A possible case of Churg-Strauss syndrome in a 9-year-old child

Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), also known as allergic granulomatous angiitis, is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis of the small and medium vessels. It typically occurs in conjunction with a history of asthma, eosinophilia, pulmonary infiltrates, and vasculitis, but cases without asthma have also been reported (1-2). CSS has rarely been reported in pediatric patients. Here, we report a nine-year-old boy with a possible diagnosis of CSS who presented with prominent pulmonary involvement accompanied by eosinophilia, rash, abdominal pain, and hepatomegaly but without anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA). The present case indicates that physicians should consider CSS when eosinophilia is noted in bronchoalveolar lavage, serum, or a tissue specimen. The clinical features and treatment for childhood CSS are reviewed.