[Systemic corticosteroids and their place in the management of haemorrhagic erysipelas]

ABSTRACT

Haemorrhagic erysipelas is a recently described clinical condition. Our aim is to study the clinical and evolutive particularities of haemorrhagic erysipelas treated with adjuvant corticotherapy. It's a retrospective study of 6 cases of erysipelas of the lower limbs with serious local signs [purpura, bullae, petechia]. Surgical examination as well as evaluation of muscular enzymes blood level were achieved in all cases. Adequate antibiotherapy and rapidly degressive systemic corticosteroids [0.5mg/Kg daily] were prescribed. Fever, pain and cutaneous signs regressed rapidly. Haemorrhagic erysipelas is different from common erysipelas by the presence of serious local signs [bullae, purpura], by its bad response to adequate antibiotics and by its response to systemic steroids