Goltz-Gorlin Syndrome: Revisiting the Clinical Spectrum

OBJECTIVE

To describe the varying phenotypic spectrum of Focal Dermal Hypoplasia (FDH) and to emphasize the need for identifying the condition in mildly affected females which is crucial for offering a prenatal diagnosis in subsequent pregnancy owing to the risk of having a severely affected baby.

METHODS

The phenotype-genotype correlation of 4 patients with FDH, over a period of 11 y from the genetic clinic in a tertiary care centre from Kerala, India was done.

RESULTS

All four mutation proven patients were females (2 adults and 2 children). One of the adult female subjects were mildly affected, though she had a history of having a severely affected female child who expired on day six. Among the 2 affected children, one of them had an unaffected mother and the other had an affected mother.

CONCLUSIONS

FDH has a wide clinical spectrum from very subtle findings to severe manifestations. The lethality of the condition in males and the disfigurement and multisystem involvement in females highlights the importance of confirmation of diagnosis by molecular analysis so that the family can be offered prenatal diagnosis in subsequent pregnancy.

Gynecologic findings in Goltz syndrome: A case series

There is limited information available related to the gynecologic findings in Goltz syndrome. We report exclusively on external genitalia findings in 17 girls with a known diagnosis of focal dermal hypoplasia. This is the largest series to date. Some of our findings have been reported previously; however, some novel features including short perineum body not previously mentioned are noted as well. We recommend referral to a pediatric gynecologist for early evaluation of the reproductive tract as this can have an impact on the future fertility of these girls.