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Necrolytic acral erythema: an expanding spectrum

Analisa V Halpern1, Steven R Peikin, Pascal Ferzli

  • 1Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Cooper University Hospital-University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Camden, USA. analisa_halpern@yahoo.com

Cutis
|February 20, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Necrolytic acral erythema (NAE) is a skin condition uniquely linked to Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Early skin lesion recognition can lead to earlier HCV diagnosis, improving patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Dermatology
  • Hepatology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease in the US.
  • Cutaneous manifestations are common in HCV infection, including vasculitis and lichen planus.
  • Necrolytic acral erythema (NAE) is a distinct skin condition associated with HCV.

Observation:

  • NAE typically presents as chronic, acral, erythematous, and psoriasiform lesions.
  • Acute NAE presentations are rare and may have atypical features.
  • NAE can precede a formal diagnosis of HCV infection.

Findings:

  • NAE is a unique cutaneous marker for HCV infection.
  • Dermatologists can suspect HCV based on NAE skin findings.
  • Early NAE detection may facilitate earlier HCV diagnosis.

Implications:

  • Recognizing NAE can lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment of HCV.
  • This highlights the importance of dermatological evaluation in suspected HCV cases.
  • Dermatologists play a key role in identifying patients with undiagnosed HCV infection.

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