Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36832491›Full record

ArticleChildren (Basel, Switzerland)2023

Subcutaneous Granuloma Annulare vs. Subcutaneous Vascular Malformations in Children: A Diagnostic Challenge.

Besiana P Beqo, Paolo Gasparella, Christina Flucher, Sebastian Tschauner, Iva Brcic, Emir Q Haxhija

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Children (Basel, Switzerland), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Besiana P BeqoDepartment of Paediatric and Adolescent Surgery, Medical University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0001-7235-9387
Paolo GasparellaDepartment of Paediatric and Adolescent Surgery, Medical University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-3868-9136
Christina FlucherDepartment of Paediatric and Adolescent Surgery, Medical University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-9754-3794
Sebastian TschaunerDivision of Paediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology, Medical University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0002-7873-9839
Iva BrcicInstitute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0001-9847-0171
Emir Q HaxhijaDepartment of Paediatric and Adolescent Surgery, Medical University of Graz, A-8036 Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-0623-8100
Medical University of Graz · ATUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1 · FRBoston Children's Hospital · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThere are various subcutaneous lesions in children and often there is difficulty in obtaining an accurate diagnosis by non-invasive diagnostic procedures. Subcutaneous granuloma annulare (SGA) is a rare granulomatous disease that, even after imaging, is often mistaken for a low-flow subcutaneous vascular malformation (SVM). This study aimed to accurately identify clinical and imaging clues to distinguish SGA from low-flow SVM.

methodsWe retrospectively analyzed complete hospital records of all children with a confirmed diagnosis of SGA and low-flow SVM who underwent MR imaging at our institution from January 2001 to December 2020. Their disease history, clinical and imaging findings, management, and outcome were evaluated.

resultsAmong 57 patients with granuloma annulare, we identified 12 patients (nine girls) with a confirmed SGA diagnosis who underwent a preoperative MRI. Their median age was 3.25 years (range 2-5 years). Of 455 patients diagnosed with vascular malformations, 90 had malformations limited to the subcutaneous area. Among them only 47 patients with low-flow SVM were included in the study and further analyzed. Our SGA cohort had a female predilection (75%) and a short history of lump appearance of 1.5 months. SGA lesions were immobile and firm. Before MRI, patients underwent initial evaluation by ultrasound (100%) and X-ray (50%). Surgical tissue sampling was performed in all SGA patients to establish a diagnosis. All 47 patients with low-flow SVM were diagnosed correctly by MRI. A total of 45 patients (96%) underwent surgical resection of the SVM. A careful retrospective review of imaging findings of patients with SGA and SVM showed that SGA present as homogenous lesions in the shape of an epifascial cap with a typical broad fascial base extending towards the subdermal tissue in the middle of the lesion. In contrast, SVMs always present with variable-sized multicystic or tubular areas.

conclusionsOur study shows clear clinical and imaging differences between low-flow SVMs and SGA. SGA presents characteristically in the shape of a homogenous "epifascial cap," which distinguishes these lesions from multicystic heterogenous SVMs.

Indexed as

childrengranuloma annularelow-flow subcutaneous vascular malformationslymphatic malformationsself-limitingsubcutaneous granuloma annularevenous malformations

Identifiers

PMID36832491
PMCPMC9955411
OpenAlexW4320491426

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.