ERYTHROMELALGIA IN A CHILD - SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT WITH SODIUM-NITROPRUSSIDE

We describe a 6 years old boy with symmetrical burning pain of feet an d hands accompanied by local edema and arterial hypertonia. The sympto ms were worsened by exposure to heat or exercise. Application of cold or elevation of the extremities relieved the painful sensations. In th e absence of a primary disorder like autoimmune diseases or thrombocyt osis, this rare disorder is classified as primary erythromelalgia/eryt hermalgia. Discussion: Etiology and pathogenesis of this disease are n ot well understood. In our ca se, the symptoms improved during therapy with prostaglandin El and disappeared while treated with sodium nitro prussid. Only the knowledge of this rare disease can prompt diagnosis and treatment.