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Indian Pediatr 2014;51: 509

Urbach-Weithe disease


Ganesh Avhad and Priyanka Ghuge

Department of Dermatology, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, India.
Email: [email protected]
 

 


A 10-year-old girl born of consanguinous marriage presented with hoarseness of voice and difficulty in protruding tongue since last five years. No other family member was affected. Cardiovascular, ophthalmological and neurological examination was normal. Hematological profile was normal including X-ray skull. Cutaneous examination showed classical multiple beaded papules along the eyelid margins - also called as moniliform blepharosis(Fig. 1a) - with pock like scars on the bilateral elbows and verrucous, hyperkeratotic plaque on the left elbow (Fig.1b). Oral cavity examination showed woody hard tongue showing yellow infiltration and inability to protude tongue beyond lip margin (Fig.1C). Multiple yellowish papules with atropic scars were noted in bilateral axillae (Fig.1d). On the basis of classical cutaneous findings, a diagnosis of Lipoid protcinosis was made. The patient was started on acitretin (25mg/day). It should be differentiated from lichen myxedematosus, lichen amyloidosis, xanthomatosis and colloid miliium.

Fig. 1 Brownie nose appearance in neonatal chikungunya.

Lipoid proteinosis, also known as Hyalinosis cutis et mucosa or Urbach-Weithe disease, is a rare autosomal recessive disease with multisystem involvement and is caused due to mutations in the ECM1 gene located on chromosome 1q21. There is no promising specific treatment available for Urbach–Wiethe disease although symptoms can be treated individually. Prognosis is good and patients usually have normal life span.  
 
 

 

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