Background: Skin diseases are frequent in organ transplant recipients, but
studies concerning children are sparse.
Objective: We assessed skin diseases in children who had received organ tra
nsplants.
Methods: A total of 145 children referred to our dermatologic consultation
were studied.
Results: Steroid-induced striae distensae and acne occurred only in adolesc
ents; severe cyclosporine-related side effects were more frequent in younge
r children. The most common findings were warts (53.8%), tinea versicolor (
14.5%), herpes simplex/zoster (9.6%), molluscum contagiosum (6.9%), and imp
etigo contagiosum and folliculitis (6.2%). Other notable disorders included
a diffuse hyperpigmentation with a "dirty" appearance of the skin, pyogeni
c granulomas, melanocyctic nevi proliferation, and skin tags. Two of 20 fur
ther adult patients who received transplants during childhood had squamous
cell carcinomas.
Conclusion: Children who have received organ transplants frequently present
side effects of immunosuppressive drugs and infectious diseases. Most diso
rders are related to the age of the patients rather than to the length of i
mmunosuppression, whereas others are favored by the reinforcement of immuno
-suppression. Skin cancers were not encountered, bur the risk of carcinomas
in early adulthood should be considered.