SELF-HEALING JUVENILE CUTANEOUS MUCINOSIS

Background: Mucinoses represent a puzzling and heterogeneous group of rare diseases, and self-healing juvenile cutaneous mucinosis is an ext remely rare disease among them. Observations: A scleroedematous condit ion of the face, associated with papular lesions and arthropathies, ha d occurred in a 5-year-old boy 10 days after onset of fever, arthralgi a, muscle tenderness, and weakness. Results: Histologic examination re vealed an edematous dermis, occupied by mucin. Skin lesions and the jo int swellings disappeared spontaneously after 2 months. At the follow- up 5 years later, the patient remains in excellent health. Conclusion: Although exceptional, this entity has a well-defined clinical picture , marked by manifestations that are initially worrisome but which, sur prisingly, prove to be temporary and benign.