title: Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome with Hashimoto thyroiditis in a 9-year-old girl: an autoimmune disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) is a rare disorder of unknown cause. The classical triad of MRS is orofacial edema, recurrent facial paralysis, and a fissured tongue.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a 9-year-old girl with a recurrent peripheral facial paralysis. She experienced the first episode of a peripheral facial paralysis on the same side without orofacial swelling and lingua plicata 1 year ago. She was diagnosed with Hashimoto thyroiditis 9 months earlier, as confirmed by an endocrinologic investigation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While the patient was hospitalized with recurrent facial paralysis, we found that serum levels of free thyroxine (1.3 ng/dL) and thyrotropin (0.4 uIU/mL) were within normal range, but the level of antithyroperoxidase antibodies (772.0 IU/mL) was very increased. She had been taking an oral prednisolone orally for 2 weeks. At the 1-month follow-up, the patient's symptoms had completely disappeared.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The possible correlation between MRS and autoimmune disorders has been documented in only one report, which described an adult with autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto thyroiditis) and MRS. We suggest that the co-occurrence of MRS and Hashimoto thyroiditis is not coincidental but linked to autoimmunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University Children's Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University Children's Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chong Kun
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Cheon
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Kosin University, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Gyu Min
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Yeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University Children's Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea. Electronic address: wearehan@yahoo.co.kr.
authors.forename: Sang Ook
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005145:Face / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D050031:Hashimoto Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008556:Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011239:Prednisolone
keywords: Hashimoto disease; Melkersson–Rosenthal syndrome; child; facial paralysis