Scleredema and Carditis: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature

Scleredema is a rare connective tissue disease "characterized by firm nonpitting edema, usually affecting the face, neck, scalp, conjunctivae, and thorax, occasionally the arms and more rarely the legs, sparing the hands and feet."1 The etiology is unknown but often follows a streptococcal infection. Systemic manifestations of the disease have been described,2 and cardiac involvement has been present in some of these patients (Table 1).3-6 The purpose of this report is to describe a child with scleredema and carditis and to review this association. CASE REPORT A 14-year-old retarded white boy was in good health until six weeks prior to admission when he developed pharyngitis and an upper respiratory tract infection.