[Recurrent periarteritis nodosa with predominantly cerebral signs in children (author's transl)].

Periarteritis nodosa occurs also in children and has the same wide spectrum of signs and symptoms as in adults. In a 4 1/2 year-old girl the disease at first was characterised by cerebral, encephalitis-like symptoms, arterial hypertension, intestinal wall necrosis and, finally, pericardial tamponade as a result of rupture of an arteritic coronary artery aneurysm. An earlier attack had involved liver and skeletal muscle, with necrosis in the liver. Peculiar morphological features within the "classical" course of periarteritis nodosa are endarteritic changes of single retroperitoneal and coronary arteries.