Chronic, Relapsing, Debilitating Sweet Syndrome Is Associated with Myelodysplasia

Patients with recurrent Sweet syndrome should be carefully assessed for hematologic disease.

Sweet described an acute, febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (AFND) to which authors later attached his name. Shortly after its description, an associated malignancy, particularly myeloid leukemia, was noted in some patients with AFND. In most dermatologic tertiary care settings, it is recognized that recurrent disease is frequently associated with a hematologic abnormality, but this association appears not always to be recognized in the hematology-oncology realm.

These authors from departments of hematology and dermatology at London's King College and Hospital report on their 6-year experience with 744 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and 215 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Among these patients were 31 with Sweet syndro…

Reviewing Author

Jeffrey P. Callen, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board XOMA; Eli Lilly; Celgene

Equity Various trust accounts

Editorial boards JAMA Dermatology; UpToDate

Leadership positions in professional societies Association of Professors of Dermatology (President-Elect)