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Annular erythemas in infants associated with autoimmune disorders in their mothers. Report on three cases
Insights
Infants may develop centrifugal annular erythema, a skin condition linked to connective tissue diseases like lupus erythematosus in the mother. This transient rash often resolves by six months, indicating a specific type of infant reactivity.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Pediatrics
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Connective tissue diseases, particularly lupus erythematosus, can manifest in both mothers and infants.
- Understanding infant skin reactivity is crucial for early diagnosis and management.
Observation:
- Three infant boys presented with centrifugal annular erythema weeks after birth.
- The erythema annulare centrifugum-like lesions resolved before six months of age without atrophy.
- Infants remained otherwise healthy during the observation period.
Findings:
- This presentation is categorized as Type 2 reactivity, associated with maternal lupus erythematosus.
- Type 2 involves maternal systemic lupus erythematosus and infant centrifugal annular erythema developing postnatally.
- This contrasts with Type 1 (maternal and infant lupus) and Type 3 (infant-onset lupus).
Implications:
- Identifies a distinct pattern of neonatal lupus erythematosus presentation.
- Highlights the importance of maternal history in diagnosing infant skin conditions.
- Suggests a spectrum of lupus erythematosus-related reactivity in newborns.
Abstract:
Three infant boys with a centrifugal annular erythema mainly consistent with erythema annulare centrifugum, developing a few weeks after birth, are described. The lesions disappeared before the age of 6 months, without atrophy, and during this period the infants were otherwise healthy. This group is considered to belong to one of three types of reactivity in infants associated with or expressed as a connective tissue disease, especially lupus erythematosus, in the mother and child or in either. In type 1, signs and symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus are or will be present in the mother and the child displays discoid lupus erythematosus lesions at birth or soon after. In type 2, the mother has the same signs and symptoms as in type 1 but the child develops a centrifugal annular erythema 3-6 weeks after birth. In type 3, discoid lupus erythematosus is present at an early stage in the infant, while the mother is healthy. This type may represent an early onset of lupus erythematosus in the infants.