Severe Sweet's Syndrome with Elevated Cutaneous Interleukin-1β after Azathioprine Exposure: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Dermatology. 2015;230(4):293-8. doi: 10.1159/000371879. Epub 2015 Mar 14.

Abstract

Sweet's syndrome (SS) is a dermatosis with systemic symptoms characterized by tender, red nodules or papules, occasionally covered with vesicles, pustules or bullae, usually affecting the upper limbs, face and neck. SS is frequently observed in patients with leukemia or connective tissue diseases, while it is rather seldom in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The exact pathogenesis of SS is only partially understood. We report the case of a 50-year-old patient with indeterminate colitis, presenting with a febrile diffuse papulopustular and necrotizing skin eruption that healed with significant scarring and appeared 14 days after onset of treatment with azathioprine. Histological examination revealed the presence of features typical of SS, gene expression analysis very high levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) mRNA in lesional skin, and immunohistochemistry high levels of IL-1β at the protein level. SS associated with azathioprine is being increasingly reported and is reviewed herein.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Azathioprine / adverse effects*
  • Colitis / drug therapy*
  • Drug Eruptions / etiology*
  • Drug Eruptions / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects*
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use
  • Sweet Syndrome / chemically induced*
  • Sweet Syndrome / metabolism
  • Sweet Syndrome / pathology

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Azathioprine
  • Prednisone