All issues > Volume 38(10); 1995

Case Report

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1995;38(10):1422-1428. Published online October 15, 1995.

A Case of Cutaneous Polyarteritis Nodosa

Hyun Chul HC Chae¹, Kyung Hee KH Choi¹, Mi Soo MS Ahn¹, Ji Sub JS Oh¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Wallace Memorial Baptist, Hospital, Busan, Korea

Abstract

Polyarteritis nodosa(PAN), one of the necrotizing vasculitis involving predominantly small and medium sized arteries, is rare disease. PAN may affect many organs such as kidney, heart, liver, gastrointestinal tract, muscles and skin. Cutaneous PAN, a distinct clinical entity, is chronic and benign vascular disease in which cutaneous lesions are predominant with no visceral involvement. We experienced a case of cutaneous PAN in a 7-year old boy, which was diagnosed by clinical finding and biopsies of subcutaneous nodules. He had cutaneous or subcutaneous nodules which caused localized tenderness, and livedo reticularis. Histopathological examination of the nodular lesions showed panarteritis of small and medium sized arteries with diffuse round cell infiltration. There seems to be an association between prior group A streptococcal infection and childhood PAN. Laboratory study of our patient showed an elevated ASLO titer. Corticosteroid has improved the prognosis and combined use of corticosteroid and immunosuppressive drugs may be even better for some patients. He was treated with oral prednisolone and showed a good clinical response.

Keywords :Polyarteritis nodosa, Childhood, Cutaneous form