|
.................................... Search the net .................................... |
Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology
2006 April, Vol. IX, No. 1 (3220-3229)
CHURG–STRAUSS SYNDROME IN CHILDREN
Debra Boyer, Sara O. Vargas, Dubhfeasa Slattery, Andrew A. Colin
Departments of Medicine (Division of Respiratory Diseases) and Pathology, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
Churg–Strauss syndrome is a vasculitis accompanied by asthma and eosinophilia. It is generally considered a disease of adults; occurrence in children has been reported only 12 times. We present a 16-year-old girl, with a prior history of asthma, who presented with pleuritic chest pain and a peripheral pulmonary nodule complicating by a pleural effusion. A second case is described of a 6 year old who presented with a cough, weight loss and radiographic infiltrates. Lung biopsy revealed typical findings of Churg–Strauss including granulomatous inflammation, vasculitis, and eosinophilic microabscesses. Both patients illustrate many of the typical features of Churg–Strauss syndrome and both remain on continuous medications but remain symptomatic. We report these cases to heighten awareness that this serious disease may affect the pediatric population. The relevant literature on Churg–Strausse syndrome is reviewed with specific reference to childhood cases.