Acral erythema during bone marrow transplantation: a case study

Six of 13 patients receiving high-dose cytosine arabinoside as preparation for bone marrow transplant experienced painful redness and blistering of the hands and feet. Literature reports described this syndrome in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy but at lower rates of occurrence than in this series of patients. Nursing problems encountered in patients experiencing acral erythema included: pain, compromised self-care, decreased activity, and infection potential. Nursing measures for dealing with these problems are described.