Characteristics of occurrence for Han Chinese familial keloids

Aim: To elucidate the characteristics of occurrence for Han Chinese familial keloids. Method: To find out their common characteristics of occurrence by studying the clinical and genetic information of six Han Chinese pedigrees with familial keloids with all the family members having no recorded marriage history to other races except Han people. Result: Most of these familial keloids occur spontaneously during puberty, often displaying symmetrically at chest, back and shoulder with respective specific shapes, presenting with variable clinical expression and incomplete clinical penetrance and showing the characteristics of an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance with reduced penetrance. Conclusion: These Han Chinese familial keloids present with many similar characteristics of occurrence differing from those of sporadic cases. The pattern of inheritance observed in these Han Chinese pedigrees with familial keloids is consistent with an autosomal dominant mode with incomplete clinical penetrance and variable expression. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.