[Pigmented erythema: a marker of alcoholism]

The aim of this paper is to describe the association between chronic alcoholism and pigmented erythema in the lower limbs. 489 patients were prospectively registered for this study; a significant association was observed between chronic alcoholism and pigmented erythema (prevalence 41,95 in alcoholics and 14.29 in nonalcoholics. x2 = 47.57; p less than 0.0001; OR = 4.274, confidence interval (CI) = 6.49-2.81); being more evident in patients under 60 years old (40% in alcoholics and 5.94 in non-alcoholics. x2 = 37.36; p less than 0.0001; OR = 9,21; IC = 4.29-19.77). Alcoholics with erythema tended to be the older ones, however, at the same time, they were younger than the non-alcoholic patients with erythema. Erythema was associated to the period time of ethanol addiction. Thus, we concluded that pigmented erythema can be considered a new alcoholism marker.