View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE Acta Dermatovenerol Croat 2007;15(3):178-190 REVIEW Differential Diagnosis of Neonatal and Infantile Erythroderma Lena Kotrulja1, Slobodna Murat-Sušić2, Karmela Husar2 1University Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital; 2University Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Zagreb University Hospital Center and School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia Corresponding author: SUMMARY Neonatal and infantile erythroderma is a diagnostic and Lena Kotrulja, MD, MS therapeutic challenge. Numerous underlying causes have been reported. Etiologic diagnosis of erythroderma is frequently difficult to University Department of Dermatology establish, and is usually delayed, due to the poor specificity of clinical and Venereology and histopathologic signs. Differential diagnosis of erythroderma is Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital a multi-step procedure that involves clinical assessment, knowledge of any relevant family history and certain laboratory investigations. Vinogradska 29 Immunodeficiency must be inspected in cases of severe erythroderma HR-10000 Zagreb with alopecia, failure to thrive, infectious complications, or evocative Croatia histologic findings. The prognosis is poor with a high mortality rate
[email protected] in immunodeficiency disorders and severe chronic diseases such as Netherton’s syndrome. Received: June 14, 2007 KEY WORDS: erythroderma, neonatal, infantile, generalized Accepted: July 11, 2007 exfoliative dermatitis INTRODUCTION Erythroderma is defined as an inflammatory Neonatal and infantile erythroderma is a diag- skin disorder affecting total or near total body sur- nostic and therapeutic challenge. Erythrodermic face with erythema and/or moderate to extensive neonates and infants are frequently misdiagnosed scaling (1). It is a reaction pattern of the skin that with eczema and inappropriate topical steroid can complicate many underlying skin conditions at treatment can lead to Cushing syndrome.