Autosomal recessive palmoplantar keratoderma and congenital alopecia

From WikiMD's Medical Encyclopedia

Alternate names[edit]

Cataract, alopecia, sclerodactyly syndrome; CASS; Cataract, alopecia, sclerodactyly

Definition[edit]

Autosomal recessive palmoplantar hyperkeratosis and congenital alopecia (PPK-CA) is a rare genetic skin disorder characterized by congenital alopecia and palmoplantar hyperkeratosis. It is usually associated with cataracts, progressive sclerodactyly and pseudo-ainhum.

Epidemiology[edit]

  • To date, autosomal recessive PPK-CA has been reported in two families (seven affected individuals).
  • An additional sporadic patient was likely affected by the same condition.

Cause[edit]

The genetic basis of autosomal recessive PPK-CA is unknown.

Inheritance[edit]

Autosomal recessive inheritance, a 25% chance

Transmission appears to be autosomal recessive.

Signs and symptoms[edit]

  • Similarly to the dominant variant, autosomal recessive PPK-CA usually presents during infancy.
  • Its very early onset is often characterized by fading of facial, scalp and body hair within the first months of life without subsequent re-growth.
  • Body and facial keratosis pilaris are additional features which appear in the following years.
  • Skin thickening of palms and soles develops during infancy and may have an unusual pattern affecting the two sides of fingers and palms, but usually sparing the palmar surfaces.
  • Periungueal involvement is typical and leads to secondary nail dystrophy.
  • Autosomal recessive PPK-CA shows a relatively more severe evolution compared to the dominant variant as many patients develop sclerodactyly, small joint contractures and pseudo-ainhum.
  • The original family also had congenital cataract.

Clinical presentation[edit]

For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. 80%-99% of people have these symptoms

  • Alopecia totalis
  • Aplasia/Hypoplasia of the skin(Absent/small skin)
  • Atypical scarring of skin(Atypical scarring)
  • Cataract(Clouding of the lens of the eye)
  • Joint stiffness(Stiff joint)
  • Lack of skin elasticity
  • Nail dystrophy(Poor nail formation)
  • Palmoplantar keratoderma(Thickening of palms and soles)
  • Subcutaneous nodule(Firm lump under the skin)
  • Visual impairment(Impaired vision)

Diagnosis[edit]

Treatment[edit]

NIH genetic and rare disease info[edit]

Autosomal recessive palmoplantar keratoderma and congenital alopecia is a rare disease.


This article is a stub.

You can help WikiMD by registering to expand it.
Editing is available only to registered and verified users.
WikiMD is a comprehensive, free health & wellness encyclopedia.

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes


Ad. Transform your life with W8MD's

GLP-1 weight loss injections special from $29.99 with insurance

Advertise on WikiMD


WikiMD Medical Encyclopedia

Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Content may be inaccurate or outdated and should not be used for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider for medical decisions. Verify information with trusted sources such as CDC.gov and NIH.gov. By using this site, you agree that WikiMD is not liable for any outcomes related to its content. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates, categories Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.