Aim: To describe the clinical spectrum of anomalies of a new type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in 32 patients from a large inter-related extended family in Qatar.
Methods: Among the 32 patients (from 22 families), there were 6 affected pairs of siblings and 2 families with 3 affected siblings. The male to female ratio was 2:1, ages ranging from birth to 18 y (mean 7.4 y).
Results: Anomalies included a variable degree of skin hyperextensibility, hypermobility of small and large joints, and tortuous systemic arteries. Peculiar facial features included epicanthic folds, flat saggy cheeks, elongated faces and micrognathia. The combination of an elongated aortic arch and tortuous brachiocephalic arteries was seen in 30 patients (93.8%), aneurysm of the ascending aorta in 3 patients (9.4%), bifid pulmonary artery in 27 patients (84.4%) and multiple severe peripheral stenosis of the right and/or left pulmonary artery in 7 patients (21.9%). A prominent aortic knuckle was observed on the chest roentgenograms of 30 patients (93.8%); inguinal hernia in 11 patients (34%), diaphragmatic hernia and/or hiatus hernia in 7 patients (21.9%); and laryngo-tracheomalacia in 2 patients (6.3%). Generalized muscle hypotonia was found in 15 neonates (46.9%). Parental consanguinity involved in all the patients was traced to a common ancestor from a large Bedouin tribe in Qatar. These patients are at risk for potentially catastrophic arterial rupture. Linkage to the major loci involved in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and other connective tissue disorders, such as Cutis Laxa, Familial Aneurysm, and Osteogenesis imperfecta, was excluded by using specific DNA markers, confirming the uniqueness of this disorder.
Conclusion: The study describes a large cohort of patients from the same closely related family, sharing peculiar dysmorphisim and consistent radiological and echocardiographic features different from known types of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. As known loci involved in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and other connective tissue disorders were excluded by specific DNA markers, this appears to be a new type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or even a new syndrome.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2003.tb00578.x | DOI Listing |
BMJ Case Rep
January 2025
Medical Department, Lyell McEwin Hospital, Elizabeth Vale, South Australia, Australia.
Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of connective tissue disorders associated with skin, ligament, blood vessel and organ abnormalities. Skin hyperextensibility, joint hypermobility and widened atrophic scars are characteristic of classical EDS. Vascular complications, though rare in classical EDS, can be life-threatening, and this necessitates one to look for vascular associations in non-vascular, such as classical, forms of EDS due to the heterogeneity of the syndrome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJMIR Hum Factors
December 2024
Center for Bioethics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.
Background: The rarity that is inherent in rare disease (RD) often means that patients and parents of children with RDs feel uniquely isolated and therefore are unprepared or unsupported in their care. To overcome this isolation, many within the RD community turn to the internet, and social media groups in particular, to gather useful information about their RDs. While previous research has shown that social media support groups are helpful for those affected by RDs, it is unclear what these groups are particularly useful or helpful for patients and parents of children with RDs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSkinmed
January 2025
Department of Dermatology, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta.
A 39-year-old woman presented to the dermatology department in January 2022 with a 3-week history of a progressively enlarging and intensely pruritic erythematous annular nodule on her left hand. The lesion started as a small blister, which was initially presumed to be a flare up of her pompholyx dermatitis. On her physician's advice, she applied clobetasol propionate ointment twice daily for 5 days; however the blister continued to increase in size until it burst, revealing raw inflamed skin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAliment Pharmacol Ther
January 2025
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) and hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) are frequently associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to compare antroduodenal motility in patients with and without HSD/hEDS. We included 239 patients (50 HSD/hEDS and 189 non-HSD/hEDS) with gastrointestinal symptoms undergoing antroduodenal manometry (ADM).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOrphanet J Rare Dis
December 2024
Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
Introduction: After diagnosis of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), it is unclear what information patients and parents need and understand about EDS. The objective of this study is to characterize patient and parent knowledge and concerns about EDS after a diagnosis of EDS is made to determine patient and parent concerns and identify barriers that cause discomfort with the diagnosis.6 METHODS: A convenience sample of patient and parent dyads were recruited after new diagnosis of EDS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!