Erythema Multiform among Patients Attending Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital

H. Al-Mafraji, Karim

	Erythema Multiform among Patients Attending Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital
IRAQI JOURNALOF COMMUNITY MEDICINE
Article 1, Volume 22, Issue 1, 2009, Pages 34-36
Author
Karim H. Al-Mafraji
Abstract
Background: Erythema multiform is a distinctive clinical and histopathological entity which can be precipitated by various agents and characterized by an acute, selfــ limited eruption of the skin & mucous membranes in the form of distinctive iris lesion, macules and maculo–papular lesions. Objective: To study the clinico-epidemiological pattern of Erythema multiform in Iraq. Patients & Methods: This case series study was done in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, during the period from Dec. 2004 through Aug. 2005. Results: Thirty patients with Erythema multiform enrolled in this study. They were 18 males & 12 females with male: female ratio of 1.2:1. Their ages ranged from 7-55 years with mean±SD of 26±4 years. Ten cases (33.3%) showed recurrence of more than one attack with variable periods of time. 90% of them gave a history of herpes simplex infection before each attack. All cases collected were with maculo- papular type. The majority of cases (60 %) showed a peripheral distribution with preference of lesions to the extremities. Conclusion: The main cause of recurrence was still Herpes simplex infection. In addition, still maculo–papular type was the most common pattern seen in this study and the peripheral distribution was found in 60 % of the cases with preference of lesions to the extremities. Key words; Erythema, Multiform
Keywords
Erythema; Multiform

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