Idiopathic recurrent palmoplantar hidradenitis in children. Report of 22 cases
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M Simon1, H Cremer, P von den Driesch
1Department of Dermatology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Insights
Idiopathic recurrent palmoplantar hidradenitis (IRPH) is a benign skin condition in children. This study found IRPH often resolves on its own and may occur seasonally.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dermatology
- Clinical Case Series
Background:
- Idiopathic recurrent palmoplantar hidradenitis (IRPH) presents as painful, red lesions on the hands and feet of children.
- Only 10 cases of IRPH have been previously reported in medical literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical characteristics and natural history of IRPH in a larger pediatric cohort.
- To evaluate the necessity of histopathologic examination for IRPH diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 22 pediatric patients diagnosed with IRPH.
- Detailed documentation of patient demographics, clinical presentation, disease course, and treatment outcomes.
Main Results:
- The study included 22 children with a mean age of 6 years.
- Lesions resolved spontaneously within 3 weeks in most cases, often without treatment.
- Disease onset showed seasonal clustering in autumn and spring.
Conclusions:
- This series represents the largest documented cohort of IRPH to date.
- The characteristic clinical presentation may obviate the need for routine histopathology.
- IRPH is a benign, self-limiting condition with potential seasonal occurrence.
Background:
Idiopathic recurrent palmoplantar hidradenitis (IRPH) is characterized by tender erythematous plaques and nodules on the soles and, less often, the palms of young patients. To date, 10 cases of IRPH have been documented in the literature.
Observations:
We describe 22 pediatric patients with characteristic cutaneous and histologic findings of IRPH. Their mean age was 6 years (age range, 1.5-15 years). The onset of the disease clustered in 2 peaks, in autumn and spring. All patients had complete resolution of their lesions within 3 weeks, in 16 cases without any treatment. Ten of the 22 patients experienced more than 1 episode of IRPH.
Conclusions:
Our study represents the largest number of cases of IRPH collected to date. Based on our data, the clinical picture is so characteristic that a histopathologic examination may not be necessary in every case. We suggest that there is a seasonality in the occurrence of this always benign and limited disease.
