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 general practitioner and the results prompted the Chemical Pathology Department to instigate further tests to reach the final diagnosis. Hypercarotenaemia had caused...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical pathology 1994-09, Vol.47 (9), p.850-851
Main Authors: al-Jubouri, M A, Coombes, E J, Young, R M, McLaughlin, N P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Carotenoids - blood
Endocrinopathies
Female
Humans
Hypothyroidism - blood
Hypothyroidism - complications
Liver Function Tests
Medical sciences
Non tumoral diseases. Target tissue resistance. Benign neoplasms
Pigmentation Disorders - etiology
Thyroid Function Tests
Thyroid. Thyroid axis (diseases)
Time Factors
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Summary:A young woman presented with progressive yellowing of her skin over a period of six months. Liver function tests were requested by her general practitioner and the results prompted the Chemical Pathology Department to instigate further tests to reach the final diagnosis. Hypercarotenaemia had caused her yellow skin, and various other biochemical abnormalities pointed towards primary hypothyroidism as an underlying cause. Thyroxine replacement treatment successfully corrected all the biochemical abnormalities including hypercarotenaemia. As far as is known, yellow skin as a sole presenting feature of hypothyroidism is extremely rare.
ISSN:0021-9746
1472-4146
DOI:10.1136/jcp.47.9.850