Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS) is a genodermatosis presenting with a characteristic facial rash (poikiloderma) associated with short stature due to pre- and postnatal growth delay, sparse scalp hair, sparse or absent eyelashes and/or eyebrows, juvenile cataracts, skeletal abnormalities, radial ray defects, premature aging and a predisposition to certain cancers. Other cutaneous manifestations include dental anomalies, nail dystrophy and palmo-plantar hyperkeratotic lesions.
RTS2 is caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the RECQL4 helicase gene (8q24.3; detected in 60-65% of RTS patients), whereas the etiology in RTS1 remains unknown.
