Levrat V, Villard F, Broustal E, Le Gall C, Bouvier R, Lachaux A
Unité d'hépatogastroentérologie pédiatrique, hôpital Edouard-Herriot, 69437 Lyon cedex 03, France.
Arch Pediatr. 2003 Feb;10(2):134-6. doi: 10.1016/s0929-693x(03)00310-5.
Acute cholecystitis revealing polyarteritis nodosa is classic but rare in adulthood. We report two cases observed during childhood.
The association of a persistent inflammatory syndrome, positive antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies and of a vasculitis with fibrinoïd necrosis led to the diagnosis in two pediatric patients.
The diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa is difficult and often delayed. Cholecystectomy can help to such a diagnosis in the presence of acute cholecystitis.
