Chronic recurrent neutrophilic dermatosis: a possible variant in the spectrum of neutrophilic dermatoses

Neutrophilic dermatoses constitute a clinically heterogeneous group of diseases that share a common histological substrate, consisting of a dense dermal inflammatory infiltrate of mature polymorphonuclear neutrophils and no evidence of vasculitis. We describe the case of a 56-year-old man with a 6-month history of painful generalized erythematous edematous plaques. Histopathology indicated neutrophilic dermatosis but the patient did not have fever, elevated white blood cell count, or systemic involvement. Tests to rule out possible inflammatory, neoplastic, or infectious processes were negative. We consider the term chronic recurrent annular neutrophilic dermatosis, first used by Christensen et al, to be the most appropriate to define this variant with clinical findings that differ from classic Sweet syndrome.