Erythroderma

In erythroderma, a heat loss from excess circulation blood on the skin. This makes the heart have to work harder, and it can fail if the patient is a weak person or older. It is a situation similar to that of the patient with severe burns.

Temperature and protein are lost because the basal metabolism speeds up. By losing proteins, especially albumin from the blood, the patient suffers a poor regulation of his fluid balance, and may die dehydrated.

What are the causes of erythroderma?

• It has been estimated that almost a third of erythroderma are of unknown cause.
• Another third can be caused by drug reactions.
• The remaining third is caused by a varied list of diseases such as lymphomas and leukemias, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, or the.

How is it diagnosed?

Before erythroderma, the presence of an erythroderma should be investigated previous dermatosis, as or atopic dermatitis. The patient or his family must also be questioned about the use of new medications or drugs. In general, a study of one or more skin biopsies is necessary. In addition, in many cases, it is necessary to perform blood tests or biopsy of the nodes.

What prognosis do you have?

Severe erythroderma can lead to a mortality rate of almost 50%, either from the skin disease itself or from subsequent complications, such as infections, hypothermia, or dehydration.

Which is the treatment?

Treatment should be directed at the causative disease if it is known. For example, psoriasis or atopic dermatitis can be treated with different anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive drugs, or lymphoma can be treated with radiation therapy or chemotherapy. If there is a suspicion of a triggering drug, it should be withdrawn immediately.

However, the erythrodermic patient must follow a common treatment regardless of the underlying cause of the disease. The thermal regulation disorder and fluid loss should be addressed with proper temperature management and fluid therapy. You have to control itching and fever, and ensure proper nutrition to compensate for the loss of protein.

The patient should be treated with wet compresses, corticosteroids, antibiotics in case of superinfection, and antihistamines to control the itching. In most cases this care will require a hospital admission, and in the most serious cases this admission must be carried out in an intensive care unit.

• It is a serious process in which the skin becomes inflamed, scaly and red in a generalized way.
• Excess blood circulation in the skin causes a loss of heat, the heart has to work harder and can fail if the patient is weak or older.
• In addition to treating the cause, temperature and fluid loss must be regulated; control itching and fever; and ensure proper nutrition to compensate for the loss of protein.