Definition
The term "ichthyosis" defines a skin disorder linked to its keratinization.
Often, ichthyosis occurs in association with other diseases, of which it can be the cause or a consequence.
There is no "single type of" ichthyosis; different forms can be distinguished according to the resulting clinical picture: ichthyosis linked to the X chromosome, ichthyosis vulgaris, lamellar ichthyosis, epidermolytic ichthyosis, ichthyosiform congenital erythroderma and harlequin ichthyosis.
Causes
The various forms of ichthyosis are caused by genetic mutations, which can be inherited from parents or which can occur spontaneously in individuals.
Each ichthyosis is triggered by an alteration affecting a specific gene. For example, harlequin ichthyosis is caused by a mutation on the ABCA 12 gene, while ichthyosis vulgaris is caused by a mutation in the gene that codes for filaggrin, a skin protein involved in maintaining its hydration state.
Symptoms
The symptoms presented by patients depend on the form of ichthyosis they suffer from.
However, some symptoms are present - to a greater or lesser extent - in all forms of ichthyosis. These symptoms consist of hyperkeratosis, dry skin, scaling on the skin and itching.
It should be emphasized that in harlequin ichthyosis (also known as diffuse fetal keratosis) hyperkeratosis is so pronounced that it prevents the newborn from moving and feeding properly. It is a form as rare as it is serious, in fact, in most cases, it causes the death of the child after a few days from birth.
The information on Ichthyosis - Ichthyosis Treatment Drugs is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Ichthyosis - Ichthyosis Treatment Drugs.
Medicines
Unfortunately, there are no real drugs for the treatment of the various forms of ichthyosis. The pharmacological treatment that is undertaken, therefore, is aimed only at reducing the clinical manifestations.
Generally, in the milder forms of ichthyosis, it is possible to resort to the use of preparations for cutaneous use based on emollient, nourishing and keratolytic substances.
In the most severe cases of ichthyosis, however, the doctor may decide to intervene by instituting a systemic retinoid-based therapy.
Below are some types of drugs that can be used in the therapy against ichthyosis and some examples of pharmacological specialties; it is up to the doctor to choose the most suitable active ingredient and dosage for the patient, based on the severity of the disease, the state health of the patient and his response to treatment.
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid (Duofilm ®, Pasta Lassar ®) can be used in the symptomatic treatment of milder ichthyosis thanks to its keratolytic properties.
In other words, salicylic acid is able to promote skin desquamation, therefore cell turnover. Therefore, it is very useful for the treatment of hyperkeratosis and dry skin that characterize ichthyosis.
Salicylic acid is available in pharmaceutical formulations for topical use within which it is usually found in association with other active ingredients that assist its activity, such as, for example, lactic acid or zinc oxide.
Generally, it is recommended to apply the salicylic acid product for cutaneous use directly on the affected area once a day, or according to medical prescription.
Retinoids
As mentioned, in some cases, the doctor may decide to resort to the administration of retinoids systemically.
Retinoids are active ingredients derived from vitamin A which are used in the symptomatic treatment of various skin diseases, including, in fact, we find ichthyosis.
However, it should be remembered that the systemic administration of retinoids can cause various side effects that should not be underestimated, such as: dry mouth and mucous membranes, alterations in cholesterolemia and triglyceridemia and xerophthalmia. In addition, these drugs are teratogenic, therefore, their use is contraindicated in pregnant women and also in breastfeeding mothers.
For the above reasons, usually, systemic retinoid-based treatment is reserved only for the most severe forms of ichthyosis.
Among the various active ingredients that can be used, we mention acitretin (Neotigason ®, Zorias ®).
Acitretin is available for oral administration in capsule form and has specific therapeutic indications for the treatment of ichthyosis.
It being understood that the amount of medicine to be taken must be established by the doctor on an individual basis for each patient, the starting dose of acitretin usually used in adult patients is 25-30 mg per day. After a period of 2-4 weeks, the doctor will decide whether to increase or decrease the amount of drug administered, taking care not to exceed the maximum dose of 75 mg of active ingredient per day. The capsules should be taken whole at mealtimes.
In any case, when starting therapy with acitretin, it is essential to follow all the instructions provided by the doctor, both as regards the dosage of drug to be taken, and as regards the frequency of administration and the duration of treatment. same.
