Palmoplantar eccrine hidradenitis: three new cases and review

Palmoplantar eccrine hidradenitis (PEH) is characterized by painful erythematous papules and nodules of abrupt onset on the soles of young individuals. The histologic hallmark is a predominant neutrophilic infiltrate surrounding the eccrine gland apparatus. A total of 28 cases have been published since 1988, with a broad variation in the age of patients, symptomatology, associated diseases, clinical course, and histologic features. These different histologic pictures have resulted in several names for this entity, including idiopathic plantar hidradenitis, neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis, recurrent palmoplantar hidradenitis in children, and idiopathic palmoplantar hidradenitis. We present three cases of this disorder and review the literature on the varying symptomatology, clinical course, and histology that have led to the myriad of names for this disease.