Phenotype of cranioectodermal dysplasia with different hair and bone abnormalities

Cranioectodermal dysplasia: a new patient with an inapparent, subtle phenotype

Cranioectodermal dysplasia is a rare syndrome characterized by craniofacial and skeletal anomalies and ectodermal dysplasia. Life-threatening associated conditions (i.e., kidney failure and abnormal regulation of the parathyroid-bone axis) can also develop. We report a patient whose features are suggestive of an inapparent, subtle phenotype of the syndrome. The patient is a 4-year-old girl with only dolichocephaly and clinodactyly; microdontia, hypodontia, and taurodontia (i.e., cone-shaped teeth); anteverted nares, full cheeks, and everted lower lip; epicanthal folds, hypertelorism and hyperopia; and corpus callosum hypoplasia. She has no rhizomelic limb shortening or hair abnormalities. In view of the rarity of the cranioectodermal dysplasias, the variability of the phenotype, and the uncertain outcome of some previously described patients, we believe this inapparent, subtle case should reported to enable better understanding and treatment of this rare syndrome.

Loose anagen hair in hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia

We report a 4 year-old boy affected with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia in whom loose anagen hair syndrome (LAHS) was suspected clinically. The diagnosis was confirmed by examination of hair by optic and scanning electron microscopy. Loose anagen hairs have not been previously described in the ectodermal dysplasias. It is possible that our patient had real LAHS or an ectodermal dysplasia with loose anagen hair as an epiphenomenon.

Ectodermal dysplasias: a clinical classification and a causal review

We present a casual review of 154 ectodermal dysplasias (EDs) as classified into 11 clinical subgroups. The number of EDs in each subgroup varies from one to 43. The numbers of conditions due to autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and X-linked genes are, respectively, 41, 52, and 8. In 53 conditions cause is unknown; 35 of them present some causal (genetic) suggestion.