Panniculitis

Published on 11/06/2015 by admin

Filed under Pediatrics

Last modified 22/04/2025

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Neonatal subcutaneous fat necrosis. Red nodules of immobile skin on back of 2-day-old.

Subcutaneous fat necrosis. Multiple firm red nodules on back of 1-month-old.

Lupus panniculitis. Red purple nodules on upper arm of girl with lupus profundus.

Nodular vasculitis (erythema induratum). Ulcerated red nodules on calf of teenage girl.

Panniculitis is characterized by red to red-purple nodules on the skin associated with fat cell destruction.

Nodular vasculitis is associated primarily with tuberculosis and occasionally hepatitis C. It is rare in childhood to have the panniculitis seen with pancreatic disease or alpha₁-antitrypsin deficiency.

No treatment is necessary in subcutaneous fat necrosis of newborns.

In infants with hypercalcemia, in addition to strategies to lower calcium levels and increase renal excretion of calcium, systemic steroids may be useful.

For the child with lupus panniculitis, systemic immune suppressants may be required, depending upon associated problems.

For nodular vasculitis there are no reliable studies on treatment. If tuberculosis is found, multidrug anti-tuberculosis therapy is indicated. Systemic steroids or immunosuppressives have been traditionally used to improve symptoms.