Striae and acne following cardiac surgery in a child
Authors: GOGGIN1; ENRIGHT2; COSTIGAN2; DUFF2; OSLIZLOK2; WOOD2; WATSON2
Source: British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 140, Number 4, April 1999 , pp. 734-736(3)
Publisher: Blackwell Publishing
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Abstract:
We report a 13-year-old girl with extensive striae and an acneiform eruption following surgery for complex congenital heart disease. These findings were associated with elevated serum and urinary cortisol levels with loss of diurnal rhythm. The resolution of the eruption and the fading of her striae coincided in time with normalization of her blood parameters on day 72 postoperatively. We conclude that the cause of steroid excess in our patient was stress induced by the cardiac surgery and a complicated and protracted postoperative course. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the English language literature of skin changes due to endogenous hypercortisolaemia caused by intense physical and emotional stress.Keywords: acne; cardiac surgery; congenital heart disease; cortisol; stress; striae
Document Type: Research article
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1999.02781.x
Affiliations: 1: Department of General Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X8, Canada 2: Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin 12, Republic of Ireland
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