Recent advances in Sweet's syndrome: differential diagnosis, triggering factors and therapeutic options
Keywords:
Síndrome de Sweet; Dermatosis neutrofílica; Diagnóstico diferencial; Factores desencadenantes; Opciones terapéuticas., Sweet's syndrome; Neutrophilic dermatosis; Differential diagnosis; Triggering factors; Therapeutic options.Abstract
Introduction: sweet's syndrome is an uncommon acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by painful skin lesions, fever and leukocytosis. Timely diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent complications and improve patient prognosis.
Objective: to examine current advances in differential diagnosis, triggering factors and therapeutic alternatives for Sweet's syndrome, based on recent scientific evidence.
Methods: systematized bibliographic review including articles indexed in PubMed, BVS and SciELO published between 2021-2024. PRISMA methodology was applied, identifying 2444 initial records, eliminating 189 duplicates, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria resulting in 18 high-quality articles for final analysis.
Results: sweet's syndrome shows higher incidence in women between 30-60 years (4:1 ratio). Association with hematologic malignancies, autoimmune diseases, infections and drug reactions was identified. Emerging evidence documents cases related to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, especially after the first dose. Systemic corticosteroids constitute first-line treatment, with effective alternatives such as colchicine and dapsone in refractory cases.
Conclusions: accurate differential diagnosis and early treatment are essential for Sweet's syndrome management. Current evidence highlights the importance of recognizing triggering factors and optimizing alternative treatments in resistant cases. The potential association with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination requires additional research to clarify pathophysiological mechanisms.
Downloads
References
1. Cohen PR. Sweet's syndrome - a comprehensive review of an acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis. Orphanet J Rare Dis[internet]. 2007[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 26: 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/1750-1172-2-34
2. Villarreal-Villarreal CD, Ocampo-Candiani J, Villarreal-Martínez A. Sweet syndrome: a review and update. Actas Dermosifiliogr[internet]. 2016[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 107(5):369-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ad.2015.12.001
3. Orfaly VE, Shakshouk H, Heath M, Hamilton A, Ortega-Loayza AG. Sweet syndrome: a review of published cases. Dermatology[internet]. 2023[citado 28 noviembre 2025];239(4):664-669. https://doi.org/10.1159/000530519
4. Villarreal-Villarreal CD, Ocampo-Candiani J, Villarreal-Martínez A. Sweet Syndrome: A Review and Update. Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas[internet]. 2016[citado 28 noviembre 2025];107(5):369-378. https://www.actasdermo.org/es-sweet-syndrome-a-review-update-articulo-S000173101500558X
5. Previtera González PD, Murillo Arribas C, Romero Martínez J, Iñiguez de Heredia Monforte P. Síndrome de Sweet: a propósito de un caso. Rev Sanit Investig [Internet]. 2024[citado 28 noviembre 2025];5(1):e-374. Disponible en: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=9315390
6. Croia C, Dini V, Loggini B, Manni E, Bonadio AG, Romanelli M, et al. Neutrophil extracellular traps and Sweet syndrome. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol[internet]. 2022[citado 28 noviembre 2025];88:842-843. https://ijdvl.com/neutrophil-extracellular-traps-and-sweet-syndrome/
7. Calabrese L, Satoh TK, Aoki R, et al. Sweet syndrome: an update on clinical aspects, pathophysiology, and treatment. Ital J Dermatol Venerol[internet]. 2024[citado 28 noviembre 2025];159(6):645-662. https://doi.org/10.23736/s2784-8671.24.07956-8
8. BŁASZCZYK A, TROJAN S, FUSSEK-STYGA U, KWIECIŃSKI J, MISZUDA S, BASIAGA B, BEDNARZ K, SZWEDKOWICZ A, LEŚNIAK M,HELUSZKA J. Sweet Syndrome - A Review of Pathogenesis, Clinical Features, Diagnosis and Treatment. Journal of Education Health[internet]. 2023[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 30(1): 45-56. https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2023.30.01.004
9. Patel P, Goyal A. Antiarrhythmic Medications. StatPearls [Internet]; 2024[citado 28 noviembre 2025]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482322/
10. Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ[internet]. 2021[citado 28 noviembre 2025];372:n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
11. Oliveira CAX. Síndrome de Sweet. BWS J [Internet]. 2022;5:e0512022. Disponible en: https://bwsjournal.emnuvens.com.br/bwsj/article/view/375
12. Villacis Marriott G, Hervat VL, Pacheco ES, Vigovich F, Noriega G. Síndrome de Sweet: reporte de caso clínico. Fronteras en Medicina [Internet]. 2023[citado 28 noviembre 2025];18(4):238-242. Disponible en: https://adm.meducatium.com.ar/contenido/articulos/33602820284_2608/pdf/33602820284.pdf
13. Ben Salah N, Korbi M, Ben Fadhel N, Safa I, Chad F, Njima M, et al. Sweet syndrome following SARS-CoV-2 CoronaVac vaccine. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol[internet]. 2022[citado 28 noviembre 2025];36(11):e873-e875. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.18336
14. Marcoval J, Moreno A, Peyrí J. Sweet syndrome: long-term follow-up of 138 patients. Clin Exp Dermatol[internet]. 2016[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 41(7):741-6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27663147/
15. Jia Y, Boyang F, Liping D, Mingyi Z. Sweet syndrome induced by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: A systematic review of patient-report studies, Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics[internet]. 2023[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 19: 2, 2217076, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/21645515.2023.2217076
16. Nelson CA, Stephen S, Ashchyan HJ, James WD, Micheletti RG, Rosenbach M. Neutrophilic dermatoses: pathogenesis, Sweet syndrome, neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis, and Behçet disease. J Am Acad Dermatol[internet]. 2018 Dec[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 79(6):987-1006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2017.11.064
17. Cohen PR. Neutrophilic dermatoses: a review of current treatment options. Am J Clin Dermatol[internet]. 2009[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 10(5):301-12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19658442/
18. Ibáñez Franco EJ, González Báez CA, Aldama Caballero ABF, Rivelli de Oddone V, Penayo Aguilera TDJ, Estigarribia Alvarez MG. Síndrome de Sweet posinfeccioso. Rev Virtual Soc Parag Med Int[internet]. 2023[citado 28 noviembre 2025];10(2):124-128. https://www.revistaspmi.org.py/index.php/rvspmi/article/view/455
19. Rochet NM, Chavan RN, Cappel MA, Wada DA, Gibson LE. Sweet syndrome: clinical presentation, associations, and response to treatment in 77 patients. J Am Acad Dermatol[internet]. 2013[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 69(4): 557-564. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S019096221300652X
20. Cohen PR, Razelle K. Sweet's syndrome: a review of treatment options. Dermatol Ther[internet]. 2002[citado 28 noviembre 2025];3(2):117-131. https://www.praxis-schuster.ch/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Cohen.pdf
21. Wallach D, Vignon-Pennamen MD. From acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis to neutrophilic disease: forty years of clinical research. J Am Acad Dermatol[internet]. 2006[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 55(6):1066-71. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17097401/
22. Marzano AV, Ortega-Loayza AG, Heath M, Morse D, Genovese G, Cugno M. Mechanisms of inflammation in neutrophil-mediated skin diseases. Front Immunol[internet]. 2019[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 10: 1059. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31139187/
23. Thompson DF, Montarella KE. Drug-induced Sweet's syndrome. Ann Pharmacother[internet]. 2007[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 41(5):802-11. https://doi.org/10.1345/aph.1h563
24. Sanz-Cabanillas JL, Gómez García F, Gómez Arias PJ, Montilla López A, et al. Effectiveness and safety of anakinra and canakinumab in PSTPIP1 associated inflammatory diseases: a comprehensive scoping review. Front Inmunol[internet]. 2024[citado 28 noviembre 2025]; 8: 14: 1339337. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1339337
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Jeanneth Elizabeth Jami Carrera

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who have published with this journal accept the following terms: authors will retain their copyright and guarantee the journal the right of first publication of their work, which will be simultaneously subject to the Creative Commons recognition license that allows third parties to share the work as long as its author is indicated and its first publication is this journal. Authors may adopt other non-exclusive license agreements for the distribution of the version of the published article (e.g., deposit it in an institutional telematic archive or publish it in a monographic volume) provided that the initial publication in this journal is indicated. Authors are permitted and encouraged to disseminate their article using Internet (e.g., in institutional telematic archives or on their website) before and during the submission process, which may lead to interesting exchanges and increased citations of the published work. (See The Effect of Open Access).

