Seidlmayer’s purpura: five cases and review of the litterature

Introduction About 100 cases of AHEI have been published in medical literature worldwide. Although initially considered a variant of Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP), it is now considered a separate entity: in fact it shows infrequently visceral involvement and IgA skin depositions. Furthermore these patients show a better prognosis than HSP patients. Onset age for AHEI usually ranges between 4 and 24 months but it spreads from birth to 60 months. AHEI, also defined Seidlmayer’s purpura (SP), is characterized by the triad: fever, oedema and purpura. The latter is usually rosette-, annularor targeted-shaped primarily over the face, ears and extremities in a nontoxic infant. The development and the rapidity of the skin lesions’ onset are typical and more frequent in winter. Skin lesions are dramatic both in appearance and rapidity of onset. In some cases viral or bacterial infections, drugs, vaccinations are documented.