I recently spent 10 days in hospital because my face/head and hands (only) erupted with lesions and pustules.
The doctors hadn't seen anything like it, after a few days they believed it to be Sweet Syndrome. I think they are probably right although I still haven't had my biopsy results through yet and the diagnosis isn't official.
I also have Angioedema. I reckon they are connected. For me Sweet Syndrome seems to be an auto immune problem. I would like to ask, is it unusual to have on face and hands only. Was it a one off, or will it return? If anyone can answer, I'd be grateful, Regards, John.
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John-Merrick
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SS is a rare autoinflammatory condition. Autoinflammatory and autoimmune conditions are similar, but involve different parts of the immune system. Autoinflammatory involve the innate (inborn immune system), and autoimmune mainly involve the adaptive (part that produces antibodies).
In most people, SS only affects the upper body, including the face, but it can potentially affect any part of the body. Which part of the body that will be affected can vary from person to person.
Angioedema isn't connected to SS, but swelling can occur. Were you started on any new medication before your flare-up? In 12% of cases, medication is a trigger (hypersensitivity reaction).
In approx. 66% of patients their SS doesn't return after initial treatment. Approx. 33% will experience repeat flare-ups, particularly if they've developed their SS secondary to another condition. Triggers and underlying conditions include: infection, mainly upper respiratory tract infection, e.g. cough, sore throat, flu, sinusitis; cancer (approx. 20%), one of the commonest being a group of blood disorders called myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS); inflammatory bowel disease, e.g. Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis; autoimmune disease, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus; medication (12%); immmunodeficiency, e.g. common variable immune deficiency; skin damage; overexposure to sunlight; vaccination (very rare. Only 11 documented cases in the past 44 years, globally. Symptoms appear within hours to days, less commonly, about 2 weeks after vaccination). In 50% of SS patients there is no known trigger.
If you have any more questions, John, don't hesitate to ask.
Thank you for your wonderful answer, I feel better informed than I was with the doctors. I hadn't started any new medicines. The only medicines I take are Piriton for my Angioedema and Nurofen for headaches.
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