XANTHODERMA - AN UNUSUAL PRESENTATION OF HYPOTHYROIDISM

A young woman presented with progressive yellowing of her skin over a period of six months. Liver function tests were requested by her gener al practitioner and the results prompted the Chemical Pathology Depart ment to instigate further tests to reach the final diagnosis. Hypercar otenaemia had caused her yellow skin, and various other biochemical ab normalities pointed towards primary hypothyroidism as an underlying ca use. Thyroxine replacement treatment successfully corrected all the bi ochemical abnormalities including hypercarotenaemia. As far as is know n, yellow skin as a sole presenting feature of hypothyroidism is extre mely rare.