How to diagnose Pachyonychia congenita ?
Is genetic testing available for pachyonychia congenita? Yes, genetic testing is available for the five genes known to cause pachyonychia congenita. Carrier testing for at-risk relatives and prenatal testing are possible if the disease-causing mutation in the family is known. The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) is a centralized online resource for information about genetic tests. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional. How is pachyonychia congenita diagnosed? A diagnosis of pachyonychia congenita (PC) is often suspected based on the presence of characteristic signs and symptoms. In fact, one study found that approximately 97% of people with genetically confirmed PC have toenail thickening, plantar keratoderma (thickening of the skin on the soles of the feet) and plantar pain by age ten. Identification of a change (mutation) in one of the five genes associated with PC confirms the diagnosis.