Korean J Dermatol.  2020 Sep;58(8):537-542.

Clinical Investigation of Pityriasis Rosea in Korea; Comparison between Typicial Pityriasis Rosea and Atypical Pityriasis Rosea

• Kang MJ
• Sim WY
• Lew BL

Abstract

Background
Pityriasis rosea (PR) is a relatively common, self-limited papulo-squamous dermatosis. Not so rarely, an atypical eruption may develop, concerning several aspects about the morphology or distribution of the lesions, their symptomatology and evolution.
Objective
This study was done to review patients with PR and to compare the clinical and the laboratory characteristics of patients diagnosed with atypical PR and patients diagnosed with typical PR.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with PR through clinical manifestations and skin biopsies from January 2006 to December 2019 in Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong. Then, we compared differences between patients diagnosed with atypical PR and patients diagnosed with typical PR.
Results
We reviewed total of 236 patients diagnosed with PR (mean age, 32.5 years [range, 6∼77]). PR is prevalent in young adults and women. Also, it occurs more frequently in winter. Most of them (78.0%, 184/236) showed improvement within 3 months without recurrence. Secondary lesions were distributed predominantly in the trunk area, but some 12.7% of the patients had atypical distribution such as face, groins, axillae, and palms/sole. On the morphology of secondary lesions, 8.5% of patients showed atypical morphology such as urticaria-like, EM-like, and purpuric patterns.
Conclusion
Most of the patients with PR show a typical pattern. If the severity at the time of first visit is severe, the possibility of a longer duration or recurrence could be considered. Also, atypical rashes could occur more frequently at younger ages, and these durations could be slightly longer.

Keyword

Pityriasis rosea; Atypical pityriasis rosea; HHV6