CHANGING FORMS OF JUVENILE PITYRIASIS-RUBRA-PILARIS - A CASE-REPORT

Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is a rare disease affecting both males and females. The aetiology is unknown, but it has an ill-defined relat ionship with psoriasis. Within the spectrum of PRP certain disease pat terns are recognized, and regarded by many as helpful prognostic indic ators. Griffiths has suggested a clinically based classification1 base d on a series of 98 patients seen at St John's Hospital, London betwee n 1950 and 1972 (Table 1). Classical type 1 PRP is an erythematous squ amous disorder typically showing follicular hyperkeratosis, perifollic ular erythema and sharply demarcated islands of unaffected skin. The p alms and soles become hyperkeratotic and often exhibit a characteristi c orange hue. Type III PRP is the juvenile counterpart of classical ty pe I PRP. The following case report describes a patient who presented with type III PRP but later went on to develop the type IV or circumsc ribed, juvenile onset PRP.