MedGen

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is characterized by slowly progressive ataxia with onset usually before age 25 years (mean age at onset: 10-15 yrs). FRDA is typically associated with dysarthria, muscle weakness, spasticity particularly in the lower limbs, scoliosis, bladder dysfunction, absent lower-limb reflexes, and loss of position and vibration sense. Approximately two thirds of individuals with FRDA have cardiomyopathy, up to 30% have diabetes mellitus, and approximately 25% have an "atypical" presentation with later onset or retained tendon reflexes. [from GeneReviews]

Silver-Russell Syndrome (SRS) is typically characterized by asymmetric gestational growth restriction resulting in affected individuals being born small for gestational age, with relative macrocephaly at birth (head circumference =1.5 SD above birth weight and/or length), prominent forehead usually with frontal bossing, and frequently body asymmetry. This is followed by postnatal growth failure, and in some cases progressive limb length discrepancy and feeding difficulties. Additional clinical features include triangular facies, fifth-finger clinodactyly, and micrognathia with narrow chin. Except for the limb length asymmetry, the growth failure is proportionate and head growth normal. The average adult height in untreated individuals is ~3.1±1.4 SD below the mean. The Netchine-Harbison Clinical Scoring System (NH-CSS) is a sensitive diagnostic scoring system. Clinical diagnosis can be established in an individual who meets at least four of the NH-CSS clinical criteria – prominent forehead/frontal bossing and relative macrocephaly at birth plus two additional findings – and in whom other disorders have been ruled out. [from GeneReviews]

Perlman syndrome (PRLMNS) is an autosomal recessive congenital overgrowth syndrome with similarities to Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS; 130650). Affected children are large at birth, are hypotonic, and show organomegaly, characteristic facial dysmorphisms (inverted V-shaped upper lip, prominent forehead, deep-set eyes, broad and flat nasal bridge, and low-set ears), renal anomalies (nephromegaly and hydronephrosis), frequent neurodevelopmental delay, and high neonatal mortality. Perlman syndrome is associated with a high risk of Wilms tumor, with a 64% incidence in infants surviving beyond the neonatal period. The tumor is diagnosed at an earlier age in these individuals compared with sporadic cases (less than 2 years and 3-4 years of age, respectively), and there is a high frequency of bilateral tumors (55%). Histologic examination of the kidneys in children with Perlman syndrome shows frequent nephroblastomatosis, which is a precursor lesion for Wilms tumor (summary by Astuti et al., 2012). [from OMIM]

Dilated cardiomyopathy with woolly hair and keratoderma (DCWHK) is characterized by the presence of woolly or sparse hair from birth. Some patients exhibit fragile skin with blisters/erosions after minor mechanical trauma, with hyperkeratosis and epidermolytic keratoderma developing in early childhood. Cardiomyopathy may become apparent in the first decade of life, and early death due to heart failure has been reported, but patients may remain asymptomatic into the fourth decade of life. Some patients exhibit an arrhythmogenic form of cardiomyopathy, with sudden death in early adulthood (Carvajal-Huerta, 1998; Whittock et al., 2002; Alcalai et al., 2003; Uzumcu et al., 2006). Another syndrome involving cardiomyopathy, woolly hair, and keratoderma (Naxos disease; 601214) is caused by mutation in the plakoglobin gene (JUP; 173325). Also see 610476 for a similar disorder caused by homozygous mutation in the DSC2 gene (125645). Dilated cardiomyopathy with woolly hair, keratoderma, and tooth agenesis (DCWHKTA; 615821) is caused by heterozygous mutation in DSP. An isolated form of striated PPK (PPKS2; 612908) is also caused by heterozygous mutation in DSP. Reviews In a review of cardiocutaneous syndromes and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, Sen-Chowdhry and McKenna (2014) stated that although the cardiac component of Carvajal syndrome was originally considered dilated cardiomyopathy, many of its features resemble those of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (see 607450). In addition, they noted that different disease subtypes have been found to coexist within the same kindred, suggesting a role for modifier genes and/or environmental influences. [from OMIM]

Potocki-Lupski syndrome (PTLS) is characterized by cognitive, behavioral, and medical manifestations. Cognitively, most individuals present with developmental delay, later meeting criteria for moderate intellectual disability. Behaviorally, issues with attention, hyperactivity, withdrawal, and anxiety may be seen. Some individuals meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder. Medically, hypotonia, oropharyngeal dysphagia leading to failure to thrive, congenital heart disease, hypoglycemia associated with growth hormone deficiency, and mildly dysmorphic facial features are observed. Medical manifestations typically lead to identification of PTLS in infancy; however, those with only behavioral and cognitive manifestations may be identified in later childhood. [from GeneReviews]

PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS) encompasses a range of clinical findings in which the core features are congenital or early-childhood onset of segmental/focal overgrowth with or without cellular dysplasia. Prior to the identification of PIK3CA as the causative gene, PROS was separated into distinct clinical syndromes based on the tissues and/or organs involved (e.g., MCAP [megalencephaly-capillary malformation] syndrome and CLOVES [congenital lipomatous asymmetric overgrowth of the trunk, lymphatic, capillary, venous, and combined-type vascular malformations, epidermal nevi, skeletal and spinal anomalies] syndrome). The predominant areas of overgrowth include the brain, limbs (including fingers and toes), trunk (including abdomen and chest), and face, all usually in an asymmetric distribution. Generalized brain overgrowth may be accompanied by secondary overgrowth of specific brain structures resulting in ventriculomegaly, a markedly thick corpus callosum, and cerebellar tonsillar ectopia with crowding of the posterior fossa. Vascular malformations may include capillary, venous, and less frequently, arterial or mixed (capillary-lymphatic-venous or arteriovenous) malformations. Lymphatic malformations may be in various locations (internal and/or external) and can cause various clinical issues, including swelling, pain, and occasionally localized bleeding secondary to trauma. Lipomatous overgrowth may occur ipsilateral or contralateral to a vascular malformation, if present. The degree of intellectual disability appears to be mostly related to the presence and severity of seizures, cortical dysplasia (e.g., polymicrogyria), and hydrocephalus. Many children have feeding difficulties that are often multifactorial in nature. Endocrine issues affect a small number of individuals and most commonly include hypoglycemia (largely hypoinsulinemic hypoketotic hypoglycemia), hypothyroidism, and growth hormone deficiency. [from GeneReviews]

An abnormal structure of the first digit of the hand. [from HPO]

X-linked myopathy with excessive autophagy (XMEA) is an X-linked recessive skeletal muscle disorder characterized by childhood onset of progressive muscle weakness and atrophy primarily affecting the proximal muscles. While onset is usually in childhood, it can range from infancy to adulthood. Many patients lose ambulation and become wheelchair-bound. Other organ systems, including the heart, are clinically unaffected. Muscle biopsy shows intracytoplasmic autophagic vacuoles with sarcolemmal features and a multilayered basal membrane (summary by Ramachandran et al., 2013; Kurashige et al., 2013, and Ruggieri et al., 2015). Danon disease (300257), caused by mutation in the LAMP2 gene (309060) on chromosome Xq24, is a distinct disorder with similar pathologic features. [from OMIM]

Chronic primary adrenal insufficiency (CPAI) is a chronic disorder of the adrenal cortex resulting in the inadequate production of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid hormones. [from ORDO]

The features of Cowden syndrome overlap with those of another disorder called Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome. People with Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome also develop hamartomas and other noncancerous tumors.  Some people with Cowden syndrome have relatives diagnosed with Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, and other affected individuals have the characteristic features of both conditions. Based on these similarities, researchers have proposed that Cowden syndrome and Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome represent a spectrum of overlapping features known as PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (named for the genetic cause of the conditions) instead of two distinct conditions.

Some people do not meet the strict criteria for a clinical diagnosis of Cowden syndrome, but they have some of the characteristic features of the condition, particularly the cancers. These individuals are often described as having Cowden-like syndrome. Both Cowden syndrome and Cowden-like syndrome are caused by mutations in the same genes.

Cowden syndrome is associated with an increased risk of developing several types of cancer, particularly cancers of the breast, a gland in the lower neck called the thyroid, and the lining of the uterus (the endometrium). Other cancers that have been identified in people with Cowden syndrome include kidney cancer, colorectal cancer, and an agressive form of skin cancer called melanoma. Compared with the general population, people with Cowden syndrome develop these cancers at younger ages, often beginning in their thirties or forties. People with Cowden syndrome are also more likely to develop more than one cancer during their lifetimes compared to the general population. Other diseases of the breast, thyroid, and endometrium are also common in Cowden syndrome. Additional signs and symptoms can include an enlarged head (macrocephaly) and a rare, noncancerous brain tumor called Lhermitte-Duclos disease. A small percentage of affected individuals have delayed development, intellectual disability, or autism spectrum disorder, which can affect communication and social interaction.

Almost everyone with Cowden syndrome develops hamartomas. These growths are most commonly found on the skin and mucous membranes (such as the lining of the mouth and nose), but they can also occur in the intestine and other parts of the body. The growth of hamartomas on the skin and mucous membranes typically becomes apparent by a person's late twenties.

Cowden syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by multiple noncancerous, tumor-like growths called hamartomas and an increased risk of developing certain cancers. [from MedlinePlus Genetics]

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive gait and limb ataxia with associated limb muscle weakness, absent lower limb reflexes, extensor plantar responses, dysarthria, and decreased vibratory sense and proprioception. Onset is usually in the first or second decade, before the end of puberty (summary by Delatycki et al., 2000). For a general phenotypic description of Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), see FRDA1 (229300), which is caused by mutation in the FXN gene (606829) on chromosome 9q13. [from OMIM]

Bethlem myopathy-1 (BTHLM1) is a congenital muscular dystrophy characterized by distal joint laxity and a combination of distal and proximal joint contractures. Weakness usually begins in mid-childhood or adolescence, but progression is slow and ambulation is retained into adulthood (summary by Butterfield et al., 2013). Genetic Heterogeneity of Bethlem Myopathy See Bethlem myopathy-1B (BTHLM1B; 620725), caused by mutation in the COL6A2 gene (120240) on chromosome 21q22; Bethlem myopathy-1C (620726), caused by mutation the COL6A3 gene (120250) on chromosome 2q37; and Bethlem myopathy-2 (BTHLM2; 616471), caused by mutation in the COL12A1 gene (120320) on chromosome 6q13-q14. [from OMIM]

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-associated Leigh syndrome and NARP (neurogenic muscle weakness, ataxia, and retinitis pigmentosa) are part of a continuum of progressive neurodegenerative disorders caused by abnormalities of mitochondrial energy generation. Leigh syndrome (or subacute necrotizing encephalomyelopathy) is characterized by onset of symptoms typically between ages three and 12 months, often following a viral infection. Decompensation (often with elevated lactate levels in blood and/or CSF) during an intercurrent illness is typically associated with psychomotor retardation or regression. Neurologic features include hypotonia, spasticity, movement disorders (including chorea), cerebellar ataxia, and peripheral neuropathy. Extraneurologic manifestations may include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. About 50% of affected individuals die by age three years, most often as a result of respiratory or cardiac failure. NARP is characterized by proximal neurogenic muscle weakness with sensory neuropathy, ataxia, and pigmentary retinopathy. Onset of symptoms, particularly ataxia and learning difficulties, is often in early childhood. Individuals with NARP can be relatively stable for many years, but may suffer episodic deterioration, often in association with viral illnesses. [from GeneReviews]

Atrophoderma vermiculata, a form of keratosis pilaris atrophicans, typically presents in childhood with erythema and follicular keratotic papules that slowly progress to characteristic atrophy, which has been described as worm-eaten, reticular, or honeycomb, and occurs on the cheeks, preauricular area, and forehead. More rarely, the atrophy may extend to the upper lip, helices, ear lobes, and, in some cases, the limbs. The degree of inflammation, the presence of milia, and the extent of follicular plugs are variable (summary by Luria and Conologue, 2009). [from OMIM]

A very rare multiple congenital anomalies syndrome with characteristics of limb deficiencies and renal anomalies that include split hand-split foot malformation, renal agenesis, polycystic kidneys, uterine anomalies and severe mandibular hypoplasia. [from SNOMEDCT_US]

Developmental delay, impaired speech, and behavioral abnormalities (DDISBA) is characterized by global developmental delay apparent from early childhood. Intellectual disability can range from mild to severe. Additional variable features may include dysmorphic facial features, seizures, hypotonia, motor abnormalities such as Tourette syndrome or dystonia, and hearing loss (summary by Cousin et al., 2021). [from OMIM]

An uncommon malignant neoplasm arising from pericytes. Distinction between benign and malignant hemangiopericytoma may be difficult or even impossible on morphologic grounds alone. [from NCI]