What Is This Pruritic Rash on an Older Man’s Chest?

AUTHORS:
Kimberly Aparicio, MD¹ • Ambica Sethi, BS²

AFFILIATIONS:
¹Family Medicine Department, UT Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas
²Family Medicine Residency Program, UT Southwestern Medical School, Dallas Texas

CITATION:
Aparicio K, Sethi A. What is this pruritic rash on an older man’s chest? Consultant. 2021;61(9):e16-e18. doi:10.25270/con.2021.04.00007

Received November 18, 2020. Accepted January 18, 2021. Published online April 13, 2021.

DISCLOSURES:
The authors report no relevant financial relationships.

CORRESPONDENCE:
Kimberly Aparicio, MD, UT Southwestern Medical School, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390 (Kimberly.aparicio@utsouthwestern.edu)

A 72-year-old man presented to our clinic with a rash on his chest. The rash had been present for 1 month and was pruritic and red. The patient reported that the rash had spread to his neckline and that it may have been a result of sweating heavily during a concert he had recently attended.

He did not have a history of chronic disease and did not take any long-term medications. He also reported not having visited a doctor in 2 years.

The physical examination findings were unremarkable except for a nontender, maculopapular and pruritic rash primarily on the chest (Figure). There were also areas of raised erythema primarily under the breast with eroded papules. The patient’s vital signs were within normal limits, and results of a complete metabolic panel were normal. A hepatitis screen was conducted, results of which were negative

Answer and discussion on next page.