Evolving pattern with age of cutaneous signs in neurofibromatosis type 1: a cross-sectional study of 728 patients
T A Duong1, S Bastuji-Garin, L Valeyrie-Allanore
1Department of Dermatology, AP-HP, Hôpital Henri-Mondor, Université Paris-Est, Créteil, France. tu-anh.duong@hmn.aphp.fr
Background:
Neurofibromatosis type 1 is fully penetrant by the age of 8 years, and 3 criteria of diagnosis are dermatological: café-au-lait spots (CLS), intertriginous freckling and neurofibromas (NF).
Objectives:
The aim of our study was to determine the evolving pattern of cutaneous manifestations during adulthood.
Methods:
Phenotypic data of patients seen in our center between March 2003 and December 2009 were studied. Patients were classified in 10-year groups. Following clinical characteristics, the number of CLS and the number of cutaneous and subcutaneous NF were compared according to age.
Results:
728 subjects, 404 females and 324 males (mean age of 32.4 years, range 6-80 years) were studied. Four hundred eighty-nine patients were over 20 years old (67%). The number of CLS (small or large) was significantly decreased with age while the number of cutaneous and subcutaneous NF was strongly increased (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
The decrease in CLS with age has not been previously reported while an increase in the number of NF is well described during puberty and pregnancy and with age.
