Kallin syndrome associated with vitiligo.
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Kallin syndrome (KS) is a variant of epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS), which, in addition to the classic features of EBS, also presents with deafness, alopecia, hypodontia and nail dystrophy. We report the case of a 17-year-old boy who presented to our clinic with trauma-induced skin blistering, alopecia, deafness, dental caries, nail dystrophy and vitiliginous areas. The skin blisters had been appearing since birth, and healed without scarring. The vitiliginous areas were unrelated to the sites of the blisters. Electron microscopy of the skin blisters was diagnostic of EBS, and the depigmented lesions were similar to those of vitiligo. An association of vitiligo with EBS has not been reported previously. Multiple genetic findings have confirmed a role for keratin in regulating skin pigmentation. Apoptosis of melanosome-bearing keratinocytes may participate in the reduction of melanin density and result in depigmentation. Further studies on the defective proteins in KS may clarify the mechanism underlying the association with vitiligo.
