From OMIMPachyonychia congenita (PC) is an autosomal dominant genodermatosis with the main clinical features of hypertrophic nail dystrophy, painful and highly debilitating plantar keratoderma, oral leukokeratosis, and a variety of epidermal cysts. Although the condition had previously been subdivided clinically into Jadassohn-Lewandowsky PC type 1 and Jackson-Lawler PC type 2, patients with PC were later found to have a mixed constellation of both types, leading to a classification of PC based on genotype (summary by Sybert, 2010; Eliason et al., 2012; McLean et al., 2011).
For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of pachyonychia congenita, see 167200.
Historical Classification of Pachyonychia Congenita
Gorlin et al. (1976) suggested that 2 distinct syndromes are subsumed under the designation pachyonychia congenita. PC type 1, the Jadassohn-Lewandowsky type, shows oral leukokeratosis. PC type 2, the Jackson-Lawler type, has natal teeth and epidermoid cysts (cylindromas), but no oral leukoplakia. Corneal dystrophy may be a feature exclusively of the Jackson-Lawler type.
Smith et al. (1998) stated that PC type 2, in contrast to PC type 1, has minimal oral involvement and milder keratoderma, and multiple steatocystomas (184500) is a major clinical feature. Steatocystoma, also known as eruptive vellus cyst, is a cystic hamartoma lined by sebaceous ductal epithelium.
On the basis of a study of 13 patients with PC type 1 or type 2, Terrinoni et al. (2001) concluded that the presence of pilosebaceous cysts following puberty is the best indicator of PC type 2; prepubescent patients are more difficult to classify due to the lack of cysts. Natal teeth are indicative of PC type 2, although their absence does not preclude the PC type 2 diagnosis.
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