Harlequin ichthyosis

Synonyms

7

Overview

Harlequin ichthyosis (Harlequin baby,Harlequin-type ichthyosis,ichthyosis congenita, Ichthyosis fetalis, keratosis diffusa fetalis, Harlequin fetus, and Ichthyosis congenita gravior), is a severe genetic skin disease, which causes the dermis to be around 10 times thicker than normal and grow at an exceptionally fast rate. At birth, the child’s whole body is encased in an ‘armour’ of thick white plates of skin, separated with deep cracks. In addition, the eyes, ears, penis, and the appendages may be abnormally contracted. Because of resultant cracked skin in locations where normal skin would fold, it is easily pregnable by bacteria and other contaminants, which can result in serious risk of fatal infection. Constant care is required to moisturise and protect the skin.

Symptoms

Sufferers feature severe cranial and facial deformities. The ears may be very poorly developed or absent entirely, as may the nose. The eyelids may be everted (ectropion), which leaves the eyes and the area around them very susceptible to infection. Babies with this condition often bleed during birth. The lips are pulled back by the dry skin (eclabium). Joints are sometimes lacking in movement, and may be below the normal size. Hypoplasia is sometimes found in the fingers. Polydactyly has also been found on occasion.

Patients with this condition are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature due to their hard cracked skin, which prevents normal heat loss. The respiration is also restricted by the skin, which impedes the chest wall from expanding and drawing in enough air. This can lead to hypoventilation and respiratory failure. Harlequins are often dehydrated, as their plated skin is not well suited to retaining water.

Causes

This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but they typically do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.

Mutations in the ABCA12 gene cause harlequin ichthyosis. The ABCA12 gene provides instructions for making a protein that is essential for the normal development of skin cells. This protein plays a major role in the transport of fats (lipids) in the outermost layer of skin (the epidermis). Some mutations in the ABCA12gene prevent the cell from making any ABCA12 protein. Other mutations lead to the production of an abnormally small version of the protein that cannot transport lipids properly. A loss of functional ABCA12 protein disrupts the normal development of the epidermis, resulting in the hard, thick scales characteristic of harlequin ichthyosis.

 

Prevention

Harlequin ichthyosis cannot be prevented.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of Harlequin-type Ichthyosis relies on both physical examination and certain laboratory tests. Physical assessment at birth is vital for the initial diagnosis of Harlequin ichthyosis. Physical examination reveals characteristic symptoms of the condition especially the abnormalities in the skin surface of newborns. Abnormal findings in physical assessments usually result in employing other diagnostic tests to ascertain the diagnosis. Genetic testing is the most specific diagnostic test for harlequin ichthyosis. This test reveals a mutation on the ABCA12 gene. This gene is important in the regulation of protein synthesis for the development of the skin layer. Mutations in the gene may cause impaired transport of lipids in the skin layer and may also lead to shrunken versions of the proteins responsible for skin development. Biopsy of skin may be done to assess the histologic characteristics of the cells. Histological findings usually reveal hyperkeratotic skin cells, which leads to a thick and hard skin layer.

Prognosis

Lifespan limitations have not yet been determined with the new treatments.

A study published in 2011 in the Archives of Dermatology concluded, "Harlequin ichthyosis should be regarded as a severe chronic disease that is not invariably fatal. With improved neonatal care and probably the early introduction of oral retinoids, the number of survivors is increasing."

Treatment

Constant care is required to moisturise and protect the skin. The hard outer layer eventually peels off, leaving the vulnerable inner layers of the dermis exposed. In the past, the disorder was always fatal, whether due to dehydration, infection (sepsis), restricted breathing due to the plating, or other related causes. The most common cause of death was systemic infection and sufferers rarely survived for more than a few days.

However, there have been improvements in care, most notably retinoids such as the drug Isotretinoin (Isotrex). The oldest known survivor is Nusrit "Nelly" Shaheen, who was born in 1984 and is in relatively good health as of May 9, 2008.