Phenylketonuria and scleroderma

Immunologic and nonimmunologic sclerodermal skin conditions - review

Scleroderma-like cutaneous lesions have been found in many pathological conditions and they have the clinical appearance of sclerotic or scleroatrophic lesions. Affected skin biopsies described histopathological changes similar to those of scleroderma located strictly on the skin or those of systemic sclerosis. These skin lesions can be found in inflammatory diseases with autoimmune substrate (generalized morphea, chronic graft versus host disease, eosinophilic fasciitis), tissue storage diseases (scleredema, scleromyxedema, nephrogenyc systemic fibrosis, systemic amyloidosis), metabolic diseases (porphyrya cutanea tarda, phenylketonuria, hypothyroidism, scleredema diabeticorum), progeroid syndromes. Given the multiple etiologies of sclerodermal lesions, a correct differential diagnosis is necessary to establish the appropriate treatment.

Progressive sclerodermatous skin changes in a child with phenylketonuria

We report a child with phenylketonuria and unusually severe sclerodermatous skin changes. It is likely that prompt and aggressive therapy for these skin changes and phenylketonuria may have modified the clinical course.

Scleroderma-like skin indurations in a child with phenylketonuria: a clinicopathologic correlation and review of the literature

Scleroderma-like skin lesions are one sequela of phenylketonuria. We describe a child with phenylketonuria and associated dermal connective tissue changes consistent with early inflammatory scleroderma. The severity of the skin lesions apparently waned with dietary restriction of phenylalanine.

Scleroderma-like skin lesions in two patients with phenylketonuria

Two patients with phenylketonuria and scleroderma-like skin lesions are presented. Since scleroderma is a rare collagen disease of childhood, the occurrence of these two disorders in the same patient does not seem to be coincidental but raises the possibility of a causal relationship. Improvement in the skin lesions of the patients after the commencement of a low-phenylalanine diet supports this hypothesis.

Pseudoscleroderma and phenylketonuria

An infant girl with partial phenylketonuria developed pseudoscleroderma. After six years of follow up, both the neurologic and cutaneous conditions improved under a phenylalanine restricted diet. The probable roles of phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and their metabolites may cause both conditions through possible transient hypersensitivity of cutaneous and muscular tissues.

Lymphokine stimulation of collagen accumulation

Lymphokine-rich supernates from normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, stimulated by the mitogen phytohemagglutinin, have been shown to cause enhanced collagen accumulation by human embryonic lung fibroblasts (WI-38), as measured by hydroxyproline content of fibroblast monolayers, [14C] proline incorporation into soluble collagen and collagenase release of radioactivity in supernates and monolayers of cultures incubated with [14C] proline. This fibroblast-stimulating activity, demonstrable by suitable dilutions of the supernates, coexisted with a number of other lymphokine activities such as lymphotoxin, proliferation inhibitory factor, and cloning inhibitory factor, which tend to reduce the numbers of function of fibroblasts. The increased content of collagen appeared to be the product of selected surviving and responding fibroblasts. The factor causing this increased collagen accumulation was nondialyzable and stable at -70 degrees C. It represents the first described lymphoid cell-derived activity capable of enhancing collagen accumulation. Fibroblast-stimulating activity may be implicated in the abnormal fibrosis seen in association with chronic inflammation in a variety of disease states. It may have special relevance to progressive systemic sclerosis.

Uncommon Connective Tissue Disorders in Childhood

Nineteen cases of the rarer connective tissue disorders diagnosed between 1948 and 1972 have been reviewed. Of these 6 were of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 3 of dermatomyositis and 5 each of progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) and polyarteritis nodosa (PAN).

Of the 6 cases of SLE, 4 were of true SLE, one of ethosuximide induced lupus syndrome and one newborn with placental transfer of lupus erythematosus factor. Three cases of true SLE died of renal failure.

None of the patients with dermatomyositis or PSS died. Of the 5 cases of PAN, 2 died and one could not be traced. The disease is quiescent in the other two.

Cystinuria and dermatomyositis

A girl is described who had both cystinuria and dermatomyositis. This associa tion, not previously recorded, may or may not be pathogenetically related.