Annular Erythema - Causes and Signs of Annular Erythema

Ring-shaped erythema can be:

• Ring-shaped rheumatic erythema is a symptom of rheumatism. It appears as poorly distinguishable pale pink ring-shaped spots. It most often appears in children and adolescents;
• Erythema migrans is a chronic inflammatory disease similar to dermatosis. It is caused by bacterial or viral infections;
• Darrier's ring-shaped centrifugal erythema has an unclear etiology. Characterized by multiple annular erythema that rise above the skin surface in the form of a pink ridge that grows and changes shape.

Clinical forms of annular erythema:

• flaky annular erythema - the disease is accompanied by peeling of the skin at the edges of the spots;
• vesicular annular erythema - vesicles (superficial cavities that rise above the skin level and are filled with liquid) at the edges of the spots quickly appear and disappear;
• simple garland-shaped annular erythema - the spots do not exist for long (from a couple of hours to several days);
• persistent annular microgarland-shaped erythema - the spots are small, up to 1 cm in diameter see

Causes

Causes of development of annular erythema:

• intoxication of the body;
• heredity;
• bacterial infections;
• viral infections;
• focal infections (osteomyelitis, tonsillitis, granuloma of the tooth and others);
• chronic sinusitis;
• chronic cholecystitis;
• osteomelitis;
• candidiasis;
• rheumatism;
• foot mycosis;
• endocrine disorders;
• gastrointestinal diseases tract;
• decreased immunity;
• dysproteinemia;
• side effect when taking medications;
• various neoplasms (lymphomas, adenocarcinomas, acute leukemia).

Symptoms

Symptoms of annular erythema:

• appearance of red spots;
• localization of spots - cheeks, abdomen, anterior surface of the shoulder, on the sides of the chest;
• rapid growth of spots (can reach 20 cm);
• merging of closely located spots into arcuate formations;
• spots and formations rise above the surface skin;
• near old foci, new foci of redness may appear;
• a characteristic sign is a lace pattern on the body;
• mild itching;
• burning;
• inside the rings, the skin color is normal or becomes pale (characteristic of infantile erythema);
• paroxysmal rashes (can quickly form and also quickly disappear).

Annular erythema manifests paroxysmal attacks with an increase in body or air temperature, when direct sunlight hits the skin, when cooling.

Diagnostics

When the first rash appears, you must make an appointment with a dermatologist or venereologist. A doctor's consultation will help to determine the disease and the causes that caused it. Specialists prescribe the following diagnostic tests:

• serological examination;
• mycological examination;
• oncological examination;
• histopathological examination;
• hematological examination;
• skin biopsy.

Treatment

Treatment of annular erythema is aimed primarily at eliminating the causes that caused it, and consists of sanitizing foci of infection, treating diseases of the endocrine system, and the gastrointestinal tract. For this purpose, the following are prescribed:

• calcium and sodium thiosulfate preparations;
• broad-spectrum antibiotics (in rare cases);
• antihistamines;
• drugs of the penicillin, erythromycin and other groups;
• vitamin therapy (especially vitamins A, B, E);
• corticosteroids;
• anabolic compounds;
• antimalarials (sometimes);
• disinfectants and antiseptics;
• compresses on the affected areas;
• treatment of the affected areas with aerosol preparations containing sodium thiosulfate;
• antihistamine gels;
• ointments that promote epithelialization;
• creams with a low concentration of corticosteroids;
• homeopathic remedies (for treating children).

Patients with annular erythema should be registered at a dispensary and regularly visit a dermatologist.

Without treatment, annular erythema can become chronic with spring-summer exacerbations. The disease can last throughout life, and its treatment is ineffective. Sometimes, after successful treatment of annular erythema, erosions with persistent pigmentation remain on certain areas of the skin.

Prevention

Prevention of annular erythema consists of observing the following rules:

• follow the rules of personal hygiene;
• change your underwear in a timely manner;
• treat skin lesions with antibacterial agents;
• timely treatment of diseases of the endocrine system and gastrointestinal tract;
• moisturize the skin surface;
• preventive examination by specialists.