Autosomal recessive congenital ichthyoses (ARCI) are lifelong skin disorders with generalized scaling and variable erythema that typically manifest at birth or early infancy. ARCI encompass several forms of nonsyndromic ichthyosis, which vary significantly in clinical presentation and severity, including the most severe and sometimes fatal form, harlequin ichthyosis; lamellar ichthyosis (LI); (nonbullous) congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (CIE); and intermediate phenotypes with variable degrees of erythema and size and quality of scale. While these phenotypes fall on a continuum, the phenotypic descriptions are clinically useful for clarifying prognosis and management for affected individuals.
Presentation at Birth
Children with ARCI are often born prematurely encased in a collodion membrane, a taut, shiny, transparent membrane formed by the thickened cornified layers of the skin, resembling plastic wrap. They can experience high levels of transepidermal water loss with resultant dehydration and hypernatremia. They are at increased risk for skin infections and sepsis during the neonatal period. Tautness of collodion membrane often leads to ectropion, eclabium, and underdeveloped nasal and auricular cartilage. Impaired sucking and pulmonary ventilation may lead to dehydration, malnutrition, hypoxia, and pneumonia. Gradually, within two to four weeks, the collodion membrane dries and peels off, transitioning to generalized scaling and erythema characteristic of the underlying form of ARCI, predominantly LI and CIE.
In the rarest form of ARCI, harlequin ichthyosis, babies are born prematurely covered in thick, hard, armor-like plates of cornified skin separated by deep fissures. The taut skin results in deformation of facial features, microcephaly, lack of eyelashes and eyebrows, and sometimes alopecia. Circular bands of hardened skin can lead to vascular constriction, ischemia, and distal edema with a mitten-like casing of hands and feet. Babies are at risk for life-threatening complications in the neonatal and postnatal period, including respiratory insufficiency, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, temperature instability, feeding issues, bacterial infections, and sepsis, potentially with fatal consequences. A survival rate of 56% has been reported, although that is expected to further increase with improved neonatal intensive care and treatment options, such as early topical and/or systemic retinoids [Ahmed & O'Toole 2014, Glick et al 2017].
Babies with ichthyosis-prematurity syndrome (IPS) are born prematurely between 29 and 35 weeks' gestation. Polyhydramnios is common, and fetal ultrasound may reveal echogenic sediment in the amniotic fluid. The skin at birth is erythrodermic, swollen, and massively thickened with a vernix-like appearance. The most severely affected skin is the scalp, often with cobblestone-like hyperkeratosis. Neonates suffer from severe, sometimes fatal asphyxia due to reduced lung function from intrauterine amniotic fluid aspiration. They have poor Apgar scores and require intensive care and prolonged hospitalization. Nevertheless, the prognosis of IPS is generally excellent. After a few days, the skin sheds and improves significantly, regressing to a mild ichthyosis with underlying erythema that eventually resolves [Khnykin et al 2012].
Postnatal Features
Lamellar ichthyosis (LI). LI Typically presents at birth with a collodion membrane, which is replaced by large, whitish, and later brown, plate-like scales in a generalized distribution. Erythroderma (generalized redness of the skin) may be present but is usually mild and not a predominant feature. Other frequent findings are ectropion, eclabium, and scarring alopecia involving the scalp and eyebrows. Built-up scale leads to sweat duct constriction and severe heat intolerance. Accumulation of scale in the external ear canals can lead to occlusion, bacterial colonization, and recurrent infections. Thickening and fissuring of the skin on palms and soles (palmoplantar keratoderma) and curved nails are common. Whole-body scaling and other associated features persist throughout life.
Congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma
(CIE). At birth, more than 90% of infants with CIE present with a collodion membrane, which gives way to prominent generalized erythroderma and fine, white, semiadherent scales. Palms and soles are often severely thickened (palmoplantar keratoderma), with painful fissures and digital contractures. Ectropion, eclabium, scalp involvement, and loss of eyebrows can occur, although less frequently than in LI. Severe exfoliative erythroderma causes significant metabolic stress through very high caloric loss from inflammation and scaling of the skin, often leading to poor weight gain and growth deficiency if the caloric needs cannot be adequately met [Moskowitz et al 2004]. Similar to LI, scaling, hypohidrosis, and heat intolerance may persist lifelong.
Intermediate and rare phenotypes. Many affected individuals with ARCI fall between the LI-CIE spectrum and may be classified as having mild LI or mild CIE, or have overlapping, variable features. In a rare form of congenital ichthyosis, skin involvement may be limited to the trunk and scalp ("bathing suit ichthyosis") due to a temperature-sensitive effect [Marukian et al 2017].
In about 10% of babies with a collodion membrane, a milder "self-healing" phenotype known as "self-improving collodion ichthyosis" occurs [Traupe et al 2014]. Residual skin findings after infancy include generalized dry skin (xerosis), mild or focal scaling, hyperlinear palms, red cheeks, or anhidrosis [Raghunath et al 2003, Vahlquist et al 2010]. Individuals with ARCI born with erythroderma but mostly without collodion membrane who later develop generalized LI and hyperlinear palms and soles have been reported as having LI type 3 [Lefèvre et al 2006].
Harlequin ichthyosis is the most severe form of ARCI. Morbidity and mortality in neonates are high, which can be improved by intensive neonatal care and oral/topical retinoid therapy. However, harlequin ichthyosis remains a serious and chronic skin disorder throughout life. Surviving children gradually shed the armor-like skin plates and develop generalized scaling and intense redness and inflammation of the skin (erythroderma), with a very severe CIE phenotype. Significant growth delay, hypohidrosis and anhidrosis, heat intolerance, and vitamin D deficiency are common. Other features include ocular issues related to persistent severe ectropion, alopecia, palmoplantar keratoderma with painful fissures and digital contractures, chronic constipation, anemia, arthralgia or arthritis, and joint contractures [Ahmed & O'Toole 2014].
Skin cancer. Atypical melanocytic nevi, malignant melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma have been reported [Fernandes et al 2010, Natsuga et al 2011]. Albeit the true incidence of skin malignancies among individuals with ARCI has not been established, several case reports indicate that adults with ARCI are at increased risk to develop multiple squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma at an unusually young age (between age 25 and 51 years). Other skin malignancies, such as malignant melanoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and cutaneous lymphoma, were rarely observed.
Skin biopsy
Histologic findings in ARCI are mostly nonspecific, showing epidermal hyperplasia and ortho-hyperkeratosis (thickened stratum corneum, the uppermost layer of the epidermis) with an underlying acanthosis.
Harlequin ichthyosis is characterized by extreme hyperkeratosis and follicular plugging. Electron microscopy shows absence of lamellar bodies and lipid bilayers.