title: Long-term prognosis in patients treated for erythema chronicum migrans and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether Lyme borreliosis persisted or had recurred in patients treated for erythema chronicum migrans and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective follow-up study. Mean time between treatment and follow-up study was 8.8 years (SD, 66.6 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of dermatology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (N = 52) treated from July 1964 to October 1992 for erythema chronicum migrans (ECM; n = 44) or acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA; n = 8). Fifty-two of the 56 successfully contacted and registered patients agreed to participate, for a response rate of 93%.
  
  
  METHODS
  Signs and symptoms of Lyme borreliosis; serum antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The interval from the time of diagnosis to study entry was 0.8 to 28.7 years (mean, 8.2 years). No symptoms or signs of active Lyme borreliosis were observed in the 52 patients. Antibodies to B burgdorferi were found in the ECM group in 1 of the 23 patients who received a recommended treatment and 2 of the 21 patients who received other treatments; antibodies were found in the ACA group in all 5 adequately treated patients who received a recommended treatment and in 1 of the 3 patients who received other treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no association between serologic results and type of treatment or between serologic results and complaints or symptoms at the time of the study in either of the patient groups. The prognosis in most patients with Lyme borreliosis is excellent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hulshof
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vandenbroucke
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Nohlmans
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spanjaard
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Bavinck
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Dijkmans
mesh_terms: D000169:Acrodermatitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015787:Erythema Chronicum Migrans / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors