Clinical and experimental dermatology
-
Clin. Exp. Dermatol. · Aug 2008
Review Case ReportsNeurocutaneous melanosis in association with Dandy-Walker malformation: case report and literature review.
Neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) is a rare congenital noninheritable phacomatosis characterized by large and/or numerous cutaneous congenital melanocytic naevi (CMN) in combination with melanocytic leptomeningeal tumours. Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM) consists of a cystic dilatation of the fourth ventricle communicating with the posterior fossa, and a high insertion of the tentorium and hypoplasia/aplasia of the cerebellar vermis (partially caused by Zic1(+/-)Zic 4(+/-) on 3q2). An association of NCM and DWM is very rare, with only 15 previously reported cases to our knowledge. ⋯ A ventriculoperitoneal shunt operation was performed when she was 1 day old. Her neurological symptoms to date comprise headaches, nausea and vomiting as a result of ventriculoperitoneal shunt dislocation at the age of 4 years. The diagnosis is provisional asymptomatic multiple CMN-type NCM in association with DWM.
-
Clin. Exp. Dermatol. · Aug 2008
Case ReportsEffective treatment of severe thermodysregulation by oral retinoids in a patient with recessive congenital lamellar ichthyosis.
Ichthyoses are a heterogenous group of keratinization disorders, which are often associated with hypohidrosis. We report a 42-year-old man with generalized thick brownish scales and severe thermodysregulation leading to heat intolerance. Based on clinical, histological and genetic findings, autosomal recessive lamellar ichthyosis (ultrastructural electron microscopy type III) was diagnosed. ⋯ Oral treatment with retinoids not only markedly improved the skin condition but also restarted the ability of the patient to thermoregulate by perspiration. The normalization of sweat-gland function was confirmed by gravimetrically measuring sweat rates before and after retinoid treatment. This report shows that retinoid therapy can markedly improve the quality of life in patients with generalized lamellar ichthyosis by reconstitution of perspiration.