Clinical-epidemiological characterization of erythema nodosum

Abstract

Introduction: Erythema nodosum is the most common clinic-pathological variant of panniculitis. It is an immunological skin reaction in response to a wide spectrum of etiological agents.

Objective: To characterize the clinical-epidemiological evolution of erythema nodosum.

Methods: A descriptive, prospective and longitudinal study was carried out with patients who presented a clinical diagnosis of erythema nodosum, hospitalized in the internal medicine and dermatology services of the Dr. León Cuervo Rubio Hospital in Pinar del Río, in the period from January 2017 to December 2018. The universe consisted of 42 patients. The sample was made up of 34 of them who were selected through intentional sampling based on specialist criteria. Eight patients were excluded. The information was taken from the medical records and physical examination, which was complemented with laboratory tests. A system of theoretical, empirical and statistical methods was applied and descriptive statistics were used through absolute frequencies and percentages.

Results: The largest group of patients was between 30 and 39 years of age, female. The predominant evolution time was one to three months and consequence infections were observed. The most used treatment was non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Conclusions: Erythema nodosum is an important disease whose early diagnosis allows adequate treatment. Being difficult to identify, it is a health strategy to manage both at the first level of care and at the second level.