NIAID Scientists Describe Childhood Form of Rare Blood Vessel Disorder

NIAID Scientists Describe Childhood Form of Rare Blood Vessel Disorder

Microscopic image of the cells that line capillaries (small blood vessels). The normal arrangement of the cells has been disrupted by exposure to blood from a person experiencing an acute episode of SCLS.
Credit: NIAID

Scientists Describe Childhood Form of Rare Blood Vessel Disorder

In a new study published online in Pediatrics, NIAID scientists describe the childhood form of systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS), a rare and potentially fatal blood vessel disorder. Their findings highlight differences between the childhood and adult forms of SCLS and suggest that therapies used to manage adult SCLS also may be effective for children with the disorder. The study, the largest to date of children with SCLS, increases understanding of this serious condition, helping to pave the way for development of new treatments.