Hereditary palmoplantar keratoderma (four cases in three generations)
Authors: Sehgal Virendra N. , Kumar Sunil , Narayan Shashi 
Published: March 2003

A 39‐year‐old man reported with progressive thickening of the skin of the hands and feet and an inability to flex his hand. It was largely asymptomatic; however, brisk walking caused excessive sweating, pain, and widening of the fissures on the soles of the feet. He was unable to walk barefooted. According to his mother, the first episode presented with blistering at 7 days of age. Ever since, the condition has steadily worsened to acquire the current status. He was married at the age of 18 years, and had a stillborn child 18 months afterwards. Presently, he has three children, two girls aged 14 and 12 years and a son aged 10 years. Both the daughters are similarly affected. While cataloguing the details of the pattern of inheritance, the mother of the index case was also found to be affected (Fig. 1). The natural history of the disease was identical.

Palmoplantar keratoderma: pattern of inheritance; black indicates affected individuals

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Examination of the palms was marked by pronounced thickening of the skin resulting in the masking of palmar creases. The thickening was well demarcated and its margins were prominent and surrounded by an erythematous halo. The color of the skin was yellow and waxy (Fig. 2a). Contractures were present on all the fingers; nevertheless, the deformity of the middle and distal interphalangeal joints of the little finger was prominent. The soles of the feet had a similar morphology. In addition, marked fissuring was obvious (Fig. 2b). His daughters had an identical affliction of the palms and soles. The texture and morphology of the nails were normal. Light microscopy performed on scrapings from the fissures, mounted on 10% potassium hydroxide, revealed mycelia (hyphae) and spores.

Well‐demarcated hyperkeratosis depicting the yellow, waxy color of the palms, with masking of creases (a). Marked fissuring on the soles was prominent (b)

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Hematoxylin and eosin‐stained microsections from the palms and soles showed exquisite changes in the epidermis characterized by considerable uniform orthohyperkeratosis. Hypergranulosis and acanthosis were other associated changes. In addition, perinuclear vacuolization and keratohyalin granules of varying sizes and shapes were located at the periphery of the cells. A sparse mononuclear infiltrate was located at the dermo‐epidermal junction. Hyphae and spores of fungi were also identified in the stratum corneum (Fig. 3).

Orthohyperkeratosis, hypergranulosis, and acanthosis. Perinuclear vacuolization and keratohyalin granules at the periphery of the cells; a sparse mononuclear infiltrate was also present (hematoxylin and eosin, × 40 (a), × 400 (b))

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Itraconazole, 400 mg/day in two equally divided doses, was administered with major meals for 7 days. In addition, high doses of vitamin A (100,000 IU) were given daily for 2 weeks, supplemented by 12% salicylic acid (Salicylix SF12) ointment for daytime application and an ointment containing 6% coal tar and 3% salicylic acid (Salytar) for night‐time application. This treatment is useful in recalcitrant cases.