Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2013 Jan;5(1):62-64. 10.4168/aair.2013.5.1.62.

Successful Treatment of Steroid-Dependent Eosinophilic Cellulitis With Cyclosporine

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea. hbkim@paik.ac.kr
  • 2Department of Pathology, Ajou University College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.

Abstract

Eosinophilic cellulitis (EC) is a rare idiopathic disorder, first described as a "recurrent granulomatous dermatitis with eosinophilia", that mimics cellulitis of infectious origin. We describe here a previously healthy 11-year-old girl who experienced fever and tender erythematous patch lesions after trauma to her knees. Because of the relapsing cellulitis-like skin lesions, skin biopsies were taken, resulting in a diagnosis of EC. The patient responded well to oral prednisolone but experienced side effects and relapse during dose tapering. She was switched from prednisolone to cyclosporine. Her EC remained under control, and she showed no evidence of relapse after discontinuation of cyclosporine.

Keyword

Eosinophilic cellulitis; cyclosporine; prednisolone

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Cellulitis
Cyclosporine
Dermatitis
Eosinophilia
Eosinophils
Fever
Humans
Knee
Prednisolone
Recurrence
Skin
Cellulitis
Cyclosporine
Eosinophilia
Prednisolone

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Skin lesions of our patient with eosinophilic cellulitis. (A) Development of tender edematous erythematous skin lesions on tuberosity areas of both knees and improvements in these lesions after treatment with oral prednisolone. (B) Development of newly swollen erythematous skin lesions on the left foot after tapering of prednisolone.

  • Fig. 2 Histologic examination of a skin biopsy of an erythematous lesion on the left leg of the patient, showing diffuse heavy infiltration of eosinophils in the entire dermis (hematoxylin and eosin; (A) original magnification ×100, (B) ×400.


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