Acute Hemorrhagic Edema of Infancy With Associated Hemorrhagic Lacrimation

Abstract

Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy is a rare leukocytoclastic vasculitis that affects infants and children aged 4 to 24 months. We report a case of a 5-month-old girl with purpuric lesions with associated hemorrhagic lacrimation and epistaxis.

Hemorrhagic Lacrimation and Epistaxis: Rare Findings in Acute Hemorrhagic Edema of Infancy

“…Although the pathophysiology of hemorrhagic lacrimation and epistaxis has not been formally investigated, we postulate that it likely is related to the formation of immune complexes that lead to small vessel vasculitis, underpinning the characteristic findings in AHEI. 4,5 This reasoning is supported by the complete resolution of symptoms corresponding with clinical clearance of the cutaneous vasculitis in 2 prior cases 4,5 as well as in our patient who did not have a relapse of symptoms following cessation of the cutaneous eruption at a pediatric follow-up appointment 2 weeks later.…”

Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy associated with Coxsackie virus infection

“…In the interesting case of acute hemorrhagic edema of young children with associated hemorrhagic lacrimation reported by Sneller H et al [1], the authors state that no more than one other case [2] of hemorrhagic lacrimation has been seen in infants and children affected by this skin limited small-vessel leukocytoclastic vasculitis [3].…”