Erythema ab igne

Abstract

An 86-year-old woman was referred to our Clinic because of a new onset of anaemia. She was under treatment with warfarin for chronic atrial fibrillation. The INR at admission was 4.1. Her caregiver excluded hematemesis or melena, and assured no NSAID had been taken. She appeared pale and was haemodynamically stable. A wellmarked, reddish-brown, netlike discoloration of the skin, with clear-cut margins was present on the anterior and medial surfaces of both thighs (Fig. 1). This kind of lesion was not present in any other body areas. Physical examination was otherwise normal. Routine blood examination revealed the presence of a microcytic anaemia (haemoglobin 7.8 g/dL; mean corpuscular volume 60.8 fL) with iron deficiency (serum iron 20 lg/ dL; serum ferritin 30 lg/L). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate appeared high (75 mm/h). Lupus anticoagulant panel, antinuclear antibodies, Coombs tests, cryoglobulins and antiHCV antibodies were normal. Haptoglobin levels were normal. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a sliding hiatal hernia with erosive esophagitis. The patient reported that the skin discoloration had appeared on her thighs many years before, and was chronic and stable. She added she would usually keep a hot water bottle on her thighs. It is to be noted that the extension of the lesion corresponded to the surface of the water bottle. Therefore, the skin discoloration and anaemia likely had no relationship. In fact, the anaemia was secondary to erosive esophagitis, and was treated with iron supplementation and proton pump inhibitors.