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  • Abdominal Pain, Acute
  • Abdominal pain, Chronic
  • Alopecia
  • Amenorrhea
  • Amnesia
  • Anosmia
  • Bleeding, Excessive
  • Breast Lumps
  • Chest Pain
  • Constipation in Adults
  • Constipation in Children
  • Cough in Adults
  • Cough in Children
  • Crying
  • Diarrhea in Adults
  • Diarrhea in Children
  • Diplopia
  • Dizziness
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  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Dyspepsia
  • Dysphagia
  • Dyspnea
  • Dysuria
  • Earache
  • Ear Discharge
  • Edema
  • Edema During Late Pregnancy
  • Epistaxis
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Eyelid Swelling
  • Eye Pain
  • Fever
  • Fever, Acute, in Adults
  • Fever, Chronic (FUO)
  • Fever in Infants and Children
  • Floaters
  • Gas
  • Gastrointestinal Bleeding
  • Halitosis
  • Headache
  • Hearing Loss
  • Hearing Loss: Sudden Deafness
  • Hematospermia
  • Hematuria
  • Hemoptysis
  • Hiccups
  • Hirsutism
  • Insomnia and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
  • Itching
  • Itching, Anal
  • Jaundice in Adults
  • Jaundice in Neonates
  • Joint Pain, Monarticular
  • Joint Pain, Polyarticular
  • Knee pain
  • Lump in Throat
  • Nasal Congestion and Rhinorrhea
  • Nausea and Vomiting During Early pPregnancy
  • Nausea and Vomiting in Adults
  • Nausea and Vomiting in Infants and Children
  • Neck and Back Pain
  • Neck Mass
  • Nipple Discharge
  • Orthostatis Hypotension
  • Pain
  • Pain, Chronic
  • Palpitations
  • Pelvic Pain
  • Pelvic Pain During Early Pregnancy
  • Polyuria
  • Priapism
  • Red Eye
  • Scrotal Pain
  • Sore Throat
  • Stomatitis
  • Stridor
  • Syncope
  • Tearing
  • Tinnitus
  • Toothache
  • Tremor
  • Urinary Frequency
  • Urinary Incontinence in Adults
  • Urinary Incontinence in Children
  • Urinary Retention
  • Urticaria
  • Vaginal Bleeding
  • Vaginal Bleeding During Early Pregnancy
  • Vaginal Bleeding During Late Pregnancy
  • Vaginal Itching and Discharge
  • Vision, Blurred
  • Vision Loss, Acute
  • Weakness, Generalized
  • Wheezing
In This Topic
Dermatologic Disorders
Hypersensitivity and Inflammatory Disorders
Introduction
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Sections in Health Care Professionals
  • Cardiovascular Disorders
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Dental Disorders
  • Dermatologic Disorders
  • Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders
  • Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
  • Eye Disorders
  • Gastrointestinal Disorders
  • Genitourinary Disorders
  • Geriatrics
  • Gynecology and Obstetrics
  • Hematology and Oncology
  • Hepatic and Biliary Disorders
  • Immunology; Allergic Disorders
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Injuries; Poisoning
  • Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders
  • Neurologic Disorders
  • Nutritional Disorders
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatric Disorders
  • Pulmonary Disorders
  • Special Subjects
Chapters in Dermatologic Disorders
  • Approach to the Dermatologic Patient
  • Principles of Topical Dermatologic Therapy
  • Acne and Related Disorders
  • Bullous Diseases
  • Cornification Disorders
  • Dermatitis
  • Reactions to Sunlight
  • Psoriasis and Scaling Diseases
  • Hypersensitivity and Inflammatory Disorders
  • Sweating Disorders
  • Bacterial Skin Infections
  • Fungal Skin Infections
  • Parasitic Skin Infections
  • Viral Skin Diseases
  • Pigmentation Disorders
  • Hair Disorders
  • Nail Disorders
  • Pressure Ulcers
  • Benign Skin Tumors
  • Cancers of the Skin
Topics in Hypersensitivity and Inflammatory Disorders
  • Introduction
  • Acute Febrile Neutrophilic Dermatosis
  • Drug Eruptions and Reactions
  • Erythema Multiforme
  • Panniculitis
  • Erythema Nodosum
  • Granuloma Annulare
  • Pyoderma Gangrenosum
  • Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN)
     
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    • 4
     
    Introduction

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    The immune system plays a significant role in a large number of skin disorders, including dermatitis, sunlight reactions, and bullous diseases. Although all of these disorders involve some level of inflammation, certain skin disorders are primarily characterized by their inflammatory component or as a hypersensitivity reaction, be it to a drug, infection, or cancer.

    Last full review/revision October 2009 by Wingfield E. Rehmus, MD, MPH

    Content last modified February 2012

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