Photo-Induced Sweet Syndrome: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Immunology

Background:

• Sweet syndrome is an acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis with unknown triggers.
• Known associations include infection, malignancy, and medications.
• Sun exposure is a rare, but documented, potential trigger.

Observation:

• A 50-year-old female presented with a rash on sun-exposed areas after beach exposure and upper respiratory infection.
• Symptoms included fever, neutrophilia, elevated inflammatory markers, and skin biopsy findings consistent with Sweet syndrome.
• Malignancy workup was negative.

Findings:

• The patient experienced significant improvement with steroid administration.
• This case supports a potential link between excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation and Sweet syndrome development.
• The exact mechanism of photo-induced Sweet syndrome remains unclear.

Implications:

• Excessive sunlight exposure should be investigated as a potential cause of Sweet syndrome.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the pathogenesis of photo-induced Sweet syndrome.
• This finding may inform preventative strategies for susceptible individuals.