National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Lipoid proteinosis of Urbach and Wiethe


Other Names:
Lipoproteinosis; Hyalinosis cutis et mucosae; Urbach Wiethe disease
Categories:
Lipoid proteinosis (LP) of Urbach and Wiethe is a rare condition that affects the skin and the brain. The signs and symptoms of this condition and the disease severity vary from person to person. The first sign of LP is usually a hoarse cry during infancy. Affected children then develop characteristic growths on the skin and mucus membranes in the first two years of life. Damage to the temporal lobes (the portions of the brain that process emotions and are important for short-term memory) occurs over time and can lead to seizures and intellectual disability. Other signs and symptoms may include hair loss, oligodontia, speech problems, frequent upper respiratory infections, difficulty swallowing, dystonia, and learning disabilities. LP is caused by changes (mutations) in the ECM1 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. There is currently no cure for LP and treatment is based on the signs and symptoms present in each person.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 7/20/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
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HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal blistering of the skin
Blistering, generalized
Blisters
[ more ] 		0008066
Abnormality of the gingiva
Abnormality of the gums
0000168
Acne 0001061
Hoarse voice
Hoarseness
Husky voice
[ more ] 		0001609
Papule 0200034
Pustule
Pimple
0200039
Scarring 0100699
Subcutaneous nodule
Firm lump under the skin
Growth of abnormal tissue under the skin
[ more ] 		0001482
Thick lower lip vermilion
Increased volume of lower lip
Plump lower lip
Prominent lower lip
[ more ] 		0000179
Tongue nodules 0000199
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Alopecia of scalp
Pathologic hair loss from scalp
Scalp hair loss
[ more ] 		0002293
Dysphagia
Poor swallowing
Swallowing difficulties
Swallowing difficulty
[ more ] 		0002015
Dystonia 0001332
High palate
Elevated palate
Increased palatal height
[ more ] 		0000218
Hyperkeratosis 0000962
Microglossia
Abnormally small tongue
Underdevelopment of the tongue
[ more ] 		0000171
Recurrent respiratory infections
Frequent respiratory infections
Multiple respiratory infections
respiratory infections, recurrent
Susceptibility to respiratory infections
[ more ] 		0002205
Verrucae
Warts
0200043
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Cerebral calcification
Abnormal deposits of calcium in the brain
0002514
Nasal polyposis 0100582
Seizure 0001250
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Aggressive behavior
Aggression
Aggressive behaviour
Aggressiveness
[ more ] 		0000718
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Bilateral intracranial calcifications 0005671
Hallucinations
Hallucination
Sensory hallucination
[ more ] 		0000738
Memory impairment
Forgetfulness
Memory loss
Memory problems
Poor memory
[ more ] 		0002354
Paranoia 0011999
Patchy alopecia
Patchy baldness
0002232
Thickened skin
Thick skin
0001072
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Last updated: 7/1/2020
There is currently no cure for lipoid proteinosis (LP) of Urbach and Wiethe. Treatment is based on the signs and symptoms present in each person. The skin abnormalities found in people affected by LP may be treated with certain medications, including corticosteriods, dimethyl sulfoxide; or d-penicillamine. An additional medication called acitretin can be used to treat hoarseness and some skin problems. Anticonvulsant medications are often prescribed for people with seizures. The success of these medications in treating the signs and symptoms of LP varies.[1][2][3]

Affected people with growths on their vocal cords or eyelids may be treated with carbon dioxide laser surgery. Dermabrasion (removal of the top layer of skin) may also improve the appearance of skin abnormalities.[1][2]

Last updated: 11/25/2014
The long-term outlook for people with lipoid proteinosis (LP) of Urbach and Wiethe is usually good. The life expectancy is generally normal, although throat obstructions, upper respiratory infections and/or severe seizures can be fatal in rare cases. Depending on the severity of symptoms, LP may strongly impact quality of life.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 11/25/2014

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

Related diseases are conditions that have similar signs and symptoms. A health care provider may consider these conditions in the table below when making a diagnosis. Please note that the table may not include all the possible conditions related to this disease.

Conditions with similar signs and symptoms from Orphanet
The main differential diagnoses are hydroa vacciniforme and autosomal erythropoietic protoporphyria, but also include leprosy, lichen amyloidosis (see these terms), and xanthomas.
Visit the Orphanet disease page for more information.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Lipoid proteinosis of Urbach and Wiethe. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

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  1. Ivan D Camacho, MD. Lipoid Proteinosis. Medscape. January 10, 2014; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1103357-overview.
  2. Lipoid Proteinosis Information Page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. June 2016; https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Lipoid-Proteinosis-Information-Page.
  3. Lipoid proteinosis. Orphanet. October 2014; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=en&Expert=530.