Epidermolysis bullosa, lethal acantholytic

Title

Other Names:

EBLA

Categories:

Congenital and Genetic Diseases; Skin Diseases

This disease is grouped under:

Epidermolysis bullosa; Epidermolysis bullosa simplex

Summary Summary

The following summary is from Orphanet, a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs.

Orpha Number: 158687

Disease definition

Lethal acantholytic epidermolysis bullosa is a suprabasal subtype of epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS, see this term) characterized by generalized oozing erosions, usually in the absence of blisters.

Epidemiology

Prevalence is unknown but 3 cases have been reported to date.

Clinical description

Onset of the disease is at birth. Erosions are associated with absent nails, universal alopecia, and, in one patient, neonatal teeth. Extracutaneous involvement is always present, involving erosions of the soft tissues of the oral cavity, and gastrointestinal, genitourinary and respiratory tract abnormalities. Cardiomyopathy has been reported in one case.

Etiology

This form of EBS is due to mutations in the DSP (6p24) gene encoding desmoplakin. A homozygous nonsense mutation in the JUP gene (17q21) has been reported in a patient with a very similar phenotype.

Genetic counseling

Transmission is autosomal recessive.

Prognosis

In reported cases, death occurred within the first month of life from multiorgan failure secondary to huge transcutaneous fluid loss or airway obstruction due to mucosal sloughing.

Visit the Orphanet disease page for more resources.

Last updated: 9/1/2012

Symptoms Symptoms

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms	Other Names	Learn More: HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Alopecia	Hair loss	0001596
Anonychia	Absent nails Aplastic nails [ more ]	0001798
Oral mucosal blisters	Blisters of mouth	0200097
Skin erosion		0200041
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Cardiomegaly	Enlarged heart Increased heart size [ more ]	0001640
Cardiomyopathy	Disease of the heart muscle	0001638
Esophageal ulceration	Esophagus ulcer	0004791
Natal tooth	Born with teeth Teeth present at birth [ more ]	0000695
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Abnormality of the nail		0001597
Acantholysis		0100792
Alopecia universalis		0002289
Aplasia cutis congenita	Absence of part of skin at birth	0001057
Autosomal recessive inheritance		0000007
Finger clinodactyly		0040019
Mitten deformity		0004057
Neonatal death	Neonatal lethal	0003811
Phimosis		0001741
Sandal gap	Gap between 1st and 2nd toes Gap between first and second toe Increased space between first and second toes Sandal gap between first and second toes Wide space between 1st, 2nd toes Wide space between first and second toes Widely spaced 1st-2nd toes Widely spaced first and second toes Widened gap 1st-2nd toes Widened gap first and second toe [ more ]	0001852
Syndactyly	Webbed fingers or toes	0001159
Tapered distal phalanges of finger	Tapered outermost finger bone	0009884
Widely spaced toes		0008094

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Do you have more information about symptoms of this disease? We want to hear from you.

Last updated: 12/1/2018

Do you have updated information on this disease? We want to hear from you.

Diagnosis Diagnosis

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

Find a Specialist Find a Specialist

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

To find a medical professional who specializes in genetics, you can ask your doctor for a referral or you can search for one yourself. Online directories are provided by the American College of Medical Genetics and the National Society of Genetic Counselors. If you need additional help, contact a GARD Information Specialist. You can also learn more about genetic consultations from Genetics Home Reference.

Research Research

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Patient Registry

The EBCare Registry supports research Epidermolysis bullosa, lethal acantholytic by collecting information about patients with this diagnosis. You can join the registry to share your information with researchers and receive updates about participating in new research studies. Learn more about registries.

Organizations Organizations

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation (EBMRF)
2757 Anchor Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Telephone: +1-310-205-5119
E-mail: a.pett@bep-la.com
Website: https://ebmrf.org/

Social Networking Websites

RareConnect is an online social network for patients and families to connect with one another and share their experience living with a rare disease. The project is a joint collaboration between EURORDIS (European Rare Disease Organisation) and NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). Click on the link above to view the community for Epidermolysis bullosa.

Do you know of an organization? We want to hear from you.

Learn More Learn More

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

In-Depth Information

The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Epidermolysis bullosa, lethal acantholytic. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

GARD Answers GARD Answers

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.

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