Eosinophilic Fasciitis: A Distinct Entity? FREE

Sir.—Patrone and Kredich¹ reported a case of eosinophilic fasciitis in a child in the April issue of the AJDC. They indicated that the "clinical features, laboratory changes, and rapid, consistent response to steroids" suggest that eosinophilic fasciitis represents a distinct disease rather than a variant of localized scleroderma. Our experience suggests that further consideration should be given to a possible pathogenic relationship between the two diseases. We have recently seen a young girl with linear scleroderma, morphea, and eosinophilic fasciitis who was seen by us at age 11 years with multiple lesions of morphea over her back and linear scleroderma in her lower right extremity, all of which had developed during the previous four to five months. The patient also had evidence of synovitis and early flexion contractures of the elbows and of the proximal interphalangeal joints of the fingers. Mild limitation of motion was also detected in