Sweet's syndrome presenting as acute hand infection.
BACKGROUND
Sweet's syndrome, originally described as an acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, belongs to a class of skin lesions that histologically have intense epidermal and/or dermal inflammatory infiltrate of neutrophils without evidence of infection or vasculitis. Skin lesions of Sweet's syndrome most commonly present on the face, trunk, upper extremities, and hands. The presenting lesions are often confused with infections because of their clinical appearance.


METHODS
A retrospective search of the electronic medical record was performed to identify patients with Sweet's syndrome from 1996 to the present. These records were then reviewed to identify those patients who had Sweet's syndrome that involved the hands.


RESULTS
A total of 103 patients with Sweet's syndrome have been seen and treated at Scott and White Memorial Hospital since 1996. Of these, 49 patients had lesions on the hands. The presentation, treatment, and outcomes of several of these patients are presented.


CONCLUSIONS
As physicians responsible for the treatment of hand lesions, it is important to consider the diagnosis of Sweet's syndrome because these wounds are unresponsive to antibiotics, do not benefit from débridement, and instead, require treatment with steroids.
O'Halloran
Laura E
LE
Division of Plastic Surgery, Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Clinic, Scott, Sherwood, and Brindley Foundation, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, Texas, USA.
Bennett
Laura L
LL
Grothaus
Peter C
PC
Lynch
Dennis J
DJ
D015897:Comorbidity; D020405:Dermis / Q000473:pathology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006225:Hand / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D016463:Sweet Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011241:Prednisone