title: [Vasculitis in Sweet's Syndrome].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Also called acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, Sweet's syndrome is non-infective dermatoses that exhibit a predominantly neutrophilic inflammatory infiltrate. Absence of vasculitis is a histologic criterion for diagnosis. However, recent reports suggest that vasculitis should not exclude the diagnosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe their clinical, pathological and therapeutic characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a series of 47 cases of Sweet's syndrome, collected in our institution between 1997 and 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient population consisted of 11 males and 36 females. The mean age was 47 years (28-74). An associated disease process was seen in 10 patients: inflammatory disease (3 cases), inflammatory bowel disease (2 cases), tuberculosis (3 cases) and diabetes (3 cases). One case of pregnancy was observed. In the prodromal phase, functional symptoms were reported in 38 cases (80.8%). Cutaneous lesions consisted of erythematous plaques or nodules. Lesions were located mainly on the upper or lower extremities. All biopsy specimens demonstrated a dermal infiltrate composed predominantly of neutrophils. Fibrinoid necrosis and intramural inflammation were observed in 8 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dermatosis can precede, follow, or appear concurrent with the diagnosis of the patient's diseases which requires careful surveillance.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Anatomie et de Cytologie Pathologiques, Hopital La Rabta, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chelly
authors.forename: Alia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zehani
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mbazaa
authors.forename: Haifa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nfoussi
authors.forename: Haifa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Azouz
authors.forename: Slim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haouet
authors.forename: Nidhameddine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kchir
authors.forename: Monsef
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zitouna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016463:Sweet Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy