The autosomal recessive disorder lipoid proteinosis results from mutations in extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1), a glycoprotein expressed in several tissues (including skin) and composed of two alternatively spliced isoforms, ECM1a and ECM1b, the latter lacking exon 7 of this 10-exon gene (ECM1). To date, mutations that either affect ECM1a alone or perturb both ECM1 transcripts have been demonstrated in six cases. However, lipoid proteinosis is clinically heterogeneous with affected individuals displaying differing degrees of skin scarring and infiltration, variable signs of hoarseness and respiratory distress, and in some cases neurological abnormalities such as temporal lobe epilepsy. In this study, we sequenced ECM1 in 10 further unrelated patients with lipoid proteinosis to extend genotype-phenotype correlation and to add to the mutation database. We identified seven new homozygous nonsense or frameshift mutations: R53X (exon 3); 243delG (exon 4); 507delT (exon 6); 735delTG (exon 7); 785delA (exon 7); 892delC (exon 7) and 1190insC (exon 8), as well as two new compound heterozygous mutations: W160X/F167I (exon 6) and 542insAA/R243X (exons 6/7), none of which were found in controls. The mutation 507delT occurred in two unrelated subjects on different ECM1 haplotypes and may therefore represent a recurrent mutation in lipoid proteinosis. Taken with the previously documented mutations in ECM1, this study supports the view that exons 6 and 7 are the most common sites for ECM1 mutations in lipoid proteinosis. Clinically, it appears that mutations outside exon 7 are usually associated with a slightly more severe mucocutaneous lipoid proteinosis phenotype, but neurological features do not show any specific genotype-phenotype correlation.

Oral pigmentation may be physiological or pathological in nature. It may represent a localized anomaly of limited significance or the presentation of potentially life-threatening multisystem disease. Evaluation of a patient with oral pigmentation requires a systematic approach with resource to appropriate investigations in certain circumstances. A full history of evolution of the pigmentary changes, as well as inquiring into family history, drug ingestion and systemic symptoms of concurrent disease are clearly important in the assessment. The duration, pattern, hue and distribution of colour changes can provide useful diagnostic clues. Special attention is given to newly appearing lesions, or those that have changed significantly in appearance, and biopsy may be needed to validate the clinical impression. This review should enable the reader to increase their familiarity with the assessment of oral pigmentation, the common causes of oral pigmentary change and the rarer disorders of pigmentation seen in this area. The systemic diseases that may give rise to oral pigmentation are detailed and the early signs of oral melanoma are highlighted, as well as the drugs which may cause pigmentary changes in this area and the different pattern of pigmentation they may induce.

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Topical clobetasol propionate, 0.05%, cream is efficacious and safe as a first-line agent for limited patchy childhood alopecia areata. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01453686.