[NISCH syndrome, a rare cause of neonatal cholestasis: A case report]

NISCH syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disease. It is characterized by scalp hypotrichosis, scarring alopecia, ichthyosis, and neonatal sclerosing cholangitis. It is caused by mutations in the CLDN1 gene encoding the claudin-1 protein, which is located at tight junctions. Fifteen cases have been reported to date and three different mutations have been identified. We report on the case of a 2-year-old boy from a consanguineous Moroccan family, presenting with NISCH syndrome and carrying the so-called Moroccan homozygous mutation (c.200-201delTT). The patient presented with the characteristic symptoms of the syndrome and a favorable progression with normalization of hepatic analyses under symptomatic treatment (vitamin supplementation and ursodeoxycholic acid). The currently limited availability of clinical and therapeutic data does not allow accurate prediction of the course of the disease and short- and long-term prognosis. Moreover, substantial interindividual variability has been reported. Description of new cases will provide new insights into the understanding and the overall management of this syndrome, the course of which remains elusive.