NEUTROPHILIC DISEASE - A REVIEW OF EXTRACUTANEOUS NEUTROPHILIC MANIFESTATIONS

Sweet's syndrome, pyoderma gangrenosum, subcorneal pustular dermatosis erythema elevatum diutinum form part of the clinical spectrum of neut rophilic dermatoses. These conditions share common features such as th e association with systemic diseases, i.e. myeloproliferative disorder s, monoclonal gammopathies, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel d iseases. In addition, extra-cutaneous neutrophilic infiltrates may occ ur in patients with a neutrophilic dermatosis, thus defining neutrophi lic disease. We review here the literature on cases of patients with n eutrophilic dermatoses and well-documented, culture-negative, extra-cu taneous, neutrophilic lesions. Sites of involvement include the lungs, bones, joints, liver, central nervous system, lymph nodes, spleen, di gestive tract, blood vessels and eyes. The awareness of these systemic manifestations allows the dermatologist to accurately evaluate these patients and to avoid unnecessary, aggressive investigations.