January 29, 2012

| perri dermatology
Medically reviewed by Anthony J. Perri, M.D.

Erythema Nodosum is a very common condition seen in sarcoidosis that I encounter in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology offices.  Eythema Nodosum is a non-specific cutaneous manifestation of sarcoidosis meaning that it is a reaction to a patient having the disease but when biopsied the skin does not have any sarcoidal granulomas on histology.  The lesions in Erythema Nodosum typically appear as indurated red/brown tender nodules on the anterior shins.  Treatment of Erythema Nodosum is bed rest and NSAIDs as well as treatments aimed at the sarcoidosis.  The finding of Erythema Nodosum is actually a good prognostic indicator as approximately 75% of sarcoidosis patients with these lesions will have spontaneous remission of their sarcoidosis within two years.  In some patients with sarcoidosis, they develop Lofgren’s syndrome in which Erythema Nodosum is present as well as fever, uveitis, hilar adenopathy and fatigue.

Erythema nodosum | perri dermatology