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Dyskeratosis Congenita: Multisystemic Disorder with Special Consideration of Immunologic Aspects

A Review of the Literature

Department of Pediatrics, University of Innsbruck, Austria

Michael Weiss, MD

Andrea Jager, MD

Bernd H. Belohradsky, MD

Dr. v. Haunersches Kinderspital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Munich, Germany

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare, predominantly X-linked multisystemic disorder. It demonstrates a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations and typically presents with dermatologic symptoms during the first decade of life. This review of the literature points out the importance of hematologic and immunologic alterations in defining the course and prognosis of the disease process. Pancytopenia as well as the humoral and cellular disturbances in immunologic functions associated with this disease complex may lead to severe infections that represent the main cause of death. The pathogenesis of DC is still unclear and a curative therapy is presently lacking. Recent reports suggest that a beneficial effect may be observed in the administration of hematopoietic growth factors (G-CSF, GM-CSF) for patients with DC and neutropenia.

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