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Pediatric Rheumatology
Published in: Pediatric Rheumatology 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Case report

Munchausen by proxy syndrome mimicking systemic autoinflammatory disease: case report and review of the literature

Authors: Helmut Wittkowski, Claas Hinze, Sigrid Häfner-Harms, Vinzenz Oji, Katja Masjosthusmann, Martina Monninger, Ulrike Grenzebach, Dirk Foell

Published in: Pediatric Rheumatology | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAIDs) represent a growing number of monogenic, polygenic or multifactorial disorders that are often difficult to diagnose.

Case presentation

Here we report a patient who was initially erroneously diagnosed and treated for SAID. Symptoms consisted of recurrent fever, erythematous and/or blistering skin lesions, angioedema, susceptibility to bleeding, external ear infections and reversible anisocoria in the absence of laboratory evidence of systemic inflammation. After two and a half years of extensive diagnostic work-up and multiple empirical therapies, a final diagnosis of Munchausen by proxy syndrome (MBPS) was established.

Conclusions

The diagnosis of SAID needs to be carefully reassessed if measurable systemic inflammation is missing, and MBPS should be included in the differential diagnosis.
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Metadata
Title
Munchausen by proxy syndrome mimicking systemic autoinflammatory disease: case report and review of the literature
Authors
Helmut Wittkowski
Claas Hinze
Sigrid Häfner-Harms
Vinzenz Oji
Katja Masjosthusmann
Martina Monninger
Ulrike Grenzebach
Dirk Foell
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Pediatric Rheumatology / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1546-0096
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12969-017-0152-6

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