Pyoderma Gangrenosum

Pyoderma gangrenosum (pie-oh-der-muh gang-rah-no-sum) is a chronic, recurrent skin disorder in which small, discolored bumps or blisters (bullae) appear on your skin that can rapidly grow and join together to become large open sores (ulcers).

The number of ulcers can vary. Mild cases of pyoderma gangrenosum may only have one ulcer, while severe cases may have multiple or many. These ulcers can be painful.

There’s often a link between pyoderma gangrenosum and other systemic diseases.

Who does pyoderma gangrenosum affect?

Pyoderma gangrenosum affects people of all ages, though it’s rare in children. It most commonly affects women between the ages of 20 and 50. You may be more likely to develop pyoderma gangrenosum if you have:

Rheumatoid arthritis.
Ulcerative colitis.
Crohn’s disease.
Some cancers, such as leukemia or lymphoma.

How common is pyoderma gangrenosum?

Pyoderma gangrenosum isn’t common. Approximately 1 in every 100,000 people in the United States has pyoderma gangrenosum.

How does pyoderma gangrenosum affect my body?

Pyoderma gangrenosum causes small, discolored bumps and inflammation on your skin. The bumps may be anywhere on your body, but they commonly appear on your lower extremities (legs, ankles and feet).

The bumps often rapidly open up (erode) your skin and expand to large, painful ulcers.

Is pyoderma gangrenosum life-threatening?

Studies show that up to 70% of people with pyoderma gangrenosum often have more than one illness or disease occurring at the same time (comorbidities). A combination of pyoderma gangrenosum and other systemic diseases — including rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and blood disorders — may increase the likelihood of death by 30%.

Is pyoderma gangrenosum an autoimmune disease?

Pyoderma gangrenosum may be an autoimmune disease. That means that pyoderma gangrenosum results from your immune system damaging tissue in your own body. For some people, pyoderma gangrenosum will improve after treatment for their other systemic diseases.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

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Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

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