Pigmentary abnormalities and mosaicism for chromosomal aberration: association with clinical features similar to hypomelanosis of Ito.

Thirteen patients with hypopigmentation of the skin characteristic of hypomelanosis of Ito, and with developmental disabilities or structural malformations, or both, were examined at our center. Eight were found to have abnormal karyotypes in lymphocytes, fibroblasts, or both. No single clinical feature was predictive of chromosome imbalance in this group of patients. Cytogenetic findings included a balanced de novo X-autosome translocation; ring 10; 45,X/46,X,+ring; mosaic del 13q11 (fibroblasts); mosaic triploidy (fibroblasts); mosaic tetrasomy 12p (fibroblasts); mosaic apparently balanced 15;22 translocation (peripheral blood); and mosaic trisomy 18 (peripheral blood). Hypomelanosis of Ito is characterized by swirly hypopigmentation or depigmentation of the skin with or without other malformations. Autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and X-linked dominant inheritance have been suggested but not confirmed. Chromosomal aneuploidy has also been reported. We believe that hypomelanosis of Ito is an etiologically heterogeneous physical finding, and recommend karyotyping of multiple tissues of all patients with abnormal cutaneous pigmentation associated with developmental delay or structural malformations.