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Eritema multiforme

Last reviewed: 24 Sep 2025
Last updated: 18 Oct 2024

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • presença de fatores de risco
  • lesões em alvo dos membros
  • episódio prévio de EM
  • erosões das mucosas
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • lesões semelhantes a alvos
  • início rápido das lesões
  • ciclo autolimitado
  • vesículas agrupadas em uma base eritematosa
  • roncos, estertores e/ou sibilos
  • membranas timpânicas vermelhas
Full details

Risk factors

  • episódio anterior de eritema multiforme
  • infecção por vírus do herpes simples (HSV)
  • determinadas outras infecções
  • Infecção por Mycoplasma pneumoniae
  • linfoma
  • Doença de Kawasaki
  • uso de determinados medicamentos
  • vacinações
  • tatuagens
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • diagnóstico clínico
Full details

Investigations to consider

  • biópsia de coloração de hematoxilina e eosina
  • biópsia com imunofluorescência
  • Hemograma completo
  • eletrólitos séricos
  • sorologia para o vírus do herpes simples (HSV)
  • reação em cadeia da polimerase rápida
  • sorologia por hemaglutinação a frio
  • títulos de M pneumoniae
  • radiografia torácica
  • título de autoanticorpos
Full details

Emerging tests

  • anticorpos antidesmoplaquina

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

eritema multiforme (EM) minor

eritema multiforme (EM) major

ONGOING

eritema multiforme (EM) recorrente

Contributors

Authors

Nathan W. Rojek, MD, FAAD

Assistant Professor

Director, Inpatient Dermatology

Department of Dermatology

University of California, Irvine

Irvine

CA

Disclosures

NWR declares that he has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Nathan W. Rojek would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Areta Kowal-Vern, Dr Jonathan Silverberg, and Dr Nanette Silverberg, the previous contributors to this topic.

Disclosures

AK-V, JS, and NS declare that they have no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Cristine Radojicic, MD

Staff Physician

Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland

OH

Disclosures

CR declares that she has no competing interests.

Brian Swick, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor

University of Iowa College of Medicine

Iowa City

IA

Disclosures

BS declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

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Key articles

Lerch M, Mainetti C, Terziroli Beretta-Piccoli B, Harr T. Current perspectives on erythema multiforme. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2018 Feb;54(1):177-84. Abstract

Grünwald P, Mockenhaupt M, Panzer R, et al. Erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis - diagnosis and treatment. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2020 Jun;18(6):547-53. Abstract

Soares A, Sokumbi O. Recent updates in the treatment of erythema multiforme. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Sep 1;57(9):921.Full text  Abstract

de Risi-Pugliese T, Sbidian E, Ingen-Housz-Oro S, et al. Interventions for erythema multiforme: a systematic review. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019 May;33(5):842-9. Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.

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