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We describe two siblings with diffuse, mutilating palmo-plantar keratoderma suggestive of Olmsted syndrome, with significantly compromised quality of life in the form of inability to walk and grasp objects. This was accompanied by severe pruritus and erythromelalgia-like symptoms. The keratoderma responded to acitretin therapy but there was paradoxical worsening of burning and pruritus which were further disabling. The poor response to medical and phototherapy in relieving these symptoms is described.

Olmsted syndrome (OS) is a rare congenital, mutilating palmoplantar keratoderma first described by Olmsted in 1927. It starts in the neonatal period or in childhood, and has a slow but progressive disabling course. We report the case of a 16-year-old boy who presented with keratoderma of the palm and soles since childhood with lateral supraciliary madarosis and clubbing. The patient was started on oral retinoids and topical keratolytics and had partial improvement in 2 months. Keratoderma of the palms and soles along with lateral supraciliary madarosis and clubbing in our case is a very rare finding, and to the best of our knowledge, has not been reported so far.

Olmsted syndrome is a rare genodermatosis. Palmoplantar keratoderma and periorificial keratodermic plaques are the most important clinical findings. Additional findings associated with a large number of systems may accompany such as teeth, nail deformities, alopecia, mental retardation, and bone–joint anomalies. Therefore, it is difficult to make a differential diagnosis from other palmoplantar keratodermas. It also needs to be differentiated from acrodermatitis enteropathica because of periorificial plaques. The absence of regression in lesions with zinc treatment excludes this disease. We present here an Olmsted syndrome case with essential thrombocytosis for the first time.

Olmsted syndrome (OS) is a rare congenital, sharply circumscribed transgredient palmoplantar keratoderma, first described by Olmsted in 1927, characterized by clinical features such as symmetrical involvement of keratoderma of the palms and soles and the symmetrical hyperkeratotic plaques around the body orifices. Other clinical findings include flexion deformities of the fingers, localized alopecia, leukokeratosis of the tongue, short stature, and laxity of the large joints. It starts in the neonatal period or in childhood. The disease has a slow but progressive and extremely disabling course. Treatment of OS is often based on topical therapy with retinoic acid, corticosteroid, emollients, and keratolytics. We present a case of OS in three siblings, two males and a female, born to nonconsanguineous parents with no family history. They were treated with topical corticosteroids and emollients and showed mild improvement in symptoms.

We report a case of mutilating keratoderma with alopecia and keratoses follicularis spinulosa decalvans (KFSD), which was initially diagnosed as ectodermal dysplasia and Olmsted syndrome but was revisited as a case of X-linked Olmsted (XLO) syndrome. We focus on this uncommon entity (XLO) to highlight the differentials of alopecia with palmoplantar keratoderma.

Olmsted syndrome is an uncommon genetic disorder with symmetrical, diffuse, transgredient, mutilating palmoplantar keratoderma and periorificial hyperkeratosis. Olmsted syndrome in a female patient is particularly rare, and we report two unrelated female patients of Olmsted syndrome, who presented with perioral hyperkeratosis and palmoplantar keratoderma. One of our patients also had woolly hair from birth and flexion contracture of a digit, while the other had pseudoainhum. There was no cardiac involvement. Hence, the diagnosis of Olmsted syndrome was made.

Olmsted syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by the combination of periorificial, keratotic plaques and bilateral palmoplantar keratoderma. New associated features are being reported. Olmsted syndrome is particularly rare in a female patient, and we report such a case in a six year-old Indian girl, who presented with keratoderma of her soles since birth and on her palms since the age of two years along with perioral and perinasal hyperkeratosis. She had sparse, light brown, thin hair. Although the psychomotor development of the child was normal until 18 months of age, the keratoderma plaques had restricted the child′s mobility after that stage.

Olmsted syndrome is a very rare and severe cicatrizing keratoderma associated with periorificial lesion. Most cases are sporadic but familial occurrence has been also seen. Till now around 73 cases have been reported and none of the reported cases have 4 siblings affected from this disease. We are reporting cases of 4 siblings of age 30 year female, 26 year female, 20 year male and 10 year male who were born to a third degree consangueinous marriage and presented with palmoplantar keratoderma, periorificial hyperkeratosis, flexion deformity, pseudoainhum and contracture of digits. There was no cardiac involvement. Hence, the diagnosis of Olmsted syndrome was made and all four patients were non responsive to treatment which included topical corticosteroid, topical salicylic acid, systemic isotretinoin, systemic acitretin and oral zinc in child.