Neutrophilic Dermatosis of the Dorsal Hands in a Patient Treated With Chemotherapy for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

The proper nomenclature and classification of the group of diseases known as neutrophilic dermatoses is a topic of ongoing interest and study. Specifically, the possible relationship between neutrophilic dermatosis of the dorsal hands (NDDH) and Sweet disease (SD), or their existence as separate and discrete entities, has been explored in the literature. We present the case of a 63-year-old woman with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) who developed NDDH 4 weeks after undergoing chemotherapy. Results from a punch biopsy revealed leukocytoclasia and endothelial swelling around the dermal vessels, with no evidence of fibrinoid necrosis of the vessel walls. This case may lend support to the concept that NDDH is a variant of SD rather than a distinct clinical entity.