Dermatological Findings in Common Rheumatologic Diseases in Children

The document summarizes a study that investigated dermatological manifestations in children with rheumatologic diseases, including juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF), scleroderma (SSc), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and dermatomyositis (DM). The study involved 45 patients, with specific skin, nail, and scalp findings linked to each disease. For instance, JIA patients exhibited psoriatic lesions and periungual desquamation, SLE patients showed photosensitivity and non-scarring alopecia, DM patients had Gottron's papules and nail fold erythema, and SSc patients presented with Raynaud's phenomenon and sclerodactyly. The study also noted that medications like methotrexate and colchicine could cause hair loss, with four FMF patients experiencing anagen effluvium from colchicine. These findings are important for diagnosis, especially when skin biopsy is difficult. However, the study's small sample size limits the conclusiveness of the data, and further research with larger populations is recommended.