Abstract

LARRALDE, Margarita; ABAD, María E  and  GOMAR, Begoña. Langerhans cell histiocytosis in children under one year. Arch. argent. pediatr. [online]. 2008, vol.106, n.3, pp.269-272. ISSN 0325-0075.

Introduction. Langerhans cell histiocytosis is characterized by a clonal proliferation of activated Langerhans cells that infiltrate various organs of the body. Occurs at any age, from newborn until adulthood, with an incidence peak at 1-4 years. Objective. To describe the morphologyc characteristics of skin lesions and clinical course of 15 patients with Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Methods. A retrospective review of the medical records of patients with Langerhans cell histiocytosis from Ramos Mejia Hospital and Aleman Hospital, between 1999-2007. Results. Review of medical records from 15 patients, 6 females and 9 males. Skin lesions were congenital in 8 cases and appeared between 2-12 months of age in 7 cases. The patients with congenital presentation only had a cutaneous manifestation; one patient who developed a systemic compromise (lung, liver and spleen) is currently under treatment. Three patients with presentation after birth only had cutaneous lesions, the others had a sistemic disease. One of this patients died during treatment. Histopathology showed a histiocytic infiltrate in the papilary dermis with epidermotrophism; inmunomarking with S100 and CD1a was positive. Conclusion. Both clinical manifestation (congenital and after birth) represent different ends of a spectrum of the same condition, with the potencial to develop into disseminated Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Keywords : Histiocytosis; Langerhans cells; Pediatrics.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )