Re: Abstract: Reduced skin thickness: a new minor diagnostic criterion...

[Guest guest]

That is interesting. It's something Ihave wondered about. I have very very

thin skin (not to be confused with fat that lies just beneath!) but Sara 's skin

is not thin at all but she also has ecema(sorry for spelling) and ithyosis.

In a message dated 4/14/2004 11:36:55 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

pghand@... writes:

Department of Dermatology, University of Lubeck, 23538 Lubeck, Germany.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is mainly based on

clinical criteria, although in some instances a sound molecular diagnosis is

available. Clinical signs can be divided into two categories: one with high

diagnostic specificity and the other with low specificity. Despite the fact

that reduced skin thickness is one of the dermatological features in

patients with EDS, this issue has not been analysed in greater detail.

OBJECTIVES: To determine skin thickness in patients with the classical and

the hypermobility types of EDS.

METHODS: In 21 patients with classical type of EDS and in nine patients with

hypermobility type of EDS, skin thickness was analysed at different body

sites by cross-sectional b-mode scans obtained with a 20-MHz ultrasound

system.

RESULTS: We found a significant decrease in skin thickness in both types of

EDS, which was highest at the chest and at the distal part of the lower leg.

CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the reduced thickness of the dermis as

determined by high-resolution 20-MHz ultrasound can be used as a new minor

criterion in the diagnosis of the classical and the hypermobility types of

EDS.