title: Erythema Multiforme in Children and Mycoplasma pneumoniae Aetiology.
abstract: Erythema multiforme (EM) in children is understudied and confused with Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) despite their being separate diseases with unique aetiologies and clinical presentations. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in paediatric patients with EM minor, EM major (EMM), and SJS. This retrospective cohort at The Hospital for Sick Children accrued all cases of EM minor, EMM, and SJS from 1999 to 2013. Sixty-five cases were identified: 20 of EM minor, 23 of EMM, and 22 of SJS. Aetiologies were attributed in 58% of cases: 79% infection and 21% drug aetiology. Sixty-one percent of patients with EMM were M pneumoniae positive, compared with 14% of those with SJS and 22% of those with EM minor (P < .01). M pneumoniae patients were older at presentation (P = .03) and more frequently had sore throat (P < .01) and atypical targets with central blistering (P < .01). These findings suggest that M pneumoniae should be suspected and treated until laboratory confirmation becomes available in patients presenting with atypical target lesions with central blistering.
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Langley
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Niloofar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anooshiravani
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.affiliation: St Joseph Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeller
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada elena.pope@sickkids.ca.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pope
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology; D004892:Erythema Multiforme / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013262:Stevens-Johnson Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Mycoplasma pneumoniae; erythema multiforme; paediatric dermatology