Erythema multiforme: a simple rash or sinister sign?
- 1Acute Medicine Department, Whipps Cross Hospital, London, UK
- 2Acute Medicine Department, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK
- Correspondence to Dr Hannah Beckwith, hannah.k.s.beckwith{at}gmail.com
Description
A 25-year-old lady presented with symmetrically distributed acral target lesions. She was otherwise asymptomatic, with no infective contacts, but concerned given the sudden onset and extensive distribution (figure 1). Erythema multiforme (EM) can be an alarming sign for patients and healthcare professionals. The exact pathophysiology of the characteristic lesions is unknown, but it is thought to be immune-mediated, likely to involve a type IV …
