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We report on 4 children who presented with aseptic panniculitis associated with inherited immunodeficiency. Three patients had a B-cell immunodeficiency resulting from mutations in the TRNT1 and NF-κb2 genes (no mutation was found in the third patient), and 1 had a T-cell deficiency (mutation in the LCK gene). Panniculitis occurred before the age of 2 years in the 4 patients and preceded the onset of recurrent infections because of immunodeficiency in 2. It presented either as nodules, which resolved spontaneously within 1 to 2 weeks (3 patients), or chronic ulcerative lesions (1 patient) associated with unexplained fever and elevated acute phase reactants, without evidence of infection or high-titer autoantibodies. Febrile nodules relapsed in 2 patients, and recurrent attacks of unexplained fever (without relapse of panniculitis) occurred in the third. Skin biopsy revealed predominantly lympho-histiocytic or septal neutrophilic panniculitis in 1 and 3 patients, respectively. Panniculitis was associated with dermal involvement in the 4 patients. Patients with B-cell deficiency received monthly intravenous immunoglobulin replacement. Two patients who underwent bone marrow transplant died of bone marrow transplant-related complications. The 2 remaining patients had persistent, mild autoinflammatory disease, which did not require specific treatment. In these cases, the need for careful immunologic evaluation of patients who present with unexplained panniculitis, especially early-onset panniculitis before the age of 2 years, is highlighted., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Etiologies for childhood-onset diffuse joint contractures encompass a large group of inherited disorders and acquired diseases, in particular a subtype of juvenile idiopathic arthritis called "dry polyarthritis," dermatomyositis, and systemic sclerosis. We report on 2 boys, aged 5 and 8 years, who developed acquired symmetric painless joint contractures preceding the development of superficial plaques of morphea by 7 to 13 months. There was no other clinical involvement, biological inflammation, or autoantibodies. No urinary mucopolysaccharidosis was seen. In both patients, wrist MRI showed no joint effusion, no bone erosion, and no or mild synovial thickening with slight enhancement after gadolinium infusion. One patient underwent a synovial biopsy, which showed dense fibrosis with a sparse inflammatory infiltrate, similar to the pathologic pattern observed in the skin biopsy. With methotrexate and systemic steroids, joint contractures slowly improved in the first patient and remained stable in the second. These 2 cases suggest that fibrous synovitis should be considered in children with acquired diffuse, symmetric, painless contractures and without elevation of acute-phase reactants, even in the absence of cutaneous manifestations. Articular MRI with gadolinium and careful cutaneous examination at onset and during follow-up should provide clues for diagnosing this entity., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Pediatric-onset inflammatory myositis (IM) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are rare inflammatory diseases. Both result from the complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. An increasing number of Mendelian conditions predisposing to the development of SLE have been recently identified. These include monogenic conditions, referred to as the type I interferonopathies, associated with a primary upregulation of type I interferon (IFN), a key cytokine in the pathogenesis of SLE and some cases of IM. Here, we report on a pediatric-onset inflammatory overlap phenotype in a 6-year-old girl who was shown to carry mosaic tetrasomy 9p. The patient presented with myositis overlapping with lupuslike features. Myositis was characterized by a proximal muscular weakness and HLA class I antigen myofiber overexpression on muscle biopsy. Lupus-like manifestations consisted of pericarditis, pleuritis, and positive antinuclear and anti-SSA (Sjögren-syndrome A) antibodies. Complete remission was achieved with corticosteroids and mycophenolate mofetyl. Analysis of tetrasomy 9p showed mosaic tetrasomy in the 9p24.3q12 region, including the type I IFN cluster, and increased expression of IFN-stimulated genes. These data suggest that mosaic tetrasomy 9p can be associated with an upregulation of type I IFN signaling, predisposing to inflammatory myositis and lupus-like features. Thus, unexplained muscle or other organ involvement in patients carrying mosaic tetrasomy of the type IFN cluster of chromosome 9p should lead to the search for IM and/or lupuslike disease, and karyotype should be performed in patients with SLE or IM with mental retardation., (Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Hyperimmunoglobulinemia D is the less severe form of mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD) caused by recessive inherited mutation in the mevalonate kinase gene. Hyperimmunoglobulinemia D is characterized by febrile attacks, often associated with transient digestive manifestations, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Here we report for the first time 2 patients with MKD revealed by severe neonatal colitis. Both patients had chronic bloody diarrhea and failure to thrive; 1 patient since the age of 1 month and the other since the age of 12 days. Total parenteral nutrition was required. A marked elevation of acute phase reactants was present, and no evidence of infection was found. In patient 1, ileocolonoscopy revealed ulcerative colitis at the age of 5 months. Patient 2 suffered from enterocolitis and shock, associated with multiple bowel adhesions at age 5 weeks; the rectosigmoidoscopy showed aphtoid lesions of the sigmoid colon. Pathologic findings of colonic biopsies revealed a dense polymorph inflammatory infiltrate associated with deep ulcerations. Febrile attacks occurred 2 months after the onset of digestive symptoms in patient 1, and at onset of disease in patient 2. Genomic sequencing of the mevalonate kinase gene revealed compound heterozygous mutations in both patients. Anti-interleukin-1 agent produced long-term remission of all digestive features and laboratory parameters. This report emphasizes that MKD may be the cause of severe early-onset inflammatory colitis, and must be considered by physicians, even in the absence of fever, after ruling out infections. Anti-interleukin-1 therapy may result in a dramatic improvement of MKD-related inflammatory bowel disease.

Cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis (CHP) is a rare panniculitis in childhood, associated either with nonmalignant conditions or with subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL), and often also associated with macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). Discriminating between these 2 conditions is therapeutically important because nonmalignant CHP often improves under cyclosporine and prednisone, whereas most cases of SPLT may be best treated with more aggressive therapy. We report the cases of a 6-month-old boy and a 16-month-old girl who, after viral infection, developed multiple infiltrating skin nodules on the limbs and face, associated with MAS. Histopathologic findings for skin biopsy specimens revealed CHP associated with heavily cellular lobular panniculitis. Hemophagocytosis and immunohistochemical staining features were consistent with typical characteristics of in situ MAS in adipose tissue: the lymphocytes were mostly TCD8+ cells with an activated phenotype (human leukocyte antigen (HLA) -DR+) and expressed interferon-γ; CD68+ macrophages expressed tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. A monoclonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor γ gene was present in skin tissue but not in peripheral blood or bone marrow lymphocytes. Cyclosporine A treatment resulted in the complete remission of cutaneous and systemic manifestations in both patients for 66 and 29 months, respectively. This report suggests that the diagnosis of a reactive T-cell lymphoproliferation should be the treatment of choice in young children with severe CHP, even if there is a SPTCL-like aspect with an in situ T-cell clonality. It also suggests that CSA is the optimal treatment of this condition and postulates the possible pathologic process underlying this efficacy.

Germline mutations in the SLC29A3 gene result in a range of recessive, clinically related syndromes: H syndrome, pigmented hypertrichosis with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus syndrome, Faisalabad histiocytosis, and sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy. The main symptoms of these diseases are hyperpigmentation with hypertrichosis, sensorineural deafness, diabetes, short stature, uveitis, and Rosai-Dorfman like histiocytosis. Here, we report the case of an 11-month-old boy with early-onset, recurrent episodes of unprovoked fever lasting 7 to 10 days and associated with pericardial effusion, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and inflammation. Physical examination revealed hyperpigmentation with hypertrichosis, dysmorphic features, and spleen and liver enlargement. Failure to thrive, sensorineural deafness, retarded psychomotor development, and a Rosai-Dorfman like cheek lesion developed subsequently. The febrile episodes did not respond to tumor necrosis factor α antagonists and interleukin-1. Sequencing of the SLC29A3 gene revealed a homozygous missense mutation c.1088G>A (p.Arg363Gln). These observations suggest that a newly identified mutation in the SLC29A3 gene may be associated with an autoinflammatory disorder. Genetic defects in SLC29A3 should be considered in patients with autoinflammatory manifestations, recurrent febrile attacks, and 1 or more of the symptoms found in the broad spectrum of SLC29A3-related disorders (especially hyperpigmentation with hypertrichosis).

Juvenile dermatomyositis is a rare systemic vasculopathy that may sometimes present with acute complications. We report here the case of a 7-year-old boy with severe dermatomyositis associated with thrombocytopenia and blurry vision. The presence of schistocytosis and the secondary occurrence of hemolytic anemia were consistent with a diagnosis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Further investigations demonstrated the association of TTP with muscular microangiopathy and Purtscher-like retinopathy. Retinal and hematologic involvements dramatically improved after the initiation of plasma exchange in emergency. This report emphasizes that early recognition of TTP and prompt plasmapheresis are important in a child with severe juvenile dermatomyositis associated with thrombocytopenia.

Objective: The goal of this study was to describe the spectrum of clinical signs of mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD)., Methods: This was a retrospective French and Belgian study of patients identified on the basis of MKD gene mutations., Results: Fifty patients from 38 different families were identified, including 1 asymptomatic patient. Symptoms began during the first 6 months of life in 30 patients (60%) and before the age of 5 years in 46 patients (92%). Symptoms consisted of febrile diarrhea and/or rash in 23 of 35 patients (66%). Febrile attacks were mostly associated with lymphadenopathy (71%), diarrhea (69%), joint pain (67%), skin lesions (67%), abdominal pain (63%), and splenomegaly (63%). In addition to febrile attacks, 27 patients presented with inflammatory bowel disease, erosive polyarthritis, Sjögren syndrome, and other chronic neurologic, renal, pulmonary, endocrine, cutaneous, hematologic, or ocular symptoms. Recurrent and/or severe infections were observed in 13 patients, hypogammaglobulinemia in 3 patients, and renal angiomyolipoma in 3 patients. Twenty-nine genomic mutations were identified; the p.Val377Ile mutation was the most frequently found (29 of 38 families). Three patients died of causes related to MKD. The disease remained highly active in 17 of the 31 surviving symptomatic patients followed up for >5 years, whereas disease activity decreased over time in the other 14 patients. Interleukin 1 antagonists were the most effective biological agents tested, leading to complete or partial remission in 9 of 11 patients., Conclusion: MKD is not only an autoinflammatory syndrome but also a multisystemic inflammatory disorder, a possible immunodeficiency disorder, and a condition that predisposes patients to the development of renal angiomyolipoma., (Copyright © 2011 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)