A 90-year-old woman presented to the emergency department complaining of a 3-month history of headache, and recent blindness of her right eye. She also reported weakness and weight loss (5 kg during the last 3 months prior to her presentation) but no fever. She had been treated symptomatically with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs without noting any significant relief. There was no history of trauma or burn. Her past medical history included diabetes mellitus type II and arterial hypertension.
The physical examination on presentation was unremarkable except for a large area of scalp necrosis in the temporo-parietal region bilaterally (photos 1 and 2).
Routine laboratory testing on admission showed anemia (hematocrit = 31,1%) and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR = 120mm/first hour). Serological tests for varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV1 and HSV2) were negative. A CT scan of the head was unremarkable.
Matthew E. Falagas, MD, MSc, DSc
George Peppas, MD, PhD
Panayiotis J. Papagelopoulos, MD, DSc
Konstantinos Rellos, MD