[Classification of erythermalgia].

Several classifications have been proposed for erythermalgia according to causality (primary or secondary) or age of onset (presuming that all early-onset are primary). Recently a classification in three types of erythromelalgia have been proposed. Erythromelalgia and erythermalgia are defined as two independent and completely different disease entities. Clinically there are three different types of recurrent red, warm and burning pain in the extremities. That need to be distinguished for effective treatment according to their etiology: erythromelalgia in thrombocythaemia, primary erythermalgia and secondary erythermalgia. We recently observed 19 cases of erythermalgia; nine had primary erythermalgia; in 6 of 9, symptoms were relieved with aspirin. Ten of them had a secondary erythermalgia: 5 due to myeloproliferative disorders (erythromelalgia), 2 systemic lupus erythematosus and 3 to drugs. We used a two-level classification with a first level of primary or secondary erythermalgia, and a second level for primary erythermalgia, of familial or nonfamilial primary and for secondary erythermalgia, of thrombocythaemia disorders or other.