Last reviewed: 30 Oct 2023
Last updated: 13 Aug 2019
Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- acute to subacute recurrent skin eruption
- polymorphic, generalized, nonpruritic skin eruption
More key diagnostic factors
Other diagnostic factors
- scars or pigment changes
- immunosuppression
- recent illness
- family history of pityriasis lichenoides
- headache
- myalgias/arthralgias
- malaise
- burning/pruritus
- multiorgan failure
Other diagnostic factors
Risk factors
- childhood to early adult age
- male sex
- HIV
More risk factors
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- dermoscopy
- skin biopsy
More 1st investigations to order
Investigations to consider
- antistreptolysin titers
- Epstein-Barr virus IgM/IgG viral capsid antigen and nuclear antigen antibody
- monospot or heterophil antibody test
- hepatitis B surface antigen, antisurface antibody, and anticore IgM
- hepatitis C virus antibody
- HIV screening
- rapid plasma reagin
- throat cultures
- toxoplasma Sabin-Feldman dye test, indirect immunofluorescence/hemagglutination
- erythrocyte sedimentation rate
- CRP
- serum LDH
- WBC count
- serum albumin
More investigations to consider
Treatment algorithm
ONGOING
mild to moderate disease
severe disease or treatment resistance
Contributors
Authors
Amor Khachemoune, MD, CWS
Clinical Instructor in Dermatology
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Brooklyn
NY
Disclosures
AK declares that he has no competing interests.
Marianna Blyumin-Karasik, MD
Dermatology Faculty
Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Surgery
University of Miami
Miami
FL
Disclosures
MB-K declares that she has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Andrew D. Lee, MD
Resident
Department of Dermatology
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Winston-Salem
NC
Disclosures
ADL declares that he has no competing interests.
Abdulhafez Selim, MD
Assistant Professor
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
Dhahran
Saudi Arabia
Disclosures
AS declares that he has no competing interests.
Differentials
- Lymphomatoid papulosis
- Guttate psoriasis
- Drug eruption
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