Abstract
Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a transmural fibrinoid necrotizing arteritis of small and medium-sized vessels characterized by kidney, skin, joint and peripheral nervous and gastrointestinal system involvement. This disease is rarely seen in childhood. We herein report a 14.5-year-old boy presented with skin lesions, myalgia, headache, abdominal pain and malign hypertension. Polyarteritis nodosa was diagnosed by renal angiography. The treatment was as follows: Corticosteroid (intravenous pulse metil prednisolone, 1 gr/day 3 day; PO prednisolone 60 mg/day 30 days; prednisolone 60 mg/every other day 60 days) and cyclophosphamide (2.5 mg/kg/day, PO, 10 weeks). The patient was treated successfully by this regime and has been followed with no complains for eight months. We reviewed the clinical features, differential diagnosis and therapeutic approachment of PAN.
Keywords: Polyarteritis nodosa, hypertension, childhood
