Dermatologic manifestations of endocrine disorders

The diagnosis of many childhood endocrine disorders can be facilitated by an awareness of the associated dermatologic findings. In this review, we will survey examples of endocrine disorders in children that include a prominent or diagnostic dermatologic sign/symptom.

A key concept is that skin findings often accompany hormonal conditions, both those of hormone excess and hormone deficiency/resistance. Some dermatologic signs may also represent the hallmark lesion, or provide the first clinical sign in childhood, for both familial tumoral and nontumoral syndromes. Moreover, skin as an endocrine organ itself may provide new avenues both to understand disease mechanisms as well as to provide targeted therapy.

Early diagnosis, often aided by recognition of a keynote dermatologic lesion, may permit prompt, timely treatment that, in some cases, may even prove life saving. Conversely, when these associated signs go undetected or misdiagnosed, therapeutic intervention may be delayed unnecessarily.