Erythroderma, also known as red man syndrome, is a condition that typically results in inflamed, red, and scaly skin. It may be a symptom of a larger problem, such as a drug allergy, lymphoma, or psoriasis. Occasionally, doctors can't find a cause for red man syndrome. Treatment for the condition can fluctuate depending on the underlying cause.
The most common symptom of red man syndrome is reddening of the skin. Affected areas will usually become dry and scaly, sometimes peeling off. Inflammation and thickening of the skin are common during erythroderma. Fever and chills may also accompany rash-like symptoms. Unlike many other skin conditions, erythroderma is usually extremely painful and can sometimes cause death.
In most cases, the infected skin will spread over almost the entire body. Depending on the cause, erythroderma may appear suddenly or symptoms may come on gradually. The skin will usually begin to scale after other symptoms have been present for two to six days. As the disease spreads, hair often begins to fall out and nails may thicken or weaken.
One-third of erythroderma cases have no known cause, but the rest can be attributed to an underlying medical problem. Sometimes this can be an advanced case of psoriasis. Although most cases of psoriasis are not serious, erythroderma psoriasis often becomes dangerous. It can increase the heart rate to an unhealthy rate and deplete vital fluids or proteins that the body needs to survive. Those who already have psoriasis can trigger erythroderma by changing or stopping medications, or by getting a severe sunburn.
Red man syndrome can also be a sign of life-threatening conditions, such as Hodgkin's disease or leukemia. Approximately 74 percent of the deaths of patients with red man syndrome begin with another serious illness. For this reason, a doctor may wish to schedule a variety of tests, including a lymph node biopsy, if symptoms of erythroderma appear and no obvious cause can be found.
Corticosteroids are often prescribed to treat red man syndrome. This medicine is applied topically to the affected areas of the skin. Many times, corticosteroids are only a temporary solution until the doctor can diagnose the cause of the erythroderma. Eliminating the cause is the most effective method of defeating Red Man Syndrome. Sometimes treatment can be as simple as changing a medication. Red man syndrome as a result of a drug reaction has the fastest turnaround and the greatest chance of recovery.
Although erythroderma is a rare condition, some patients are more likely than others to experience red man syndrome. Men are diagnosed twice as often as women, with most cases occurring after the age of 40. Those with a family history of skin disease are also more susceptible to erythroderma.