Comparison of cutaneous mastocytosis with onset in children and adults

Mastocytosis is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by the abnormal infiltration of mast cells in the skin and sometimes other organs. This study aimed to compare the demographic, clinical, and histopathological findings of cutaneous mastocytosis with onset in children and in adults.

Patients diagnosed with cutaneous mastocytosis in 2 different dermatology clinics between 2007 and 2011 were included in the study. Demographic characteristics of the patients as well as localization and type of the cutaneous lesions, presence of symptoms, Darier's sign, family history, systemic involvement, and histopathological evaluations were retrospectively examined.

Out of the 30 cases of cutaneous mastocytosis, 60% of patients were male (n = 18) and 40% were female (n = 12). Twenty-two patients had childhood-onset mastocytosis (≤15 years) and 8 patients had adult-onset mastocytosis. The onset of the disease occurred before the age of 2 years in all cases of childhood onset. Patients with adult-onset mastocytosis had statistically significantly more systemic involvement than those with childhood-onset mastocytosis (P < 0.05).

Cutaneous mastocytosis is a benign disease in children without systemic involvement and is usually sporadic.