[Ichthyosis and steroid sulfatase: study of enzymatic activity in leukocytes and fibroblasts according to the sex and type of ichthyosis].

Steroidsulfatase and arylsulfatase C were determined in fibroblasts and/or leukocytes of patients affected with different types of ichthyosis. Of the 21 patients studied, 11 showed clinical characteristics of X-linked ichthyosis (XLI) and a deficiency of these 2 enzymatic activities. Patients affected with other types of ichthyosis showed no enzymatic deficiency. In XLI families diagnosis of heterozygotes was performed by enzymatic measurements in the 5 patients' mothers studied. In 2 families enzymatic activities were studied in patients' sisters. The validity of these different enzymatic measurements is discussed.