Cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa in a child.

Cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa (CPAN) is a benign form of vasculitis of small and medium-size arteries with a recurrent but benign course without systemic involvement. This entity is very rare in children, with about 45 cases described in the literature we reviewed. Herein we report a 10-year-old girl with typical CPAN. Trigger factors such as streptococcal infection were not detected. Of four episodes over the last 2 years, only one required treatment with a moderate-sized oral dose of prednisone. In diagnosing CPAN, it is necessary to rule out systemic polyarteritis nodosa, which is also rare in children, as well as other panniculitides and vasculitides.