Open Access Case

Report DOI: 10.7759/cureus.3459

Variants of Erythema Multiforme: A Case

Report and Literature Review
Luis Paulino 1 , David J. Hamblin 2 , Ngozi Osondu 3 , Richard Amini 4

1. College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA 2. College of Medicine, University of Arizona
College of Medicine, Tucson, USA 3. Infectious Disease, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA 4.
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA

 Corresponding author: Luis Paulino, [email protected]

Disclosures can be found in Additional Information at the end of the article

Abstract
Erythema multiforme is an acute skin condition characterized by targetoid lesions and occurs
most frequently in young adults, particularly males. There are two variants of this condition,
one with mucosal involvement, termed erythema multiforme major, and one without mucosal
involvement, known as erythema multiforme minor. Due to the similarities in clinical and
histological findings, it was previously believed that erythema multiforme major was
indistinguishable from Steven-Johnson syndrome (SJS). However, evidence suggests these are
two distinct diseases with a different etiology. It is important for clinicians to readily identify
the difference between erythema multiforme from SJS, as the prognosis and mortality rate vary
significantly between the two disorders.

Categories: Dermatology, Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease

Keywords: erythema multiform, erythema multiform major, erythema multiform minor, steven-
johnson syndrome

Introduction
Erythema multiforme has been associated with multiple etiologies, including medications,
malignancies, and sarcoidosis, but about 90% of the cases can be attributed to infectious
agents, more commonly herpes simplex virus in adults and mycoplasma pneumonia in children
[1]. About 10% of the cases, the symptoms are associated with an adverse drug reaction, usually
to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, sulfonamides, anti-epileptics, or antibiotics [1-2]. A
herpes simplex virus infection can cause the release of IFN-gamma and the subsequent
recruitment of CD4+ T helper cells, which may lead to epidermal tissue damage and the
pathological findings associated with erythema multiforme [2]. In drug-induced erythema
multiforme, TNF-alpha has been demonstrated to cause the development of the lesions [2].
Received 09/14/2018
Review began 09/21/2018
Review ended 10/10/2018
Published 10/16/2018
Case Presentation
A 23-year-old Hispanic male presented to the emergency department, with rash, mouth sores,
© Copyright 2018
and subjective fevers that began after eating fish five days prior. His symptoms started with
Paulino et al. This is an open access
article distributed under the terms of sores in his mouth and on his lips with penile and anal pruritus. After 24 hours, the patient
the Creative Commons Attribution developed a pruritic rash over his upper extremities, neck, upper back, and palms, as well as
License CC-BY 3.0., which permits two non-painful sores on his penis and one blister on his rectum. Despite medicating at home
unrestricted use, distribution, and
with Benadryl, the patient’s symptoms persisted, which caused the patient to seek care in our
reproduction in any medium, provided
emergency department.
the original author and source are
credited.
At presentation, the patient was alert and calm, without anxiety or an ill appearance. The

How to cite this article

Paulino L, Hamblin J, Osondu N, et al. (October 16, 2018) Variants of Erythema Multiforme: A Case Report
and Literature Review. Cureus 10(10): e3459. DOI 10.7759/cureus.3459
 patient reported having unprotected intercourse with a female two months ago. He denied ever
having anal intercourse, a history of sexually transmitted infections, dysuria, or penile
discharge. He also denied any past medical problems and did not take any prescription
medications or over-the-counter supplements. The patient’s vitals were within reference range.
On physical examination, he had heme-crusted polycyclic erosions of vermillion lips, buccal
mucosa, and labial mucosa (Figure 1). He was also found to have numerous 2-12 mm
erythematous, urticarial, targetoid papules and plaques with central hyperpigmented
purple/red duskiness over bilateral palms (Figure 2, Figure 3), dorsal hands, upper arms, lateral
neck (Figure 4), cheeks, nasal tip, and alae. He had several urticarial, targetoid papules with
central duskiness over the penile shaft. Cardiovascular, neurologic, respiratory, and abdominal
examinations were otherwise unremarkable. Both dermatology and infectious disease were
consulted on this patient.

FIGURE 1: Oral Mucosa

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 FIGURE 2: Palm Lesions

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 FIGURE 3: Palm Lesions Bilateral

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 FIGURE 4: Lateral Neck

Laboratory work for this patient consisted of complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic
panel, sexually transmitted infection testing, bacterial and viral blood cultures and serology,
viral direct detection test, and anti-nuclear antibody testing. Of note, the patient had a white
blood cell count of 5.4x10^9/L, hemoglobin of 14.7 gm/dL, platelet count of 302x10^9/L, and
creatinine of 0.85 mg/dL. The patient was negative for herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while positive for anti-nuclear antibody (ANA). At the time of
discharge, the only test the patient was found to be positive for was anti-nuclear antibodies. He
was initially treated with acyclovir, but the medication was discontinued after negative
laboratory testing. Biopsy of a lesion on the patient’s upper arm exhibited interface dermatitis,
consistent with erythema multiform. The patient was treated with “magic mouthwash,”
consisting of Benadryl, Maalox, and lidocaine, and instructed to continue with the treatment as
symptoms persisted. On the day of discharge, the patient’s rash and sores were improving and
he did not have any new lesions.

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 Discussion
Erythema multiforme major, minor, and persistent variations
Clinically, erythema multiforme can be categorized into major, minor, and persistent
variations. The condition can present with either typical or atypical skin lesions. Targetoid
lesions located on the extensor surfaces of the acral extremities are the hallmark presentation
for this disorder [3]. These lesions are composed of a dusky central blister, a dark red
inflammatory zone surrounded by a pale ring of edema, and an erythematous halo on the
periphery of the lesion [4]. The atypical lesions appear as a raised, edematous lesion with two
zones of color change and a poorly defined border [1]. Involvement of the face, neck, palms,
soles, flexor surfaces, and trunk may occur with typical or atypical presentations. Lesions may
also manifest in the mucous membranes of the oral, ocular, or genital mucosa and can occur
with or without the associated cutaneous lesions [5]. Oral involvement is estimated to occur
with 25%-60% of patients with erythema multiforme [2]. The severity of disease and the
location of the lesions help to further differentiate erythema multiforme into its major and
minor forms. While both variants share many of the same characteristics, erythema multiforme
major is associated with a more severe presentation and is identified by lesions involving one
or more mucosal membranes [2]. In contrast, erythema multiforme minor often presents with
minimal to no mucosal membrane involvement and milder cutaneous symptoms [2]. There are
no laboratory tests that can aid in the diagnosis of erythema multiforme when it is suspected in
a patient; however, if autoimmune blistering disorders are in the differential diagnosis,
serologic testing for autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibodies should be considered [6].

Lesions associated with erythema multiforme typically appear over the course of three to five
days and resolve within one to two weeks. However, the more severe cases of erythema
multiforme with the involvement of the mucous membranes may take up to six weeks to resolve
[2]. These episodes may recur on an average of six times per year, lasting up to six to 10 years.
This subset of the disorder is known as recurrent erythema multiforme and may be associated
with a herpes simplex virus infection [2]. In rare instances, there is a continuous appearance of
lesions without interruption that may continue for longer than one year. This variant is known
as persistent erythema multiforme and may be associated with viral infections [2].

The clinical course of erythema multiforme is self-limited; however, intervention with

corticosteroids can provide patients with mild symptoms some relief. Patients with severe
mucosal involvement and pain reported improvements with strong systemic glucocorticoids [2].
In patients with recurrent erythema multiforme, antiviral therapy has shown to be an effective
prophylaxis. The best response to therapy occurs in patients with a clear correlation between
herpes simplex infection and erythema multiforme [2].

Steven-Johnson/toxic epidermal necrolysis

Steven-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are classified as a
spectrum of diseases, distinguished solely by severity [7]. This disorder is triggered by
medications and causes a severe mucocutaneous reaction that leads to epidermal detachment
and necrosis [8]. SJS is the less severe disorder and is identified when there is less than 10%
skin involvement. When skin involvement is over 30%, the condition is then classified as TEN
[9]. In approximately 87%-100% of the cases, mucous membranes are involved, including
ocular, oral, and genital [10]. SJS/TEN can occur in patients of any age and is more commonly
found in women than in men. It is a relatively rare disorder with an estimated incidence rate of
5.76 cases per million people per year [11]. The overall mortality rate ranges approximately
from 23% at six weeks and up to 34% at one year [12]. The majority of cases are caused by an
adverse reaction to a medication; however, up to 25% of cases cannot be attributed to drugs.
The next most common trigger is due to infection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, especially in
children [13].

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 The clinical presentation of SJS/TEN often includes fever, skin tenderness, blistering,
exanthematous eruption, and mucositis. Skin lesions appear as ill-defined, erythematous
macules with purpuric centers or can also appear as diffuse erythema. Ocular involvement is
commonly observed and can range from acute conjunctivitis with purulent discharge and eyelid
edema to corneal erosion and ulceration [10]. The involvement of the scalp, palms, and soles is
typically not observed. Lesions will progress to vesicles and bullae and begin extensive
shedding of skin within days [3].

Once a diagnosis of SJS/TEN has been made, physicians should determine the severity and
prognosis of the disease soon after. This can be accomplished by applying a prognostic scoring
system known as score of toxic epidermal necrosis (SCORTEN). Patients with limited skin
involvement and a SCORTEN score of zero to one can be treated in non-specialized wards.
Patients with a score greater than two should be transferred to intensive care units or burn
units if available [4]. Treatment involves the withdrawal of the culprit drug and supportive
wound care involving fluids, nutrition, pain control and prevention, and treatment of infection.
It is important to note that prophylactic systemic antibiotics are not advised but rather the use
of antiseptic solutions for disinfection is recommended [14].

Conclusions
In the past, it was thought that erythema multiforme belonged as a part of the SJS/TEN
spectrum of diseases, most likely due to the similar clinical presentation of these disorders.
However, there is strong evidence to suggest that erythema multiforme is a distinct and
separate condition and should not be associated with SJS/TEN. It is important to differentiate
between these conditions due to the varying etiology, treatment, and prognosis of each
disorder.

Additional Information
Disclosures
Human subjects: Consent was obtained by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest:
In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following:
Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from
any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared
that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any
organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All
authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to
have influenced the submitted work.

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