The etiology and clinical manifestation of erythema nodosum in hospitalized children - analysis of 12 cases. Preliminary report.

AIM: To analyse etiologic factors and the clinical course of erythema nodosum in hospitalized children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 12 children and young people (7 girls and 5 boys) admitted to the Paediatric Clinic in Zabrze with erythema nodosum was performed from January 2004 to February 2014. The patients' mean age on admission was 11.9 years (2-16). RESULTS: In ten of the 12 patients elevated CRP was identified - from 10 mg/L to 131.5 mg/L, which is proof of an ongoing inflammatory process. Only two patients had a CRP level below 5 mg/L. Three of the 12 patients were diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, one with diarrhoea (Salmonella was cultured and antigen Rotavirus was found), one with arthritis, one with bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy, three with Streptococcal infection, two had elevated anti-streptolysin O level (ASO). CONCLUSION: The present research may confirm the hypothesis that EN could be the first sign of systemic diseases. However, it requires further studies because of the limited number of patients.