Involvement of three mucous membranes in herpes-induced recurrent erythema multiforme

Triggers, clinical manifestations, and management of pediatric erythema multiforme: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Erythema multiforme (EM) is an acute inflammatory mucocutaneous condition. EM is rarely described in children and infants.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the triggers, clinical manifestations, and treatment of pediatric EM.

METHODS

Systematic literature review of pediatric EM.

RESULTS

After full-text article review, we included 113 articles, representing 580 patients. The mean age was 5.6 years, ranging 0.1-17 years. Infectious agents were the main triggers: herpes simplex virus (HSV) in 104 patients (17.9%) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in 91 patients (15.7%). In total, 140 cases (24.1%) were drug-related and 89 cases (15.3%) had other triggers, such as vaccines (19 patients, 3.2%). In total, 229 patients had EM major (39.5%). Treatment was supportive care only (180 patients, 31.1%), systemic corticosteroids (115 patients, 19.8%), antivirals (85 patients, 14.6%), and antibiotics (66 patients, 11.3%), mostly macrolides (45 patients, 7.7%). Long-term sequelae were rare (1.3%). Pediatric EM was reported in 19 infants (3.2%). The main trigger was vaccination (9 patients). Infantile EM was EM major in 2 cases and EM minor in 17. Infants were less prone to develop EM major than older children (P < .01). Pediatric EM was recurrent in 83 cases (14.3%), which was triggered by HSV in 36 patients (61%). Recurrence affected older children.

LIMITATIONS

Potential confusion between Steven Johnson syndrome and EM major in addition to publication bias.

CONCLUSION

Pediatric EM is a rare disease, mainly triggered by infections. This condition can affect all mucosal surfaces, most commonly the oral mucosae. The diagnosis is clinical, and management relies on supportive care. Vaccines are a particular trigger in infants. Recurrent cases are most commonly linked to HSV. Dermatologists and pediatricians should be aware of this potentially recurrent and severe condition.

Characteristics of pediatric recurrent erythema multiforme

BACKGROUND

Erythema multiforme (EM) is an acute condition characterized by distinctive target lesions of the skin often accompanied by mucosal ulcers. A subset of individuals experience frequent episodes of recurrent EM, which is rare and poorly understood, especially in children.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize clinical features, laboratory findings, and treatment responses of pediatric recurrent EM.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2000-2015) and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (1990-2015). Inclusion criterion was a diagnosis before age 18 years with recurrent EM, defined as a symmetrically distributed, fixed eruption, including target lesions, with or without mucous membrane involvement, occurring on at least three occasions. A literature review was conducted to include individuals who met the inclusion criterion.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients were included, of whom 16 (62%) were male. The median age of onset was 9.1 years (range 0-15.7 years). Nine patients (35%) required hospitalization. Herpes simplex virus testing was positive in 9 of 17 (65%) patients. Remission was achieved in 5 of 16 (31%) patients while taking suppressive antivirals. Eight patients received continuous anti-inflammatory treatment, two (25%) of whom experienced remission.

CONCLUSION

This study of pediatric recurrent EM found a greater male predominance, more hospitalizations, fewer cases caused by herpes simplex virus, and a lower response to immunosuppression in children than in the general population.

Characterization of Herpes Simplex Virus Infections Seen in the Pediatric Dermatology Office

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Atypical and severe clinical manifestations of primary and recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections may present to a pediatric dermatologist for evaluation. The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical features of the population diagnosed with HSV referred to a pediatric dermatology office.

METHODS

This retrospective case series examined patients diagnosed with HSV in a pediatric dermatology practice at an academic medical center from 2005 to 2015. Characteristics of the population were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

In this study of 48 children diagnosed with HSV, 33% presented at age 2 years or younger, with approximately half having exhibited initial symptoms before 2 years of age; 39.6% of the population had six or more outbreaks per year. The outbreaks were equally divided between unifocal and multifocal presentations, with 60% of children without any labial or mucosal involvement. Suppressive treatment was initiated in 33% of patients; the average age at initiation was 6 years.

CONCLUSION

Our data characterize a subset of immunocompetent young children who present to pediatric dermatologists with frequent HSV outbreaks that are often multifocal and involve cutaneous sites, with or without mucosal involvement.

Recurrent erythema multiforme: clinical characteristics, etiologic associations, and treatment in a series of 48 patients at Mayo Clinic, 2000 to 2007

BACKGROUND

Recurrent erythema multiforme (EM) is a condition of substantial morbidity. Our efforts toward the etiologic attribution and treatment of recurrent EM have been less fruitful than those previously described.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to further characterize clinical characteristics, etiologic associations, and treatment of recurrent EM.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of patients with recurrent EM seen between 2000 and 2007.

RESULTS

Of 48 patients (mean age at disease onset, 36.4 years), 28 (58%) were female (mean duration of recurrent EM, 6 years). Thirty (63%) patients had oral involvement. Herpes simplex virus caused recurrent EM in 11 (23%) patients, and the cause remained unknown in 28 (58%). In all, 37 (77%) patients received systemic corticosteroids, 33 (69%) received continuous antiviral treatment, and 23 (48%) used immunosuppressive or anti-inflammatory agents. Sixteen of 33 patients receiving continuous antiviral treatment had either partial or complete disease suppression. Patients had varied responses to immunosuppressants, with mycophenolate mofetil providing partial or complete response in 6 of 8 patients. Features of recalcitrant cases included clinicians' inability to identify a specific cause, lack of improvement with continuous antiviral therapy, severe oral involvement, extensive corticosteroid therapy, and immunosuppressive therapy (two or more agents).

LIMITATION

This study is retrospective.

CONCLUSIONS

More than half of patients in this study did not have an identifiable cause for recurrent EM, and herpes simplex virus was found less frequently than reported in previous studies. Response to systemic treatments, including continuous antivirals and immunosuppressants, was varied and often times suboptimal.