Circulating Sézary cells in hospitalized dermatology patients

Sézary cells in the circulation were counted daily in 14 hospitalized dermatology patients: six with contact dermatitis, five with atopic dermatitis, and three with exfoliative psoriasis. All had circulating Sézary cells, but absolute counts of Sézary cells of more than 1000/mm3 appeared to correlate with a severe refractory course in two patients. It is probable that low, intermittent levels of circulating Sézary cells accompany many inflammatory dermatoses, and it is reasonable that monitoring this cell population may aid in anticipating more consequential skin disease.