Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy: Finkelstein's disease

Abstract

Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy (AHEI) is a benign form of leukocytoclastic vasculitis limited to the skin, which occurs in children younger than 2 years of age. The abrupt onset of fever, peripheral edema, and purpuric targetoid plaques in an infant may be confused with other dermatoses such as Henoch-Schönlein purpura, Sweet's syndrome, erythema multiforme, or septic vasculitis. Laboratory studies of patients with AHEI typically show normal results and the disorder follows a benign course with spontaneous resolution occurring in 1 to 3 weeks. We present a case of AHEI occurring in a 7-month-old boy and review the characteristic features of this acute dermatosis.