title: Scanning Electron Microscopic Hair Shaft Analysis in Ectodermal Dysplasia Syndromes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the current study was to catalog hair shaft abnormalities in individuals with ectodermal dysplasia (ED) syndromes using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and to compare the findings with those in unaffected controls. This is the second of a two-part study, the first of which used light microscopy as the modality and was previously published.
  
  
  METHODS
  Scanning electron microscopy was performed in a blinded manner on hair shafts from 65 subjects with seven types of ED syndromes and 41 unaffected control subjects. Assessment was performed along the length of the shaft and in cross section.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hair donations were collected at the 28th Annual National Family Conference held by the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasia. Control subjects were recruited from a private dermatology practice and an academic children's hospital outpatient dermatology clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SEM identified various pathologic hair shaft abnormalities in each type of ED and in control patients. When hairs with all types of ED were grouped together and compared with those of control patients, the difference in the presence of small diameter and shallow and deep grooves was statistically significant (p < 0.05). When the EDs were separated according to subtype, statistically significant findings were also seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SEM is a possible adjuvant tool in the diagnosis of ED syndromes. There are significant differences, with high specificity, between the hairs of individuals with ED and those of control subjects and between subtypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Stefanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hirano-Ali
authors.affiliation: Pariser Dermatology Specialists, Norfolk, Virginia.
authors.forename: Ashley M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia.
authors.forename: Brandon J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Rowan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Department, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Virginia.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sorrells
authors.affiliation: Children's Specialty Group, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, Virginia.|Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia.|Department of Dermatology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia.
authors.forename: Judith V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Pariser Dermatology Specialists, Norfolk, Virginia.|Department of Dermatology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Pariser
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia.
authors.forename: Antoinette F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia.
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Salkey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004476:Ectodermal Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013577:Syndrome