Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Monilethrix

Improvement with Acitretin

  • Case Reports
  • Published:
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Monilethrix is a rare hereditary disorder that affects the hair and is characterized by shaft anomaly. There is no known treatment that successfully cures the condition. In this report we present a case of monilethrix in a 7-year-old girl treated with oral acitretin. A very good clinical and cosmetic result was obtained while treatment was continued. However, clinical symptoms recurred after discontinuation of acitretin therapy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zalka AD, Goldsmith LA, Scott GA, et al. Picture of the month. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1995; 149: 549–50

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Landau M, Brenner S, Metzker A. Medical pearl: an easy way to diagnose severe neonatal monilethrix. J Am Acad Dermatol 2002; 46: 111–2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Karaman GC, Sendur N, Basar H, et al. Localized monilethrix with improvement after treatment of iron deficiency anaemia. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2001; 15: 362–4

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Harper J, Orange A, Prose N. Hair disorders. In: Olsen EA, editor. Text book of pediatric dermatology. Vol 2. London: Blackwell Science, 2002: 1463–90

    Google Scholar 

  5. Jury IS, Korges BP, Hamm M. Phenotype and prognosis in monilethrix due to mutations of hair keratins hHb 1 and hHb 6. Br J Dermatol 1999; 141 Suppl. 55: 102–7

    Google Scholar 

  6. Zlotogorski A, Christiano AM. Mapping of monilethrix and papular atrichia [letter]. Dermatology 1995; 190: 89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Smith F. The molecular genetics of keratin disorders. Am J Clin Dermatol 2003; 4: 347–64

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Winter H, Rogers MA, Langbein L, et al. Mutations in the hair cortex keratin hHb6 cause the inherited hair disease monilethrix. Nat Genet 1997; 16 (4): 372–4

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Thai K, Sinclair RD, Rodney D. Keratosis pilaris and hereditary koilonychia without monilethrix. J Am Acad Dermatol 2001; 45: 627–9

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Braun-Falco O, Plewing G, Wolff HH, et al., editors. Diseases of hair. Berlin: Springer, 2000

    Google Scholar 

  11. Gebhardt M, Fischer T, Claussen U, et al. Monilethrix improvement by hormonal influences? Pediatr Dermatol 1999; 16: 297–300

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. de Berker D, Dawber RP. Monilethrix treated with oral retinoids. Clin Exp Dermatol 1991; 16: 226–8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Tamayo L. Monilethrix treated with the oral retinoid Ro 10-9359 (Tigason). Clin Exp Dermatol 1983; 8 (4): 393–6

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Brecher AR, Orlow SJ. Oral retinoid therapy for dermatologic conditions in children and adolescents. J Am Acad Dermatol 2003; 49: 171–82

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hartschuh W. Successful retinoid therapy of Netherton Syndrome. Hautarzt 1989; 40 Suppl. 7: 430–3

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Al-Khenaizan S. Papillon-Lefevre syndrome: the response to acitretin. Int J Dermatol 2002; 41 (12): 938–41

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Traupe H, Happle R. Etretinate therapy in children with severe keratinization defects. Eur J Pediatr 1985; 143: 166–9

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Ruiz-Maldonado R, Tamayo-Sanchez L, Orozco-Covarrubias ML. The use of retinoids in the pediatric patient. Dermatol Clin 1998; 16: 553–69

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Prendiville J, Bingham EA, Burrows D. Premature epiphyseal closure a complication of etretinate therapy in children. J Am Acad Dermatol 1986; 15: 1259–62

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lacour M, Mehta-Nikhar M, Atherton DJ, et al. An appraisal of acitretin therapy in children with inherited disorders of keratinization. Br J Dermatol 1996; 134: 1023–9

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The authors have provided no information on sources of funding or on conflicts of interest directly relevant to the content of this case report.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey

    Yelda Karincaoglu, Muammer E Seyhan & Nalan Bayram

  2. Department of Dermatology, Firat University Faculty of Medicine, Tr23119, Elazig, Turkey

    Basak K Coskun

Authors
  1. Yelda Karincaoglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Basak K Coskun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Muammer E Seyhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Nalan Bayram
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Basak K Coskun.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Karincaoglu, Y., Coskun, B.K., Seyhan, M.E. et al. Monilethrix. Am J Clin Dermatol 6, 407–410 (2005). https://doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200506060-00008

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00128071-200506060-00008

Keywords

Search

Navigation