Risk factors

Sweet's syndrome is uncommon, but certain factors increase your risk, including:

• Sex. In general, women are more likely to have Sweet's syndrome than are men.
• Age. Though older adults and even infants can develop Sweet's syndrome, the condition mainly affects people between the ages of 30 and 60.
• Cancer. Sweet's syndrome is sometimes associated with cancer, most often leukemia but also breast or colon cancer.
• Other health problems. Sweet's syndrome may follow an upper respiratory infection, and many people report having flu-like symptoms before the rash appears. Sweet's syndrome can also be associated with inflammatory bowel disease.
• Pregnancy. Some women develop Sweet's syndrome during pregnancy.
• Drug sensitivity. Sweet's syndrome may result from a sensitivity to certain medications, including azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, antibiotics and some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

This condition does not appear to have a racial predilection.