title: Nevus anemicus in neurofibromatosis type 1: a potential new diagnostic criterion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children with multiple café-au-lait macules (CALMs) may be followed for years before a second National Institutes of Health clinical criterion of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) develops to confirm the diagnosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to assess the prevalence of nevus anemicus (NA) in NF1 and its association with neuro-ophthalmologic complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective multicenter case-control study of 210 consecutive patients with multiple CALMs. Patients with NF1 were matched for age, sex, and center with control subjects. We documented the number, location, and morphologic appearance of NA; dermatologic features of NF1; magnetic resonance imaging results; and family history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 77 (51%) patients with NF1 had NA compared with 6 (2%) control subjects. NA was not detected in 26 patients with other genodermatoses associated with CALMs. Patients with NF1 and NA were younger than those without NA (median age: 17 years) (P = .002). NA was mostly localized to the upper anterior aspect of the chest. NA was not significantly linked with other clinical manifestations of NF1, including optic glioma and unidentified bright objects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A potential referral bias associated with tertiary care centers is a limitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NA appears to have a high prevalence and specificity in NF1 and might serve as a marker for NF1 in children with multiple CALMs.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Caremeau Hospital, CHU (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire) Nîmes, Nîmes, France.
authors: Myriam
authors: M
authors: Marque
authors: University of Montpellier 1, Neuropediatric Department, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Center of Competence for Neurofibromatosis, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors: Agathe
authors: A
authors: Roubertie
authors: Unit of Clinical Research and Epidemiology, Department of Medical Information, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors: Audrey
authors: A
authors: Jaussent
authors: University of Montpellier 1, Neuropediatric Department, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Center of Competence for Neurofibromatosis, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors: Maryline
authors: M
authors: Carneiro
authors: Department of Dermatology, Caremeau Hospital, CHU (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire) Nîmes, Nîmes, France.
authors: Laurent
authors: L
authors: Meunier
authors: Center of Competence for Neurofibromatosis, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier 1, Department of Dermatology, Saint-Eloi Hospital, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors: Bernard
authors: B
authors: Guillot
authors: University of Montpellier 1, Department of Medical Genetics, Arnaud de Villeneuve Hospital, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors: Lucile
authors: L
authors: Pinson
authors: University of Lyon, Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Edouard Herriot Hospital, CHU Lyon, Lyon, France.
authors: Stéphane
authors: S
authors: Pinson
authors: Center of Competence for Neurofibromatosis, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier 1, Department of Dermatology, Saint-Eloi Hospital, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Center of Competence for Pediatric Genetic Skin Disorders, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France. Electronic address: d-bessis@chu-montpellier.fr.
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Bessis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009506:Nevus / Q000209:etiology*; D010859:Pigmentation Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: CALM; JXG; Legius syndrome; NA; NF1; NIH; National Institutes of Health; OG; PN; UBO; café-au-lait macule; café-au-lait macules; juvenile xanthogranuloma; neurofibromatosis type 1; nevus anemicus; optic glioma; plexiform neurofibroma; unidentified bright object