Sweet's syndrome as a dermatological manifestation of underlying coronary artery disease

SummaryWe report an unusual case of a 50-year-old female with no significant past medical history who reported with a sudden eruption of painful erythematous papules accompanied by fever. Clinical and pathological findings were consistent with acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (or Sweet's syndrome). Two weeks later, she complained of chest pain and was diagnosed with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. Coronary angiogram demonstrated stenosis of right coronary artery and left Circumflex artery. Subsequent workup to identify underlying malignant or autoimmune disorders was negative. She refused to undergo percutaneous coronary intervention and was treated conservatively with steroids, resulting in dramatic resolution of skin lesions. Six months later, the patient was readmitted with similar complaints including fever, generalized rash, and chest pain. Electrocardiography demonstrated old infero-lateral wall infarction. Cardiac enzymes were not elevated. Repeat workup failed to identify underlying systemic disorder except coronary artery disease (CAD). She recovered following administration of steroids and continued to receive medical therapy for CAD. This case demonstrates an unusual association between Sweet's syndrome and CAD in an adult female. Sweet's syndrome is considered to be a reactive phenomenon of underlying systemic disorders. Therefore, patients presenting with Sweet's syndrome should be evaluated for CAD, especially in the absence of underlying malignant or autoimmune disorders.