(1)
Hôpital Universitaire de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
Abstract
The intensity of an erythema depends on the room temperature where the patient is being examined and on the patient’s position, whether lying or standing, which explains its variability. For example, in certain angiosarcomas of the face, erythema becomes apparent only when the patient tilts her head downwards for 1 min (known as tilt test). Erythema can be permanent or paroxysmal. It can display a notable configuration, annular or grid-like (livedo). Numerous tones of red (ranging from pink to violet) exist and are of great semiological value to the experimented physician in the orientation of diagnosis. The association of erythema, pain, edema, and increased temperature is characteristic of inflammation in the broad sense. Erythemas of the folds (also known as intertrigo), the extremities, the face, the scrotum, or the buttocks in children often have specific causes and are covered in Chap. 19. Causes of exanthemas are covered in Chap. 20 and causes of erythroderma are summarized in Chap. 21.
The intensity of an erythema depends on the room temperature where the patient is being examined and on the patient’s position, whether lying or standing, which explains its variability. For example, in certain angiosarcomas of the face, erythema becomes apparent only when the patient tilts her head downwards for 1 min (known as tilt test). Erythema can be permanent or paroxysmal. It can display a notable configuration, annular or grid-like (livedo). Numerous tones of red (ranging from pink to violet) exist and are of great semiological value to the experimented physician in the orientation of diagnosis. The association of erythema, pain, edema, and increased temperature is characteristic of inflammation in the broad sense. Erythemas of the folds (also known as intertrigo), the extremities, the face, the scrotum, or the buttocks in children often have specific causes and are covered in Chap. 19. Causes of exanthemas are covered in Chap. 20 and causes of erythroderma are summarized in Chap. 21.
Erythema can be the superficial cutaneous expression of an inflammation of infectious or tumoral origin, located within an underlying anatomical structure. Such a cause should not be overlooked. Erythema is also one of the first and sometimes the only symptom of several cutaneous infections such as erysipelas, zoster, or erythema migrans caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, for example. Lastly, several systemic diseases called “autoinflammatory disorders,” or generally speaking which involve a dysfunction of innate immunity, manifest as erythematous lesions of sudden onset which are often accompanied by fever and subside within a few hours or days.
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