Stuve-Wiedemann syndrome (SWS) is a rare and severe genetic disease characterized by skeletal anomalies and dysautonomic disturbances requiring appropriate care. Peer support is mandatory to fill the ...lack of clinical recommendations in such rare diseases. We report a new case and provide the first systematic review of all previous published cases.
To better describe the timeline of SWS and to improve paediatric management.
SWS English publications available on Pubmed until 31/03/2021.
Case description combining typical osteo-articular and dysautonomic involvement (with 2 items by categories required for children < 2 years and 3 items > 2 years).
Demographic, clinical, genetics and outcome data.
In our cohort of 69 patients, the median age at report was 32 months. Only 46% presented antenatal signs. Mortality rate is higher during the first 2 years (42% < 2 years; 10% > 2 years) mainly due to respiratory failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension appearing to be a poor prognosis factor (mortality rate 63%). After 2 years, orthopaedic symptoms significantly increase including joint mobility restriction (81%), spinal deformations (77%) and fractures (61%).
Natural history of SWS is marked by a high mortality rate before 2 years due to dysautonomic disturbances. A specialized multidisciplinary approach is needed to address these early mortality risks and then adapt to the specific, mainly orthopaedic, needs of patients after 2 years of age. Further research is required to provide clinical guidelines and improve pre-natal counselling.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Rapid Whole Genome Sequencing (rWGS) represents a valuable exploration in critically ill pediatric patients. Early diagnosis allows care to be adjusted. We evaluated the feasibility, turnaround time ...(TAT), yield, and utility of rWGS in Belgium. Twenty-one unrelated critically ill patients were recruited from the neonatal intensive care units, the pediatric intensive care unit, and the neuropediatric unit, and offered rWGS as a first tier test. Libraries were prepared in the laboratory of human genetics of the University of Liège using Illumina DNA PCR-free protocol. Sequencing was performed on a NovaSeq 6000 in trio for 19 and in duo for two probands. The TAT was calculated from the sample reception to the validation of results. Clinical utility data were provided by treating physicians. A definite diagnosis was reached in twelve (57.5%) patients in 39.80 h on average (range: 37.05-43.7). An unsuspected diagnosis was identified in seven patients. rWGS guided care adjustments in diagnosed patients, including a gene therapy, an off-label drug trial and two condition-specific treatments. We successfully implemented the fastest rWGS platform in Europe and obtained one of the highest rWGS yields. This study establishes the path for a nationwide semi-centered rWGS network in Belgium.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are essential amino acids playing crucial roles in protein synthesis and brain neurotransmission. Branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH), the flux-generating ...step of BCAA catabolism, is tightly regulated by reversible phosphorylation of its E1α-subunit. BCKDK is the kinase responsible for the phosphorylation-mediated inactivation of BCKDH. In three siblings with severe developmental delays, microcephaly, autism spectrum disorder and epileptic encephalopathy, we identified a new homozygous in-frame deletion (c.999_1001delCAC; p.Thr334del) of
. Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of BCAA were markedly reduced. Hyperactivity of BCKDH and over-consumption of BCAA were demonstrated by functional tests in cells transfected with the mutant BCKDK. Treatment with pharmacological doses of BCAA allowed the restoring of BCAA concentrations and greatly improved seizure control. Behavioral and developmental skills of the patients improved to a lesser extent. Importantly, a retrospective review of the newborn screening results allowed the identification of a strong decrease in BCAA concentrations on dried blood spots, suggesting that BCKDK is a new treatable metabolic disorder probably amenable to newborn screening programs.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background
ROHHAD syndrome (Rapid-onset Obesity with Hypothalamic dysfunction, Hypoventilation and Autonomic Dysregulation) is rare. Rapid-onset morbid obesity is usually the first recognizable sign ...of this syndrome, however a subset of patients develop ROHHAD syndrome without obesity. The prevalence of this entity is currently unknown. Alteration of respiratory control as well as dysautonomic disorders often have a fatal outcome, thus early recognition of this syndrome is essential.
Material and methods
A retrospective, observational, multicenter study including all cases of ROHHAD without rapid-onset obesity diagnosed in France from 2000 to 2020.
Results
Four patients were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 8 years 10 months. Median body mass index was 17.4 kg/m
2
. Signs of autonomic dysfunction presented first, followed by hypothalamic disorders. All four patients had sleep apnea syndrome. Hypoventilation led to the diagnosis. Three of the four children received ventilatory support, all four received hormone replacement therapy, and two received psychotropic treatment. One child in our cohort died at 2 years 10 months old. For the three surviving patients, median duration of follow-up was 7.4 years.
Conclusion
ROHHAD syndrome without rapid-onset obesity is a particular entity, appearing later than ROHHAD with obesity. This entity should be considered in the presence of dysautonomia disorders without brain damage. Likewise, the occurrence of a hypothalamic syndrome with no identified etiology requires a sleep study to search for apnea and hypoventilation. The identification of ROHHAD syndrome without rapid-onset obesity is a clinical challenge, with major implications for patient prognosis.
ObjectiveTo assess in a pediatric population, the clinical characteristics and management of triiodothyronine-predominant Graves' disease (T3-P-GD), a rare condition well known in adults, but not ...previously described in children.DesignWe conducted a university hospital-based observational study.MethodsAll patients with GD followed for more than 1 year between 2003 and 2013 (n=60) were included. T3-P-GD (group I) was defined as high free T3 (fT3) concentration (>8.0 pmol/l) associated with a normal free thyroxine (fT4) concentration and undetectable TSH more than 1 month after the initiation of antithyroid drug (ATD) treatment. Group II contained patients with classical GD without T3-P-GD.ResultsEight (13%) of the patients were found to have T3-P-GD, a median of 6.3 (3.0–10.5) months after initial diagnosis (n=4) or 2.8 (2.0–11.9) months after the first relapse after treatment discontinuation (n=4). At GD diagnosis, group I patients were more likely to be younger (6.8 (4.3–11.0) vs 10.7 (7.2–13.7) years) and had more severe disease than group II patients, with higher serum TSH receptor autoantibodies (TRAb) levels: 40 (31–69) vs 17 (8–25) IU/l, P<0.04, and with slightly higher serum fT4 (92 (64–99) vs 63 (44–83) pmol/l) and fT3 (31 (30–46) vs 25 (17–31) pmol/l) concentrations. During the 3 years following T3-P-GD diagnosis, a double dose of ATD was required and median serum fT4:fT3 ratio remained lower in group I than in group II.ConclusionSevere hyperthyroidism, with particularly high TRAb concentrations at diagnosis, may facilitate the identification of patients requiring regular serum fT3 determinations and potentially needing higher doses of ATD dosage during follow-up.
Abstract
Context
Rapid-onset obesity with hypothalamic dysfunction, hypoventilation, autonomic dysregulation and neural crest tumor (ROHHHADNET) is a rare and potentially fatal disease. No specific ...diagnostic biomarker is currently available, making prompt diagnosis challenging. Since its first definition in 2007, a complete clinical analysis leading to specific diagnosis and follow-up recommendations is still missing.
Objective
The purpose of this work is to describe the clinical timeline of symptoms of ROHHAD(NET) and propose recommendations for diagnosis and follow-up.
Design
We conducted a systematic review of all ROHHAD(NET) case studies and report a new ROHHAD patient with early diagnosis and multidisciplinary care.
Methods
All the articles that meet the definition of ROHHAD(NET) and provide chronological clinical data were reviewed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis individual patient data guidelines. The data were grouped into 7 categories: hypothalamic dysfunction, autonomic dysregulation, hypoventilation, NET, psychiatric symptoms, other clinical manifestations, and outcome.
Results
Forty-three individual patient data descriptions were analyzed. The timeline of the disease shows rapid-onset obesity followed shortly by hypothalamic dysfunction. Dysautonomia was reported at a median age of 4.95 years and hypoventilation at 5.33 years, or 2.2 years after the initial obesity. A NET was reported in 56% of the patients, and 70% of these tumors were diagnosed within 2 years after initial weight gain.
Conclusion
Because early diagnosis improves the clinical management and the prognosis in ROHHAD(NET), this diagnosis should be considered for any child with rapid and early obesity. We propose guidance for systematic follow-up and advise multidisciplinary management with the aim of improving prognosis and life expectancy.
ROHHAD syndrome presents a significant resemblance to HIDEA syndrome. The latter is caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in the
gene and encompasses hypotonia, intellectual disabilities, eye ...abnormalities, hypoventilation, and dysautonomia. We report the first patient identified with HIDEA syndrome from our ROHHAD cohort.
Our patient was a 21-month-old girl who had a history of severe respiratory infections requiring intensive care, hypotonia, abnormal eye movements, and rapid weight gain. Polysomnography identified severe central hypoventilation. During her follow-up, a significant psychomotor delay and the absence of language were gradually observed. The prolactin levels were initially increased. Hypothermia was reported at 4 years. Exome sequencing identified a new homozygous truncating
variant.
Our patient met the diagnosis criteria for ROHHAD, which included rapid weight gain, central hypoventilation appearing after 1.5 years of age, hyperprolactinemia suggesting hypothalamic dysfunction, and autonomic dysfunction manifesting as strabismus and hypothermia. However, she also presented with severe neurodevelopmental delay, which is not a classic feature of ROHHAD syndrome. HIDEA syndrome presents similarities with ROHHAD, including hypoventilation, obesity, and dysautonomia. To date, only 14% of endocrinological disturbances have been reported in HIDEA patients. Better delineation of both syndromes is required to investigate the eventual involvement of
, a regulator of calcium dynamics and gliotransmission, in ROHHAD patients.
In the case of clinical evidence of ROHHAD in a child with abnormal neurological development or eye abnormalities, we suggest that the
gene be systematically interrogated in addition to the analysis of the
gene. A better delineation of the natural history of HIDEA is required to allow further comparisons between features of HIDEA and ROHHAD. The clinical similarities could potentially orient some molecular hypotheses in the field of ROHHAD research.
IFIH1 gain‐of‐function has been reported as a cause of a type I interferonopathy encompassing a spectrum of autoinflammatory phenotypes including Aicardi–Goutières syndrome and Singleton Merten ...syndrome. Ascertaining patients through a European and North American collaboration, we set out to describe the molecular, clinical and interferon status of a cohort of individuals with pathogenic heterozygous mutations in IFIH1. We identified 74 individuals from 51 families segregating a total of 27 likely pathogenic mutations in IFIH1. Ten adult individuals, 13.5% of all mutation carriers, were clinically asymptomatic (with seven of these aged over 50 years). All mutations were associated with enhanced type I interferon signaling, including six variants (22%) which were predicted as benign according to multiple in silico pathogenicity programs. The identified mutations cluster close to the ATP binding region of the protein. These data confirm variable expression and nonpenetrance as important characteristics of the IFIH1 genotype, a consistent association with enhanced type I interferon signaling, and a common mutational mechanism involving increased RNA binding affinity or decreased efficiency of ATP hydrolysis and filament disassembly rate.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
A 1-year-old girl born to consanguineous parents presented with unexplained liver failure, leading to transplantation at 19 months. Subsequent partial splenectomy for persistent cytopenia showed the ...presence of foamy cells, and Gaucher disease was confirmed by homozygosity for the p.Leu483Pro mutation in the
gene. She was treated by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Clinical follow-up showed mild developmental delay, strabismus, nystagmus and oculomotor apraxia. Biochemical studies revealed multiple respiratory chain deficiencies and a mosaic pattern of deficient complex IV immunostaining in liver and fibroblast. Molecular analysis identified a mtDNA depletion syndrome due to the homozygous p.Pro98Leu mutation in
. A younger sister unaffected by mtDNA depletion, presented with pancytopenia and hepatosplenomegaly. ERT for Gaucher disease resulted in visceral normalization without any neurological symptom. A third sister, affected by both conditions, had marked developmental delay, strabismus and ophthalmoplegia but no liver cirrhosis. In conclusion, intrafamilal variability occurs in
-related disease. The combined pathological effect of Gaucher and mitochondrial diseases can negatively impact neurological and liver functions and influence the outcome in consanguineous families. The immunocytochemical staining of OXPHOS protein in tissues and cultured cells is a powerful tool revealing mosaic pattern of deficiency pointing to mtDNA-related mitochondrial disorders.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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