Acne tetrad in a family.

The authors report, for the first time in Bulgarian literature, a case of acne tetrad syndrome in a family. The patients were sisters who were found to have three of the four components of the syndrome: hidradenitis suppurativa, acne conglobata, and cysta pillaris. There was no evidence or anamnestic data for perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens. In one of the sisters the syndrome showed a more precipitate clinical picture and was combined with other skin disorders (lichen ruber planus, neurodermitis circumscripta, hirsutismus). The patients had a familial predisposition to acne and pilar cycts. The complete blood analysis, all biochemical parameters, the cytogenetic analysis and hormonal status (testosterone and estrogens) showed no deviation from normal values. The patients did not report any disturbances during their menstrual cycles. The cellular immunity in one of the sisters was depressed. The patients and their children will be closely monitored.