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Sweet’s syndrome is a condition that causes skin lesions, fever, and lethargy. It can occur on its own or with other illnesses and is most common in women between 30 and 50. It can be caused by unknown factors, inflammatory bowel disease, infections, malignancies, or medication reactions. Treatment involves anti-inflammatory drugs and may be recommended for Sweet’s associated with malignancy.
Sweet’s syndrome, or acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is a condition that primarily affects the face, neck, and arms; it is characterized by eruptive skin lesions and the sudden onset of fever. While Sweet’s syndrome can occur on its own, it can also co-occur with hematologic or immunologic disorders, infections, or other illnesses. Sweet’s syndrome is most commonly found in women between the ages of 30 and 50. The condition is treatable, but can occasionally recur.
Sweet’s syndrome is characterized by skin lesions that appear as small bumps that grow rapidly and spread over an area of skin in a cluster formation. These clusters are painful and will burst, turning into blisters and ulcers. Along with the skin lesions, a person with Sweet’s syndrome may experience fever, headache, pink eyes, and lethargy.
The most common form of Sweet’s syndrome is idiopathic, where the cause of the condition is mostly unknown. In some cases, idiopathic Sweet’s syndrome occurs during or after pregnancy. This condition can also be the result of inflammatory bowel disease or infections of the upper respiratory and gastrointestinal areas.
Sweet’s syndrome may also be linked to malignancies, especially acute leukemia and cancers caused by tumors. This type of sweet occurs in about 20% of cases and can be an early indicator of cancer. Sweet associated with malignancy can also indicate a return of the cancer.
On rare occasions, Sweet’s syndrome can be caused by a reaction to medications. Some antiepileptic drugs, oral contraceptives, antibiotics and diuretics provoke the development of Sweet’s syndrome. The most common medication to trigger this is granulocyte colony stimulating factor, which is designed to increase white blood cells. In these cases, stopping the use of the drug is sufficient to treat the syndrome.
To positively identify Sweet’s syndrome, a dermatologist will do a blood test or biopsy a tissue sample. Blood testing is simply taking a blood sample for testing in a laboratory. The test can identify any number of blood disorders, as well as whether a person’s white blood cell count is higher than normal. A biopsy involves taking a small sample of tissue from the area to determine if the area has the characteristics of Sweet’s syndrome.
Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat Sweet’s both topically and orally. No treatment is needed for idiopathic Sweet’s syndrome; the lesions will gradually fade over one to four weeks and generally leave no scars. Treatment may be recommended by a doctor for Sweet associated with malignancy, because the skin lesions are recurring. It is best to follow your doctor’s instructions regarding treatment for best results.
