Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia associated with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency

Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) is a syndrome characterized by hypodontia, hypotrichosis, and partial or total ecrine sweat gland deficiency. The most prevalent form of HED is inherited as an X linked pattern. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency is an X-linked recessive disease, which leads to hemolytic anemia and jaundice. It is expressed in males, while heterozygous females are usually clinically normal. A 12-year-old boy with the complaints of hair and eyebrow disturbances, teeth disfigurement, decreased sweating, and xerosis presented to the outpatient clinic. Dermatological examination revealed sparse hair and eyebrows, conical-shaped teeth, xerosis, syndactylia, transverse grooves, and discoloration of nails. Laboratory findings indicated anemia. His 3-year-old sister also had sparse hair and eyebrows, xerosis, and syndactylia. We learned that the patient had a previous history of neonatal jaundice and a diagnosis of G-6-PD deficiency. Although it has been shown that loci of ectodermal dysplasia and G-6-PD deficiency genes are near to one another, we did not find any case study reporting on occurrence of these two genetic diseases together. With the aspect of this rare and interesting case, the relationship between HED and G-6-PD deficiency was defined.