The British Journal of Rheumatology, Vol 36, 909-911, Copyright © 1997 by British Society for Rheumatology
SH Till and RS Amos
Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a multisystem inflammatory disease associated
with necrotizing vasculitis of small and medium arteries. Although
predominantly an adult disease, PAN is well described in children. It can
occur in a systemic form with manifestations in skin, joints, heart,
nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, lungs and kidneys, and a limited
form in which disease is confined to the skin, muscles, joints and
peripheral nerves. In either case, streptococcal infection has been
implicated by a positive throat swab or a significant increase in either
antistreptolysin O (ASOT) or antihyaluronidase titres. The limited form is
thought to run a benign course, but little has been written about its
long-term outcome. We describe two patients who developed a cutaneous
vasculitis following a probable streptococcal infection. Both have run a
relapsing and remitting course with significant elevations of ASOT and in
one, at least, prophylactic penicillin has had a strikingly beneficial
effect. In both patients, the disease seems to have receded during
childhood, only to recur, retaining its original form, in adult life. Their
current ages are 22 and 19 yr, respectively.
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Long-term follow-up of juvenile-onset cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa associated with streptococcal infection
Central Sheffield University Hospitals Trust.
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