Familial pityriasis rubra pilaris: case report and review

Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is a rare dermatosis of unknown etiology. Most cases of PRP are sporadic; however, rare cases of familial PRP have been reported.

To present a case of PRP inherited in an autosomal dominant (AD) fashion and to evaluate the current literature on familial PRP and formulate a comprehensive, up-to-date summary of this rare condition.

PubMed was used to conduct a search for articles pertaining to familial PRP published through May 2011.

The first documented case was published in 1910, and 36 subsequent familial cases of PRP have been reported. Familial PRP typically presents very early in childhood, has a gradual onset, and persists throughout life. Given the rarity of this subtype, determining the best therapy has been a challenge. In the pediatric population, a conservative treatment approach, including topical therapy, is frequently used, whereas systemic treatments are reserved for patients with a severe disease that is refractory to therapy.

Rare cases of PRP inherited in an AD fashion have been described and tend to have a chronic clinical course and are treatment refractory. Therefore, the awareness of familial PRP is important for early and accurate diagnosis and administration of appropriate therapy.