MRCP revision battle 21.1: Erythema nodosum

I'm feeling a rather keen bean today so I've decided to slightly modify the way I serve your daily MRCP battles to you.  From now on, as well as battles and wars, I'll try to add 'further reading' links to some of the battles as a form of desert wine for the really keen/anally retentive. 

On that motivated note, today's battles will be:


MRCP revision battle 21.1: Erythema nodosum
MRCP revision battle 21.2: Glucagon and glucagonoma
MRCP revision battle 21.3: Wegener's Granulomatosis
MRCP revision battle 21.4: Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis
MRCP revision battle 21.5: Achalasia
MRCP revision battle 21.6: Scabies
MRCP revision battle 21.7: Pre eclampsia and HELLP syndrome
MRCP revision battle 21.8: Cafe au lait spots




MRCP revision battle 21.1: Erythema nodosum


Erythema nodosum is inflammation of subcutaneous fat resulting in tender erythematous nodules, typically on the shins.

It usually resolves without scars in around 6 weeks.


It is associated with multiple conditions; below is a list of just a few that you really should remember:

• infection
• TB
• streptococcus
• viral infections
• systemic
• sarcoid
• IBD
• Behcets
• malignancy
• drugs
• OCP
• penicillin
• sulphonamides
• dapsone
• tetracycline
• pregnancy

Treatment is to treat the underlying condition and give NSAIDs for the pain of the nodules.

For the really keen:

Paper from the Dermatology Journal Online  

For everyone else, lets go to to battle 21.2!