Painful rash and swelling of the limbs after recurrent infections in a teenager: polyarteritis nodosa.
Polyarteritis nodosa is a rare disease in childhood and adolescence that is difficult to diagnose clinically. We report on a 17-y-old girl presenting with a history of recurrent infections of the upper respiratory tract and conjunctivitis followed by a painful rash on the upper and lower extremities resembling erythema nodosum. The diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa was proven by skin biopsy. Therapy with intravenous immunoglobulins failed, but with systemic steroids she responded promptly.


CONCLUSIONS
Polyarteritis nodosa is a differential diagnosis in adolescents presenting with fever and an erythema nodosum-like rash.
Klusmann
Anne
A
Department of General Paediatrics, University Children's Hospital, Düsseldorf, Germany. aklusmann@yahoo.com
Megahed
Mosaad
M
Kruse
Roland
R
Schneider
Matthias
M
Schmidt
Klaus G
KG
Niehues
Tim
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004893:Erythema Nodosum / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007866:Leg / Q000473:pathology; D010488:Polyarteritis Nodosa / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D017211:Treatment Failure
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011239:Prednisolone