Prevalence, Aetiology and Diagnostic Accuracy for Erythroderma in a Tertiary Centre in Portharcourt, Nigeria

Otike-Odibi Bolaji^1, and Ujile Ichechiek¹

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Dermatology/Rheumatology Unit, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital

Cite this paper

Otike-Odibi Bolaji and Ujile Ichechiek. Prevalence, Aetiology and Diagnostic Accuracy for Erythroderma in a Tertiary Centre in Portharcourt, Nigeria. American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research. 2022; 10(1):27-31. doi: 10.12691/AJCMR-10-1-6

Abstract

Background: Erythroderma is a rare, life threatening dermatological emergency with multiple underlying aetiologies. Methods: We reviewed the clinical, laboratory and histologic findings of 22 patients diagnosed with erythroderma, who were managed in the dermatology unit over six years (from 2016 to 2021). Results: Symptoms were scaly lesions, generalized rash, itching, fever, pustules, and on examination there was lichenification. The Male to Female ratio was 1.75:1 with a mean age at diagnosis of 41.6+17.3 years. The causative factors were commonly idiopathic (59 %) and drug-induced (9%). Others were psoriasis, lichen planus, and onchodermatitis. The comorbidities identified were HIV and Chronic kidney disease. Test of agreement between clinical and pathological diagnosis was 62.5%. Conclusion: Erythroderma is more common in men, aetiology was mostly idiopathic Test of agreement between clinical and pathological diagnosis was 62.5, showing biopsies are an important aid in making a definitive diagnosis.

Keywords

Erythroderma, prevalence, aetiology, diagnostic accuracy

Copyright

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References

[1]	Bolognia JL, Schaffer JV, Cerroni L Dermatology Fourth edition Elsevier; 2018 pages 175-187.
[2]	Lloyd E. King Jr Erythroderma Who, Where, When, Why, and How Arch Dermatol. 1994; 130(12):1545-1547.
[3]	Ayanlowo OO, Akinkugbe AO Erythroderma at the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of a Tertiary Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria Nigerian J of Dermatology Vol1 No 03 June 2013.
[4]	A. Cuellar-Barboza, J. Ocampo-Candiani, ME Herz-Ruelas, A Practical Approach to the diagnosis and Treatment of Adult Erythroderma Actas Dermo-Sifiliografias(English Edition), Volume 109, Issue 9, 2018 pages 777-790.
[5]	Bruno et Grewal Erythroderma: a dermatologic emergency CJEM 2009; 11(3): 244-6.
[6]	Stringer BF, Henry LF, Mago S, Perucki WH, Savage JA, Bhatt PS Severe erythroderma secondary to Pacemaker allergy Heart Rhythm Case Reports 2021: 7: 207-210.
[7]	J. Revuz et al (eds), Life-threatening Dermatoses and Emergencies in Dermatology, Springer-Verlag BERLIN Heidelberg 2009.
[8]	Salami TAT, Oziegbe OE, Omeife H Exfoliative dermatitis: patterns of clinical presentation in a tropical rural and suburban dermatology practice in Nigeria International Journal of Dermatology 2012, 51, 1086-1089
[9]	Diallo M, Diadie S, Diatta BA, Diop A, Ndiaye MT, et al. (2017). Acquired Erythroderma in Adults in Senegal: Epidemiological and Etiological Aspects. Dermatol Case Rep 2: 128.
[10]	Munyao TM, Abhya NA, Ndele JK, et al. Exfoliative erythroderma at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi. East Afr Med J 2007; 84: 566-570.
[11]	Akhyani M, Ghodsi ZS, Toosi S, Dabbaghian H Erythroderma: A clinical study of 97 cases BMC Dermatology 2005, 5: 5.
[12]	Miyashiro, D, Sanches, J.A. Erythroderma: a prospective study of 309 patients followed for 12years in a tertiary center.Sci Rep 10, 9774 (2020).
[13]	Buscia k. Medical provision in Africa. Phyother Res, 2005; 19: 919-23 [Pubmed] [Google Scholar].
[14]	Okoduwa C, Lambert W.C, Schwartz RA, Kubeinje E, Eitokpah A, Sinha S et al. Erythroderma: review of a potentially life-threatening dermatoses, Indian J Dermatol.2009; 54(1) 1-6.
[15]	Salami TAT, Asalu AF, Samuel SO Prevalence of cutaneous drug eruptions in adult Nigerians with HIV/AIDS. Niger Postgrad Med J 2010; 17: 160-163.
[16]	Caroline Ram-Wolff, Nadine Martin-Garcia, Armand Bensussan, Martine Bagot, and Nicolas Ortonne. Histopathologic diagnosis of lymphomatous versus inflammatory erythroderma: a morphologic and phenotypic study on 47 skin biopsies. Am J Dermatopathol 2010 Dec; 32(8): 755-763.