[Study of 94 cases of sarcoidosis with special reference to erythema nodosum]. / Estudio de 94 casos de sarcoidosis con especial referencia al eritema nudoso.

We studied 94 patients diagnosed of sarcoidosis in order to establish the incidence of erythema nodosum (EN), in the course of sarcoidosis, in our setting and to check if it induces different clinical and analytical characteristics in patients. 37 patients (39%) showed EN with a mean age of 41 +/- 1.62 years and with a marked female predominance (81%). Its presence was associated with a higher frequency of general symptoms (p less than 0.01), articular manifestations (p less than 0.001), specially in knees and ankles (p less than 0.01), subacute evolution (p less than 0.001), raise in GSR and of alpha-one-globulin (p less than 0.01) and hypoalbuminemia (p less than 0.05). On the other hand, those patients without EN showed higher frequency of dermal lesions different from EN (p less than 0.001) and the articular manifestations were localized preferentially in knees and proximal interphalangeal articulations of hands (p less than 0.05). We underline the high incidence of EN in sarcoidosis in our setting, which originates a more benign clinical type with a more favorable prognostic, embedded in the course of sarcoidosis, to which EN would transfer its clinical, analytical and immunopathogenic characteristics.

[Erythema nodosum: a study of 160 cases]. / Eritema nudoso: estudio de 160 casos.

We have evaluated 160 patients diagnosed of erythema nodosum (EN) on the basis of clinical and/or histopathological criteria to assess their etiology and their major epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features in our area. Mean age was 37.5 years and 86% of patients were females. The etiology could be determined in 67.5% of cases: sarcoidosis (20.6%), drugs (18%), streptococcal infection (16.3%), tuberculosis (6.3%), pregnancy (1.9%), Crohn's disease (1.3%), Behçet's disease (1.3%), lymphoma (0.6%), adenocarcinoma (0.6%), and toxoplasmosis (0.6%). 32.5% of cases were idiopathic. We found significant differences between the different etiological factors regarding mean age, fever, joint disease, ESR, leukocytosis and serum proteins. We compare our results with those from other series and we emphasize the need for a systematic workup in all patients with EN to facilitate their etiological diagnosis.