Sweet's syndrome associated with Crohn's disease

Abstract

Sweet's syndrome is an uncommon benign skin disorder, whose pathogenesis remains unknown. Its classic form is more common in women and presents itself as papular-nodular, painful and erythematous or violaceous lesions. It mainly affects the face, neck, and upper limbs. Fever and neutrophilic leukocytosis are also common features. Although it is considered a systemic disease marker in more than half of patients, the association of this condition with Crohn's disease is rare, with few cases reported in the literature, of which, none in Brazil. We report the case of a patient with Crohn's disease who developed the classical features of Sweet's syndrome.

Figure 1

Infiltrated erythematous plaques on the anterior chest

Figure 2

Disseminated infiltrated erythematous plaques on the upper back

Figure 3

Detail of a lesion on the right arm. Infiltrated erythematous plaque with surface of pseudovesicular aspect

Figure 4

(A) Histopathological examination of skin biopsy showing interstitial mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis (HE 20X). (B) Detail of the infiltrate of lymphocytes and histiocytes with red blood cell extravasation (HE 40X).

Figure 5

(A) Colonic mucosal biopsy with superficial necrosis [1] and an intense inflammatory infiltrate in the lamina propria. Glands are tortuous and have decreased mucin concentration (HE 10X). (B) Detail of mononuclear inflammatory lymphoplasmocytic infiltrate [2], with some neutrophils and crypt microabscess [3] (HE 40X).