A paraqueratose granular é alteração da queratinização, primeiramente descrita em adultos, caracterizada por pápulas e placas hiperqueratósicas nas áreas intertriginosas. Os autores descrevem seis casos de paraqueratose granular em crianças. Um paciente apresentava lesões nas regiões glúteas, dois em ambas as axilas e região cervical (apresentações inéditas na literatura). Três pacientes apresentavam lesões em pregas inguinais. Realizam também revisão da literatura e discutem a possível etiologia dessa rara dermatose.

Granular parakeratosis is an alteration of keratinization that was first described in adults. It is characterized by hiperkeratotic plaques and papules in intertriginous areas. The authors describe six cases of granular parakeratosis in children. One patient had lesions on the buttocks; two children presented papules in both axillae and cervical region (presentations never described before in the literature). The remaining three patients presented with lesions in the inguinal folds. Review of the literature and discussion on the pathogenesis of this rare dermatosis are presented.

FUNDAMENTOS: Desde o início da epidemia da Aids as dermatoses têm sido freqüentemente descritas em pacientes com essa doença, com relatos de casos atípicos e estudos de séries de pacientes adultos; no entanto, há poucas publicações sobre alterações cutâneas em pacientes pediátricos com Aids. OBJETIVOS: Estudo prospectivo para avaliar a presença de dermatoses em 40 pacientes pediátricos com Aids. MÉTODOS: Quarenta pacientes, com idade inferior a 13 anos e portadores de Aids, foram estudados por um período de seis meses para avaliação de: número de alterações dermatológicas; suas características clínicas; distribuição conforme as categorias clínico-imunológicas e o valor da carga viral. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de dermatoses foi de 82,4%, na primeira consulta, e, no acompanhamento longitudinal, 92,5% dos pacientes tiveram alterações dermatológicas, com proporção de cinco diagnósticos por doente. As crianças com classificação clínico-imunológica grave e carga viral acima de 100.000 cópias/ml apresentaram maior número de alterações dermatológicas quando comparadas àquelas das categorias clínico-imunológicas leves. A proporção de diagnósticos por paciente na categoria clínica C foi de 6,8 e na A de 3,6; na categoria imunológica grave, de sete, e na leve de 3,7; e na carga viral > 100.000 de 7,3, e na < 100.000 de 4,2 (todos com significância estatística). CONCLUSÃO: As dermatoses foram freqüentes nas crianças com Aids e ocorreram em maior número nos pacientes pertencentes às categorias graves. A elevada freqüência de alterações da pele nos pacientes pediátricos com a doença indica ser imprescindível sua avaliação dermatológica minuciosa e freqüente.

BACKGROUND: Ever since the beginning of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Aids) epidemic, a number of dermatoses have been frequently described in patients with this disease. In the literature, case reports and studies in series of adult patients with atypical lesions are frequent found. By contrast, there are few reports on cutaneous alterations in pediatric patients with Aids. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the following prospective survey is to evaluate the presence of dermatoses in 40 pediatric patients with Aids. METHOD: Forty patients diagnosed with Aids and less than 13 years of age were seen for six months. The following features were evaluated: number of dermatoses, clinical characteristics, distribution in accordance with the clinical-immunological categories in relation to CD4 T-lymphocyte and viral load values. RESULTS: The prevalence of dermatoses in the first evaluation was 82.4%. In a longitudinal follow-up, 92.5% of the patients developed some kind of skin problem. Children belonging to the worst clinical-immunological category, with a viral load higher than 100,000 copies/ml showed a higher number of dermatoses when compared to the mildest categories. The number of dermatologic alterations per patient was 6.8 in clinical category C and 3.6 in A. In the immunological severe category, it was 7.0, while in the mild one, it was 3.7. For viral load > 100,000, the number was 7.3, and for < 100,000, it was 4,2 (all with statistical significance). CONCLUSION: Dermatological alterations were frequent and directly related to advanced stages of Aids in pediatric patients. Higher frequencies of skin alterations in pediatric patients with Aids indicate that it is necessary to perform careful and frequent dermatological examinations of these patients.

Patients with AIDS have a high incidence of skin problems due to the immunosuppression and malnourishment that are inherent to the progression of this disease. Clinical manifestation of these skin lesions and their severity are different in AIDS patients. We made a prospective study of five cases of measles in children with HIV infection during a community outbreak, and there were typical as well as atypical forms of the disease, including one case with negative serology. There were pulmonary complications, but none of the patients died. The anti-retroviral treatment may have contributed to the decrease in measles morbidity in these pediatric AIDS patients.