Erythema nodosum epidemiology: 5-year retrospective study

Abstract

Objective: Erythema nodosum (EN) is the most common type of septal panniculitis. Although triggering factors of EN are drugs, infections, malignancies, inflammatory diseases however disease is idiopathic in 32-72%. Factors are changing from region to region and from country to country. In this study, our aim was to investigate the etiologic factors and to evaluate the clinic and laboratory findings of EN.Methods: Sixty-six patients who were histopathologically diagnosed as EN in our department between 2005 and 2010 were included to this study. Demographic data and treatment were evaluated.Results: Fifty-two of 66 patients had underlying etiologic factors (Group 1) and 14 of were idiopatic (Group 2). Most common etiologic factor was Behcet's disease (n=15), and followed by drug (n=13), sarcoidosis (n=10), upper respiratory tract infection (n=6), autoimmune disease (n=4), pregnancy (n=2), tuberculosis (n=2) in decreasing frequencies. In our study malignancy and inflammatory bowel disease are not appointed.Conclusion: Behcet's disease is a rare cause of EN. In other studies in our country the idiopatic group was in majority. In our study because of finding the common etiologic factor as Behcet's disease due to being of Behcet's disease high prevalance (11-42/10000) in our country and existence of Behcet's disease center in our faculty