Self-healing juvenile cutaneous mucinosis.

BACKGROUND

Mucinoses represent a puzzling and heterogeneous group of rare diseases, and self-healing juvenile cutaneous mucinosis is an extremely rare disease among them.

METHODS

A scleroedematous condition of the face, associated with papular lesions and arthropathies, had occurred in a 5-year-old boy 10 days after onset of fever, arthralgia, muscle tenderness, and weakness.

RESULTS

Histologic examination revealed an edematous dermis, occupied by mucin. Skin lesions and the joint swellings disappeared spontaneously after 2 months. At the follow-up 5 years later, the patient remains in excellent health.

CONCLUSIONS

Although exceptional, this entity has a well-defined clinical picture, marked by manifestations that are initially worrisome but which, surprisingly, prove to be temporary and benign.