Cytophagic Histiocytic Panniculitis -A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Recently, we evaluated a 4-year-old boy with fever, abdominal pain and multiple reddish blue subcutaneous nodules of the low back and the extremities, especially of the lower legs for 10 days. Laboratory studies showed leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia and liver dysfunction. The bone marrow aspiration excluded a proliferative disease of the haematopoietic or lymphatic system. Serological tests excluded virus infections. In the histopathologic examination of skin biopsy, there was an intense inflammatory infiltration of the adipose tissue and proliferation of histiocytes with haemophagocytosis. The eruption resolved within 3 to 4 weeks using the corticosteroid therapy. The symptoms and examinations of this patient were consistent with cytophagic histiocytic panniculitis. This case had a short and benign course. We report here a case presentation and a review of the literatures. (Dermatol Sinica 25: 53-58, 2007)