135(7):799-803. [Medline].

  14. Hartley AH. Pityriasis rosea. Pediatr Rev. Aug 1999;20(8):266-9, quiz 270. [Medline].

  15. Horio T. Skin disorders that improve by exposure to sunlight. Clin Dermatol. Jan-Feb 1998;16(1):59-65. [Medline].

  16. Kay MH, Rapini RP, Fritz KA. Oral lesions in pityriasis rosea. Arch Dermatol. Nov 1985;121(11):1449-51. [Medline].

  17. Kempf W, Burg G. Pityriasis rosea--a virus-induced skin disease? An update. Arch Virol. 2000;145(8):1509-20. [Medline].

  18. Nanda A, Al-Hasawi F, Alsaleh QA. A prospective survey of pediatric dermatology clinic patients in Kuwait: an analysis of 10,000 cases. Pediatr Dermatol. Jan-Feb 1999;16(1):6-11. [Medline].

  19. Pomeranz AJ, Fairley JA. The systematic evaluation of the skin in children. Pediatr Clin North Am. Feb 1998;45(1):49-63. [Medline].

  20. Scott LA, Stone MS. Viral exanthems. Dermatol Online J. Aug 9 2003;9(3):4. [Full Text].

  21. Wyndham M. Pityriasis. Practitioner. Jun 1997;241(1575):358. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

pityriasis rosea, PR, pityriasis rosea gigantica, pityriasis rosea urticata, papular PR, atypical PR, drug-induced PR, keratosis, vesicular PR, herald patch, rash, pruritus, exanthem, treatment, symptoms

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Richard Lichenstein, MD, Associate Professor, Pediatric Emergency Department, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Richard Lichenstein, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Jerry Balentine, DO, Professor of Emergency Medicine, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine; Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Attending Physician in Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Barnabas Hospital
Jerry Balentine, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, American College of Physician Executives, American Osteopathic Association, and New York Academy of Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Mark W Fourre, MD, Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Maine Medical Center; Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Vermont School of Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

John D Halamka, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Pamela L Dyne, MD, Professor of Clinical Medicine/Emergency Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center
Pamela L Dyne, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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