Erythema ab igne

Abstract

An 86-year-old woman was referred to our Clinic because of a new onset of anaemia. She was under treatment with warfarin for chronic atrial fibrillation. The INR at admission was 4.1. Her caregiver excluded hematemesis or melena, and assured no NSAID had been taken. She appeared pale and was haemodynamically stable. A wellmarked, reddish-brown, netlike discoloration of the skin, with clear-cut margins was present on the anterior and medial surfaces of both thighs (Fig. 1). This kind of lesion was not present in any other body areas. Physical examination was otherwise normal.Routine blood examination revealed the presence of a microcytic anaemia (haemoglobin 7.8 g/dL; mean corpuscular volume 60.8 fL) with iron deficiency (serum iron 20 lg/ dL; serum ferritin 30 lg/L). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate appeared high (75 mm/h). Lupus anticoagulant panel, antinuclear antibodies, Coombs tests, cryoglobulins and anti-HCV antibodies were normal. Haptoglobin levels were normal. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a sliding hiatal hernia with erosive esophagitis.The patient reported that the skin discoloration had appeared on her thighs many years before, and was chronic and stable. She added she would usually keep a hot water bottle on her thighs. It is to be noted that the extension of the lesion corresponded to the surface of the water bottle.Therefore, the skin discoloration and anaemia likely had no relationship. In fact, the anaemia was secondary to erosive esophagitis, and was treated with iron supplementation and proton pump inhibitors. DiscussionErythema ab igne appears as a reticulated, erythematous, hyperpigmented eruption that may occur after prolonged and repeated skin exposure to mild heat or infrared radiation, but under the threshold of thermal burn [1]. It can be also characterized by skin atrophy, telangiectasia and subepidermal bullae, and it is usually asymptomatic. Distribution and contour of the skin lesions depend on the direction of the incident radiation, and the interposition of clothing.

Erythema ab igne: new technology rebounding upon its users?

“…Exposure can lead to a transient, blanchable, reticulated erythema. With chronic exposure, EAI appears as a brownish reticulated, erythematous, hyperpigmented and hypopigmented eruption, and can be also characterized by cutaneous atrophy, telangiectasia, and subepidermal bullae (Fig. ).…”

Erythema ab igne as a side effect of working in a flower shop – and literature review

“…Powtarzające się epizody narażenia na PP powodują nasilenie i utrwalenie rumienia oraz obecność brą-zowych plam i zanik naskórka. Następnie w obrazie klinicznym zaczynają przeważać brązowe i brunatne utrwalone przebarwienia, które układają się w charakterystyczny wzór przypominający siateczkę [2][3][4]. W 2014 r. Turan i wsp.…”

“…poikilodermia atrophicans vasculare, zapalenie skórno-mięśniowe, genodermatozy -zespół Rothmunda-Thomsona, wrodzona dyskeratoza, hereditary acrokeratotic poikiloderma) [1,3,4,26].…”

Erythema ab igne caused by laptop computer gaming – a case report

“…The pathophysiology is unclear, but theories suggest heat‐induced epidermal and superficial blood vessel damage leads to inflammation. Consequently, hemosiderin deposits and vasodilation results in the clinical presentation 3,14 . Some cases also progress to show changes similar to actinic keratosis, such as hyperkeratosis and epidermal dysplasia.…”

“…Consequently, hemosiderin deposits and vasodilation results in the clinical presentation. 3,14 Some cases also progress to show changes similar to actinic keratosis, such as hyperkeratosis and epidermal dysplasia. Squamous cell carcinoma can, though infrequently, arise in the patches of erythema ab igne.…”