Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness Syndrome with Heterozygous p.D50N in the GJB2 Gene in Two Serbian Adult Patients

Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness (KID) syndrome is a rare congenital ectodermal dysplastic syndrome presenting with keratitis, ichthyosis and sensorineural hearing loss. The most common causes of KID syndrome are heterozygous missense mutations in the GJB2 gene that codes for connexin 26.

During the ophthalmological examination, two adult females complained of recent worsening of visual acuity in both eyes. Anamnesis revealed that their eyes were red and irritated from early childhood onwards. Both of them had thickening and keratinisation of eyelid margins, lash loss, diffuse opacification of cornea and conjunctiva caused by keratinisation of eye surface, superficial and deep corneal vascularisation and corneal oedema. Partial sensorineural hearing loss and difficulties in speech were also noted along with typical ichthyosiform erythroderma. Genetic testing of the GJB2 gene revealed a heterozygous p.D50N mutation in both patients.Patients were treated with a combined topical corticosteroid and artificial tears therapy, with steroid therapy being intensified during the last month. The therapy increased the visual acuity by decreasing corneal oedema and by forming a more regular air-tear interface during the six months follow up. Subsequently, the disease progressed despite the continuation of the therapy.

This is the first report of Serbian patients with KID syndrome. Despite the administration of the combined topical corticosteroid and artificial tears therapy the disease is relentlessly progressive and therapeutic success of ophthalmological signs with local therapeutic modalities used so far had been disappointing.