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Mental Symptoms and Personality Structure in Autoerythrocyte Sensitization Syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Tore Hallström
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska Sjukhuset (University of Gothenburg), 417 43 Göteborg, Sweden
Kjell Hersle
Affiliation:
Department of Dermatology, Sahlgrenska Sjukhuset (University of Gothenburg), 417 45 Göteborg, Sweden
Håkan Mobacken
Affiliation:
Department of Dermatology, Sahlgrenska Sjukhuset (University of Gothenburg), 417 45 Göteborg. Sweden

Extract

The syndrome of autoerythrocyte sensitization is characterized by painful ecchymotic lesions of the skin that develop in a very stereotypic manner. Onset occurs in a palm-sized skin region, usually on the limbs, with a stinging and burning sensation. After varying lengths of time, in general 2–6 hours, the skin becomes red, hot, oedematous and tender. This inflammatory phase may last anything up to twenty-four hours. Over the next few days the rubescent heated infiltration turns into an ecchymosis which spreads annularly at the same time as the tenderness and swelling diminish. Originally described by Gardner and Diamond (1955), thirty-one cases of the syndrome have now been reported. Up to the present all reported cases have come from North America and Australia and been confined to women with an age at onset of between 15 and 66 years.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1969 

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