DERMATITIS HERPETIFORMIS IN CHILDREN – A DIAGNOSIS TO KEEP IN MIND

  • Inês Coutinho Interna do Internato Complementar de Dermatologia e Venereologia/Resident, Dermatology and Venereology
  • Mónica Jerónimo Interna do Internato Complementar de Pediatria do Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra/Resident, Pediatrics, Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra
  • Ana Brinca Assistente Hospitalar de Dermatologia e Venereologia/Consultant, Dermatology and Venereology
  • Óscar Tellechea Professor Doutor em Dermatologia e Venereologia/Professor of Dermatology and Venereology
  • Ana Moreno Assistente Hospitalar Graduada de Dermatologia e Venereologia/Consultant, Dermatology and Venereology
  • Américo Figueiredo Professor Doutor em Dermatologia e Venereologia/Professor of Dermatology and Venereology; Director do Serviço de Dermatologia e Venereologia do Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Coimbra/Professor of Dermatology and Venereology and Head of the Dermatology Department Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29021/spdv.72.3.281
Keywords: Child, Dermatitis herpetiformis, Diet, gluten-free, Celiac disease

Abstract

Introduction: Dermatitis herpetiformis is a chronic, pruritic, polymorphous dermatosis, considered the cutaneous equivalent of coeliac disease. In pediatric patients, differential diagnosis with other more common dermatosis makes this a challenging diagnosis.

Case Report: We present the case of an 8-year old male patient, with polymorphous, pruritic lesions on the extensor surfaces of limbs, evolving for 2 years. Lesional skin biopsy showed neutrophils on the tips of the dermal papillae, and direct immunofluorescence of perilesional skin demonstrated granular deposits of IgA also on the tips of the dermal papillae, establishing the diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis. Subsequent studies confirmed the association to celiac disease and the adoption of a gluten-free diet led to the clinical resolution of both cutaneous lesions and enteropathy.

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Published
2014-10-12
How to Cite
Coutinho, I., Jerónimo, M., Brinca, A., Tellechea, Óscar, Moreno, A., & Figueiredo, A. (2014). DERMATITIS HERPETIFORMIS IN CHILDREN – A DIAGNOSIS TO KEEP IN MIND. Journal of the Portuguese Society of Dermatology and Venereology, 72(3), 371-375. https://doi.org/10.29021/spdv.72.3.281
Issue
Vol 72 No 3 (2014): Julho - Setembro
Section
Case Reports

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