Search

Background The choice of the initial biological therapy for patients with suspected autoinflammatory diseases and not conclusive genetic test remains challenging. Objectives To assess the clinical response to the initial biological therapy in pediatric patients with suspected autoinflammatory disease with no genetic diagnosis. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical charts of patients followed in our clinic who started empirical biological therapy after being diagnosed with suspected autoinflammatory disease(sAID) due to the intensity of their symptoms and no response to colchicin or FAMEs. Next generation sequencing using an immune deficiency/dysregulation(115 genes) and autoinflammatory panel(12 genes) was negative/inconclusive in all patients. Results We identified 9 patients:6/9 were male, median age at fever onset 1.33 years old IQR(0.46-4), age at diagnosis of sAID 3.8 years old IQR(1.75-7). Clinical presentation included fever(9/9), abdominal pain and arthromyalgia(7/9), aphthous(6/9), headache, rash and adenopathy(5/9), delayed growth(4/9), tonsillitis and pericarditis(3/9) as well as diarrhea and pleuritis(2/9). One patient presented with stroke, cutaneous lesions, vasculopathy and haemolytic uraemic syndrome and 1 patient with amyloidosis and secondary hepatosplenomegaly. None of the children suffered from uveitis or meningitis. The flares lasted a median of 14 days(IQR 8-20). Two patients had persistent symptoms. Their mean/median lab values are shown at table. 4/9 patients had homozygous mutations with uncertain significance, heterozygous mutations or polymorphism but their symptoms or familiar study was not suggestive of the corresponding AID. One patient had an heterozygous mutation in MEFv (p.P3696,p.R408q) and also a CECR1 heterozygous mutation with uncertain significance, one patient had pR92Q heterozygous mutation in TNFRSF1A, one patient had MEFv pR202Q homozygous mutation, other patient had a NOD-2 heterozygous mutation and the patient with amyloidosis had INO80 deficiency and a NOD2 mutation (p.A918D). All patients responded to steroid therapy; subsequently 8/9 received anti IL-1Receptor kineret as first biological therapy and 1/9 with suspected vasculopathy received anti-TNF. Response to IL-1R antagonist was complete in 3/8 and partial in 4/8 children;1/8 showed no response. 2/8 patients were switched to anti-TNF: One each to etanercept and Infliximab with good response. The patient with amyloidosis was changed to anti IL-6R with incomplete response but clear improvement compared to anti Il-1R response. The patient with suspected vasculopathy and initial anti-TNF treatment had partial response with no recurrent stroke but persistent skin lesions. Conclusion An important group of patients with sAID lack genetic confirmation. Empirical use of IL-1R antagonist is promising but not effective in all patients as it was observed in our case series,where 5/8 children showed partial or no response,3/5 needing a second biologic treatment in form of anti-TNF due to persistent moderate-severe symptoms. A model to predict the response to different therapeutic strategies, based on clinical features and immunological profile (including inflammatory cytokines) might help to choose the most appropriate immunomodulatory treatment. Disclosure of Interests None declared

IMPORTANCE: Treatment of infantile hemangioma (IH) with topical timolol in the first 2 months of life (early proliferative phase) may prevent further growth and the need for treatment with oral propranolol. To our knowledge, no studies have determined whether beginning early treatment with timolol for IH is better than in other proliferative stages. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of timolol maleate solution, 0.5%, for the early treatment of IH in infants younger than 60 days. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2a pilot clinical trial included patients aged 10 to 60 days with focal or segmental hemangiomas (superficial, deep, mixed, or minimal/arrested growth). Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with topical timolol maleate solution, 0.5%, or placebo twice daily for 24 weeks. Changes in lesion size (volume, thickness) and color were evaluated from photographs taken at 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 36 weeks. Vital signs and adverse effects were recorded at each visit. The study was carried out from November 2015 to January 2017, and data analyses were completed in September 2019. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome of complete or nearly complete IH resolution and the secondary outcomes of changes in lesion thickness, volume, and color were evaluated by a blinded investigator. RESULTS: Of the 69 patients recruited, the mean (SD) age was 48.4 (10.6) days; 55 (80%) were female; and 51 (74%), 11 (16%), 6 (9%), and 1 (1%) had superficial, mixed, abortive, or deep IHs, respectively. The IHs were localized, segmental, or indeterminate in 60 (87%), 7 (10%), and 2 (3%) patients, respectively. The IHs were located on the head and/or neck (n = 23 [33%]) or other body sites (n = 46 [67%]). The study was completed by 26 of 33 (79%) patients receiving timolol and 31 of 36 (86%) receiving placebo. There were no significant differences between timolol and placebo for complete or nearly complete IH resolution at 24 weeks (n = 11 [42%] vs n = 11 [36%]; P = .37). The odds ratio of complete or almost complete response vs no response at week 24 was 1.33 (95% CI, 0.45-3.89). There were no between-group differences in IH size (volume, thickness). An improvement in color was observed at week 4 in the timolol group, and timolol was well tolerated with no systemic adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this randomized clinical trial, results demonstrated that topical timolol is well tolerated for the treatment of early proliferative IH but provides limited benefit in lesion resolution when given during the early proliferative stage. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT Identifier: 2013-005199-17.

Calcinosis cutis is a term used to describe a group of disorders in which calcium salt deposits form in the skin and subcutaneous tissue. We report a 6-year-old boy with hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy who was admitted to the hospital for severe hypocalcemia being treated with calcium gluconate intravenous infusion through peripheral veins. Within a few days we made a diagnosis of iatrogenic calcinosis cutis and treatment with 10% topical sodium thiosulfate was prescribed; complete resolution of lesions was achieved after 6 months, with no local or systemic adverse effects. Because of the lack of noninvasive alternatives and the good tolerance of the treatment, especially in childhood, we suggest the topical use of this drug as an option for this condition.

During the last 5 years, many studies have shown the efficacy of propranolol as first-line treatment for infantile hemangiomas (IHs), but not much has been written about the role of propranolol beyond the proliferation phase of IH (>1 year). Our aim was to assess propranolol efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients older than 1 year. A retrospective study of patients older than 1 year diagnosed with IH and treated in our vascular anomalies clinic between 2009 and 2013 was performed. Eighteen patients older than 1 year with a diagnosis of IH (15 girls, 3 boys) were identified. The mean age at the time of initiation of treatment was 25.7 months (range 13–72 mos). Single lesions were observed in 13 patients and multiple lesions in 5. Fifteen patients had focal lesions and three had segmental. The median duration of treatment with oral propranolol was 11.8 months (range 2–33 mos). Complete response was observed in 72.2% of the patients and partial response in 27.8%. Recurrence was observed in three patients 4.7 months after completion of therapy (range 0.3–8 mos). These patients required further therapy with propranolol for 6 more months. Bradycardia was documented in two patients and night terrors in one patient, which led to discontinuation of treatment. In our experience, propranolol may be useful in the treatment of IHs beyond the proliferation phase (>1 year old), but more studies are needed to support this observation.

BACKGROUND Oral propranolol has been used to treat complicated infantile hemangiomas, although data from randomized, controlled trials to inform its use are limited. METHODS We performed a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, adaptive, phase 2-3 trial assessing the efficacy and safety of a pediatric-specific oral propranolol solution in infants 1 to 5 months of age with proliferating infantile hemangioma requiring systemic therapy. Infants were randomly assigned to receive placebo or one of four propranolol regimens (1 or 3 mg of propranolol base per kilogram of body weight per day for 3 or 6 months). A preplanned interim analysis was conducted to identify the regimen to study for the final efficacy analysis. The primary end point was success (complete or nearly complete resolution of the target hemangioma) or failure of trial treatment at week 24, as assessed by independent, centralized, blinded evaluations of standardized photographs. RESULTS Of 460 infants who underwent randomization, 456 received treatment. On the basis of an interim analysis of the first 188 patients who completed 24 weeks of trial treatment, the regimen of 3 mg of propranolol per kilogram per day for 6 months was selected for the final efficacy analysis. The frequency of successful treatment was higher with this regimen than with placebo (60% vs. 4%, P

Abortive hemangioma (AH) is a true hemangioma of infancy that expresses glucose transporter-1 protein in the endothelial cells, with an arrested growth cycle. We present the rare case of a lumbosacral AH with intramedullary extension.

This study aimed to clarify the combinatorial treatment effect of agents as aspirin and ticlopidine associated with vincristine in the management of Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon (KMP), a severe thrombocytopenic coagulopathy that occurs in the presence of an enlarging vascular tumor such as kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) and tufted angioma (TA).. A retrospective review was conducted of medical records of all children with diagnosis of KHE or TA associated with KMP treated with vincristine-aspirin-ticlopidine (VAT) therapy at two different institutions in the same country from 1994 to 2011. Clinical features, response to VAT therapy and outcomes were recorded.. Eleven patients (mean age 11 months, range 0-36), including seven females (64%) and four males (36%), were identified. Seven patients underwent incisional biopsy and two different histologies were found, KHE in four patients and TA in three patients. Tumors were located in the head and neck (n = 5), chest wall (n = 2), arm (n = 2) and retroperitoneum (n = 2). Mean platelet level was 10,200/mm(3) (range 4,000-21,000). A plaque-like lesion with ecchymosis was the most common cutaneous manifestation (63%). All patients underwent VAT therapy. Mean duration of treatment was 3.9 months for vincristine, 13.9 months for aspirin, and 13.4 months for ticlopidine. All patients are alive with a mean follow-up of 4.5 years (range, 2-17).. Antiaggregant therapy is helpful in combination with vincristine in the treatment of KMP associated with KHE and TA. Prognosis is excellent if severe thrombocytopenia is controlled despite failure in reduction of tumor size.

We present the case of a 3-month-old child with probable catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome who, after initial successful management with immunomodulary therapies including rituximab, experienced a cutaneous relapse. This rare event was successfully re-treated with repeated administration of rituximab, supporting its role in the control of this disorder. Dermatologic manifestations may be the main clinical presentation of antiphospholipid syndrome, a possible underdiagnosed but potentially fatal pathology.

Cheilitis granulomatosa (CG) is a rare, idiopathic inflammatory disorder that usually affects young adults and clinically is characterized by diffuse, non-tender, soft to firm swelling of one or both lips. A variant of granulomatous cheilitis is Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome when associated with facial paralysis and furrowed tongue. Several treatments have been used with variable success. We report 3 cases of GC treated with oral clofazimine 100 to 200 mg daily for 3 to 6 months obtaining regression of lesions in all treated cases. Hyperpigmentation and elevation of liver enzymes were observed as side effects.