What is acute haemorrhagic oedema of infancy?
Acute haemorrhagic oedema of infancy is a rare type of cutaneous vasculitis with a characteristic presentation. It consists of a clinical triad of: • Large bruise-like lesions (purpura) • Swelling (oedema) • Fever Skin biopsy reveals a leukocytoclastic vasculitis (this means there are broken-up white cells involved with inflamed small blood vessels). There is uncertainty whether acute haemorrhagic oedema of infancy is a mild variant of Henoch-Schoenlein Purpura (HSP) that occurs in infancy, or a distinct clinical entity. Clinically it is similar to but milder than HSP, but occurs in a more restricted age range, and has different skin lesions. Histopathologic findings are identical to HSP. However, the pattern of antibody staining on direct immunofluorescence of a skin biopsy is different to HSP. In HSP, IgA deposition occurs, but IgA is found in only one third of patients with haemorrhagic oedema.
