Erythroderma. A clinical and follow-up study of 102 patients, with special emphasis on survival.

BACKGROUND: Erythroderma may result from different causes. There have been no publications on this subject with special emphasis on survival.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the cause of the erythroderma and the prognosis of these patients.

METHODS: Clinical and follow-up data from 102 patients with erythroderma were analyzed. We estimated survival of patients with erythroderma, from causes other than Sézary syndrome, mycosis fungoides, or leukemia cutis. The survival was compared with that of an age-matched control group of the general population.

RESULTS: The main cause of erythroderma was exacerbation of a preexisting dermatosis (53%). Drug reactions were rarely the cause (5%). A high proportion of the patients had chronic actinic dermatitis/actinic reticuloid (12%). Survival of men with erythroderma was significantly lower than that of the general population.

CONCLUSION: Men with erythroderma, from causes other than Sézary syndrome, mycosis fungoides, or leukemia cutis, have a lower survival than men in the general population.