Discussion
Ichthyosis comprises several forms of chronic diseases mainly presenting
as extensive scaling, hyperkeratosis, fissuring, and pruritis of the
skin. The disease ultimately impairs the protective barrier of the
epidermis, mainly the stratum granulosum and stratum corneum layers,
leading to the symptoms described above. (6)
Ichthyosis can solely present as skin manifestations (non-syndromic) or
along with the involvement of other organs (syndromic). Various genetic
mutations have been discovered that contribute to isolated autosomal
recessive congenital ichthyosis. (7–10) These can then be
phenotypically subdivided into lamellar, erythrodermic, or other forms
of ichthyosis. (9)
Moreover, varying neurologic symptoms have been reported with syndromic
ichthyosis (neuro-ichthyotic syndromes). (1)
There are few reports of ichthyosis with MS. Capra et al. (12) reports
two sisters with congenital ichthyosis and MS back in 1993. One of the
cases was diagnosed with MS after lower limb paresthesia and the other
experienced right optic neuritis. Both cases were known cases of
congenital ichthyosis that later developed MS. They were also found to
have coagulation factor VIII deficiency. Although in our case ichthyosis
and MS were both present, no other abnormalities such as coagulation
factor deficiencies were found.
No underlying genetic correlation between ichthyosis and multiple
sclerosis has been elucidated until now. Multiple sclerosis is an
autoimmune disease stemming from the interaction of several genetic
factors. Therefore, further cases may provide clues to any common
genetic links between the two diseases and provide useful guidance
regarding disease pathology and effective therapy.