eMedicine Specialties > Pediatrics: General Medicine > Dermatology

Pityriasis Rosea: Follow-up

Author: Maria R Nasca, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Catania School of Medicine, Italy
Coauthor(s): Giuseppe Micali, MD, Head, Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Catania School of Medicine, Italy
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Sep 24, 2009

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Pityriasis rosea (PR) is a self-limiting disease, and no follow-up is necessary in most cases.
  • Patients with moderate-to-severe pruritus who are receiving topical steroids should have follow-up by phone or by a return visit in 1-2 weeks.
  • As most cases do not recur, if the disease develops more than once consider alternative diagnoses or immune suppression, and prompt further evaluation.

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Pityriasis rosea is not considered a transmissible disease. Therefore, patients do not require isolation and may return to work or school.

Complications

  • Superinfection is rare.
  • Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation is the most common long-term complication.
  • Fetal/neonatal complications are noted in pregnant women.

Prognosis

  • Prognosis is excellent. The recurrence rate is approximately 2%. Lesions do not result in scars, although postinflammatory pigment changes can occur.

Patient Education

  • Patients should be instructed to avoid contact with irritants, and must be told that pityriasis rosea is a benign disease that resolves over 6-12 weeks without treatment.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • A pitfall is missing a diagnosis of syphilis in a patient with skin lesions resembling pityriasis rosea (PR).
 


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

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  2. González LM, Allen R, Janniger CK, Schwartz RA. Pityriasis rosea: an important papulosquamous disorder. Int J Dermatol. Sep 2005;44(9):757-64. [Medline].

  3. [Guideline] Finnish Medical Society Duodecim. Syphilis. EBM Guidelines. Jun 6 2008.

  4. Blauvelt A. Skin diseases associated with human herpesvirus 6, 7, and 8 infection. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. Dec 2001;6(3):197-202. [Medline].

  5. Broccolo F, Drago F, Careddu AM, Foglieni C, Turbino L, Cocuzza CE, et al. Additional evidence that pityriasis rosea is associated with reactivation of human herpesvirus-6 and -7. J Invest Dermatol. Jun 2005;124(6):1234-40. [Medline].

  6. Canpolat Kirac B, Adisen E, Bozdayi G, et al. The role of human herpesvirus 6, human herpesvirus 7, Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus in the aetiology of pityriasis rosea. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. Jan 2009;23(1):16-21. [Medline].

  7. Chuh AA, Chan PK, Lee A. The detection of human herpesvirus-8 DNA in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in adult patients with pityriasis rosea by polymerase chain reaction. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. Jul 2006;20(6):667-71. [Medline].

  8. Drago F, Malaguti F, Ranieri E, Losi E, Rebora A. Human herpes virus-like particles in pityriasis rosea lesions: an electron microscopy study. J Cutan Pathol. Jul 2002;29(6):359-61. [Medline].

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Further Reading

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Keywords

pityriasis rosea, PR, fine pink scale, inverse pityriasis rosea, inverse PR, vesicular pityriasis rosea, vesicular PR, bullous pityriasis rosea, bullous PR, papular pityriasis rosea, papular PR, syphilis, roseola, bone marrow transplantation, mononucleosis, influenza, parainfluenza, Epstein-Barr virus, parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus, herpesvirus, infection, acetylsalicylic acid, barbiturates, bismuth, captopril, clonidine, gold, imatinib, isotretinoin, ketotifen, levamisole, metronidazole, omeprazole, D-penicillamine, terbinafine, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine, diphtheria vaccine, miscarriage, prematurity, neonatal hypotonia, hyporeactivity, lymphadenopathy, herald patch, tinea corporis, treatment, diagnosis

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Maria R Nasca, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Catania School of Medicine, Italy
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Giuseppe Micali, MD, Head, Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Catania School of Medicine, Italy
Giuseppe Micali, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Kevin P Connelly, DO, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics and Emergency Care, Virginia Commonwealth University; Medical Director, Paws for Health Pet Visitation Program of the Richmond SPCA; Pediatric Emergency Physician, Emergency Consultants Inc, Chippenham Medical Center
Kevin P Connelly, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, and American Osteopathic Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Mary L Windle, PharmD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Pfizer Inc Stock Investment from financial planner; Avanir Pharma Stock Investment from financial planner ; WebMD Salary and stock Employment and investment from financial planner

Managing Editor

Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH, Professor and Head, Dermatology, Professor of Pathology, Pediatrics, Medicine, and Preventive Medicine and Community Health, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Physicians, and Sigma Xi
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Merrily P M Poth, MD, Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Merrily P M Poth, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, Endocrine Society, and Lawson-Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society
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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