A Case of Erythema Nodosum Associated with Subareolar Abscess

Abstract

While erythema nodosum is a nodular, erythematous eruption predominantly affecting the extensor aspects of the legs, breast abscesses are the result of relatively common bacterial infections, and only 2 studies have reported an association between erythema nodosum and breast abscesses. Here, we report the case of a patient with repeated erythema nodosum associated with subareolar abscesses. The patient was a 34-year-old woman with painful erythematous nodules on her right shin, accompanied by an indurated lesion on her right breast 4 days before the onset of the nodules. Therefore, the patient underwent circumareolar incision, and consequently the painful erythematous nodules disappeared. However, after 39 days, the patient developed another tender, painful lesion in her right breast and painful erythematous nodules on her right shin. After another circumareolar incision, the painful erythematous nodules disappeared again. Therefore, we suggested a significant association between erythema nodosum and breast abscess in this patient. The most common underlying causative organism in breast abscess is Staphylococcus aureus; however, erythema nodosum has rarely been proven to be associated with staphylococcal infections. Therefore, the relationship between S. aureus and erythema nodosum is rather controversial. However, the resistance to the usual treatment methods and prolonged clinical course in our case suggest that the pathogenesis of erythema nodosum associated with breast abscesses might be different from that of the common form of erythema nodosum.