Acrogeria (Gottron's syndrome) is a skin condition characterized by premature aging, typically in the form of unusually fragile, thin skin on the hands and feet (distal extremities).[1]
This is one of the classic congenital premature aging syndromes, occurring early in life, others being pangeria (Werner's syndrome) and progeria (Hutchinson–Gilford's syndrome), and was characterized in 1940.[2] Acrogeria was originally described by Gottron in 1941, when he noticed premature cutaneous aging localized on the hands and feet in two brothers. The problem had been present since birth.[2]
Onset is often in early childhood, it progresses over the next few years and then remains stable over time with morphology, colour and site remaining constant. A bruising tendency has been observed.[3] Mutations in the COL3A1 gene, located at chromosome 2q31–q32, have been reported in varied phenotypes, including acrogeria and vascular rupture in Ehlers-Danlos' syndrome (more especially type IV).[4]
