Sweet’s syndrome (Acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis)

1 - PATIENT INFORMATION

Sweet`s syndrome, also known in the medical literature as acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is a skin reaction with red painful nodules that has also general symptoms like fever and pain in the articulations.

It may be isolated. However there are also association with pharyngeal or gastrointestinal infection, inflammatory or auto-immune disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis or more rarely with some diseases of the bone marrow. 

A medical evaluation is mandatory since in a minority of cases it can be the first manifestation of a previously undiagnosed cancer.

The treatment is performed usually with oral steroids, with response in 48 hours in most cases, leaving no scars. In 30% of patients, new episodes can occur, especially when associated with pharyngeal infections.