Annular Epidermolytic Ichthyosis Mimicking Greither Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review

BACKGROUND: Annular epidermolytic ichthyosis is a rare form of epidermolytic ichthyosis caused by specific pathogenic variants of KRT1 and KRT10. Classically, it manifests at birth with variable degrees of erythroderma and superficial erosions, which subsequently improve with time. Later, it is characterized by a cyclic history of annular hyperkeratotic erythematous plaques over the trunk and proximal extremities, with or without palmoplantar keratoderma. Greither syndrome, another autosomal dominant disorder of KRT1 mutation, is demonstrated by the diffuse, thick, scaly yellow PPK with transgrediens and erythematous border extending up to the Achilles’ tendon, patchy hyperkeratotic plaques over the knees, shins, thighs, elbows, knuckles, and axillary folds. We describe a patient with clinical findings consistent with annular epidermolytic ichthyosis mimicking Greither disease with a likely associated pathogenic variant of KRT1.

CASE REPORT: A 3-year-old Saudi girl presented with a diffuse palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) extending to the dorsal aspects of the hands and feet up to the Achilles’ tendon, first noticed at the age of 3 months, with a history of recurrent coin-shaped erythematous crusted erosions over the trunk, which were spontaneously healed over time, and an associated history of hyperhidrosis. Patchy hyperkeratotic plaques were noticed upon further examination over the bilateral elbows, axillary folds, and oral commissures.

CONCLUSIONS: The phenotype of our patient is consistent with the clinical features described for AEI, making the new K1 variant a likely pathogenic variant. When K1 mutation is the causative variant of the disease expression, phenotypically, it can present with Greither-like PPK.