DermNet provides Google Translate, a free machine translation service. Note that this may not provide an exact translation in all languages

Translate

Generalised pustular psoriasis

November 2022

Authors: Piera Neill, The University of Auckland; Honorary Associate Professor Paul Jarrett, Dermatologist, Middlemore Hospital and Department of Medicine, The University of Auckland, New Zealand (2022)
Previous contributors: Hon A/Prof Amanda Oakley, Dermatologist (2014); Vanessa Ngan (2003)

Reviewing dermatologist: Dr Ian Coulson

Edited by the DermNet content department


toc-icon

What is generalised pustular psoriasis?

Generalised pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare, severe form of pustular psoriasis. It is characterised by recurrent flares of widespread sterile pustules with erythematous, painful skin. GPP can be associated with systemic inflammation including fevers and/or hepatic, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, renal, or pulmonary involvement. 

It is also known as von Zumbusch psoriasis.

Generalised pustular psoriasis

Click here for more images

Who gets generalised pustular psoriasis?

GPP can appear in any age group, although is most common in adults between 40–50 years old and is unusual in children. The age of onset is often earlier in patients with a family history of psoriasis, or with a homozygous interleukin 36 (IL-36) receptor antagonist (IL36RN) gene mutation

Females are generally more likely to be affected, although, for paediatric onset between 3–16 years of age, a male predominance has been reported.

GPP can also affect pregnant women, which is termed impetigo herpetiformis, and is associated with increased maternal and fetal morbidity.

Although GPP is distinct from plaque psoriasis, the two conditions are strongly associated with one another, making concurrent or previous plaque psoriasis a significant risk factor for developing GPP. 

What causes generalised pustular psoriasis? 

The exact pathogenic mechanisms are not fully established. However, GPP is associated with a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors.  

Genetic predispositions

Several genetic mutations are associated with GPP, including homozygous and heterozygous mutations in genes involved in the regulation of immune and inflammatory pathways, such as:

  • IL36RN (interleukin 36 receptor antagonist) — homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations are associated with GPP not accompanied by plaque psoriasis
  • CARD14 (caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 14) — significant risk for GPP with plaque psoriasis
  • AP1S3 (adaptor-related protein complex 1 subunit sigma 3)
  • MPO (myeloperoxidase)
  • SERPINA3 (Serpin peptidase inhibitor clade A member 3).

Genetic screening for GPP may potentially be available in future.

Environmental risk factors 

Use of (or tapering/stopping) various medications may be associated with GPP, such as:

Infections:

Other risk factors:

  • Hypocalcaemia (can be secondary to hypoparathyroidism)
  • Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, and sunburns
  • Stem cell transplantation
  • Emotional stress
  • Menstruation
  • Pregnancy. 

What are the clinical features of generalised pustular psoriasis?

Cutaneous features 

  • Inflammation (redness, swelling, tenderness, itch) develops initially, usually in areas of large skinfolds.
  • Within 2–3 hours, 2–3mm sterile non-follicular pustules appear, which then converge to form ‘lakes’ of pus. The trunk and limbs are most commonly affected.
  • Over the following days to weeks, pustules dry out and usually resolve with residual erythema and desquamation, or may evolve into erythrodermic psoriasis.
  • Lesions tend to regress without sequelae, although hypertrophic scars or keloids may occur.
  • GPP is characterised by recurrent acute flares; successive crops of pustules may appear and erupt every few days or weeks.

Non-cutaneous features

  • Systemic — fatigue, malaise, fever, headache, tremors, anorexia, nausea, tachycardia.
  • Mucosalcheilitis, geographic or fissured tongue.
  • Ocularconjunctivitis, iritis, uveitis.
  • Bone and joint — arthritis, osteomyelitis.
  • Gastrointestinal — jaundice, epigastric tenderness.
  • Other — nail abnormalities, lower limb oedema.

Click here for images

How do clinical features vary in differing types of skin?

The varying clinical presentation of GPP between differing skin types is not well documented, mainly due to the rarity of the disease. Erythema can be under-recognised in skin of colour, and therefore the severity of inflammation can be underestimated.

What are the complications of generalised pustular psoriasis?

Complications of acute skin failure include:

  • Bacteraemia/septicaemia
  • Fluid loss with hypovolaemia
  • Impaired thermoregulatory control
  • Metabolic disturbance.

Other potential complications of GPP:

  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Enteropathy
  • Malabsorption of nutrients and medications
  • Disturbed protein and electrolyte balance
  • Renal impairment
  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome
  • Pancreatitis
  • Neutrophilic cholangitis leading to cholestasis
  • Cardiac failure.

Such complications can be fatal. Death can result from cardiorespiratory failure during the acute eruptive phase of generalised pustular psoriasis, so it is essential to treat it as early as possible. Older patients are at particularly high risk. 

Maternal GPP can result in foetal abnormalities, preterm birth, placental insufficiency, and neonatal death. 

How is generalised pustular psoriasis diagnosed?

GPP can be a diagnostic challenge due to its rarity, its heterogeneous cutaneous and extracutaneous symptomatology, its similarity to other conditions such as acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis, and the lack of standardised international diagnostic criteria. 

According to the 2018 Japanese guidelines, a definitive diagnosis of GPP can be made in patients with all four of the following features:

  1. Systemic symptoms such as fever and fatigue
  2. Extensive or systemic flushing accompanied by multiple sterile pustules that can coalesce into lakes of pus
  3. Neutrophilic subcorneal pustules, histopathologically characterised by Kogoj’s spongiform pustules
  4. Repeated recurrences of these clinical and histopathological findings. 

GPP would be diagnosed if all four of the above features were present and would be suspected in patients with features 2 and 3.

Abnormal laboratory tests may include:

  • Leukocytosis, lymphopenia
  • Elevated:
    • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
    • C-reactive protein (CRP)
    • Urea
    • Creatinine
    • Liver enzymes (AST, ALT)
    • Plasma globulins (IgG or IgA).
  • Positive blood cultures (if secondary bacterial infection)
  • Hypoalbuminemia, hypoproteinemia, hypocalcaemia
  • Proteinuria. 

Skin biopsy may show:

  • Superficial (subcorneal) pustules and neutrophilic infiltration — Kogoj’s spongiform pustules are a distinct histopathologic feature
  • Parakeratosis
  • Acanthosis
  • Hyperkeratosis
  • Elongated rete ridges
  • Reduced stratum granulosum
  • Capillary dilation of the papillary dermis
  • Munro’s microabscesses

Diagnostic criteria were also described in the 2017 European Rare and Severe Psoriasis Expert Network (ERASPEN) which can be found here.

What is the differential diagnosis for generalised pustular psoriasis?

What is the treatment for generalised pustular psoriasis?

GPP is severe, and complications can be life-threatening. It should be treated promptly and usually hospitalisation is needed. Intensive care support may be necessary.

General measures

Specific measures

What is the outcome of generalised pustular psoriasis?

GPP is an incurable condition, with an unpredictable and variable course.

Although treatment aims to prevent and reduce the frequency and duration of flares, most patients have recurrent disease. The time interval between flares ranges from weeks to years, and the severity of flares is also fluctuant. There may or may not be complete regression of lesions after flares, and symptoms have been reported to persist between flares in ~80% of cases.

Data on mortality rates are limited, but have been reported between 3–7%. Older patients likely have a poorer prognosis than younger patients due to comorbidities and systemic complications.

Click here for images

 

Bibliography

  • Fujita H, Gooderham M, Romiti R. Diagnosis of Generalized Pustular Psoriasis. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2022;23(Suppl 1):31–38. doi:10.1007/s40257-021-00652-1. PubMed
  • Fujita H, Terui T, Hayama K, Akiyama M, Ikeda S, Mabuchi T, et al. Japanese guidelines for the management and treatment of generalized pustular psoriasis: The new pathogenesis and treatment of GPP. J Dermatol. 2018 Nov;45(11):1235-1270. doi: 10.1111/1346-8138.14523. PubMed
  • Hoegler KM, John AM, Handler MZ, Schwartz RA. Generalized pustular psoriasis: a review and update on treatment. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2018;32(10): 1645–51. doi:10.1111/jdv.14949. PubMed
  • Krueger J, Puig L, Thaçi D. Treatment Options and Goals for Patients with Generalized Pustular Psoriasis. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2022;23(Suppl 1):51–64. doi:10.1007/s40257-021-00658-9. PubMed
  • Ly K, Beck KM, Smith MP, Thibodeaux Q, Bhutani T. Diagnosis and screening of patients with generalized pustular psoriasis. Psoriasis (Auckl). 2019;9:37–42. Published 2019 Jun 20. doi:10.2147/PTT.S181808. PubMed
  • Romiti R, Hirayama ALDS, Arnone M, Magalhães RF. Generalized pustular psoriasis (von Zumbusch). An Bras Dermatol. 2022;97(1):63–74. doi:10.1016/j.abd.2021.05.011. PubMed

On DermNet

Other websites

  • Pustular psoriasis — US National Psoriasis Foundation
  • My Psoriasis — Information for New Zealand patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, sponsored by AbbVie

Books about skin diseases

 

Related information

Sign up to the newsletter