Confirming the involvement of PIEZO2 in the etiology of Marden-Walker syndrome.

Pathogenic heterozygous variants in PIEZO2 typically cause distal arthrogryposis type 5 (DA5) and the closely related Gordon syndrome (GS). Only one case of PIEZO2-related Marden-Walker syndrome (MWS) has been reported to date. We report the phenotypic features of a Saudi female patient with features consistent with MWS in whom we identified a novel de novo likely pathogenic variant in PIEZO2. Our case lends support to the link between PIEZO2 and MWS.

Inclusion of joint laxity, recurrent patellar dislocation, and short distal ulnae as a feature of Van Den Ende-Gupta syndrome: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Van Den Ende-Gupta Syndrome (VDEGS) is an extremely rare autosomal recessive syndrome with less than 20 reported families (approximately 40 patients) in the worldwide literature. CASE PRESENTATION: We have assessed one consanguineous Saudi family with typical features of VDEGS. Two siblings were affected with almost identical features; including blepharophimosis, arachnodactyly, flexion contractures of the elbows, camptodactyly, slender ribs, hooked lateral clavicular ends, and bilateral radial head dislocations. Both patients had several unusual features; including joint laxity, flat feet, recurrent patellar dislocations, and bilateral short distal ulnae. Full sequencing of SCARF2 revealed a homozygous mutation c.773G > A (p. Cys258Tyr) in both affected children. The parents (both with no abnormalities) were heterozygous for the same mutation. CONCLUSION: Joint laxity, recurrent patellar dislocations, and short distal ulnae should be included as part of the clinical spectrum of VDEGS.

Lacrimal Gland Involvement in Blepharophimosis-Ptosis-Epicanthus Inversus Syndrome.

PURPOSE: To describe the involvement of the lacrimal gland (LG) in blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES). DESIGN: Observational, cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one patients with BPES (10 female, 11 male) aged on average 15 years (range, 2-39 years), from 3 Brazilian medical centers and 1 Portuguese medical center. METHODS: Patients had their ocular surface evaluated with slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and tear production quantified with the Schirmer test I. The LG volumes were measured on computed tomography (CT) scans in the BPES sample and in a group of age-matched subjects imaged for nonorbital diseases. Sixteen patients were screened for mutations in the FOXL2 gene. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Lacrimal meniscus height, Schirmer test I, presence of superficial punctate keratopathy (SPK), LG volume, and molecular analysis of the FOXL2 gene. RESULTS: Absence of LG was detected bilaterally in 9 patients (42.8%) and unilaterally in 2 patients (9.5%). When considering only patients with measurable LG, the median volume was 0.22 cm3 in the right eye (range, 0.06-0.36 cm3) and 0.24 cm3 in the left eye (range, 0.08-0.34 cm3). These values were significantly lower than those for the age-matched controls (median = 0.54 right eye and 0.53 left eye; P < 0.05). There was a significant association between deficiency of tear production and LG volume reduction and agenesis. Molecular analysis of the FOXL2 gene revealed the presence of 8 distinct mutations, 4 of them novel ones. A significant reduction of LG size or agenesis was associated with mutations affecting protein size (due to underlying changes in the stop codon location) or the DNA-binding forkhead domain (Fisher exact test, P = 0.021). In 3 probands, the underlying genetic defect was not found. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study reporting LG volumes in BPES, describing a significant number of patients with LG agenesis. The association between alacrima and BPES is not incidental, and a thorough evaluation of tear production is recommended especially if ptosis surgery is planned.

Further evidence that a blepharophimosis syndrome phenotype is associated with a specific class of mutation in the ADNP gene.

Heterozygous truncating mutations in ADNP are associated with a syndromic form of intellectual disability known as Helsmoortel-van der Aa syndrome. Among 17 previously reported patients with Helsmoortel-van der Aa syndrome, one patient exhibited blepharophimosis. Whether blepharophimosis represents a phenotypic expression of the ADNP mutation spectrum or a chance association remains unclear. Herein, we report another patient with a de novo truncating mutation in ADNP who exhibited a combination of blepharophimosis and epicanthal folds. In our retrospective re-evaluation of six originally reported patients whose facial photographs were available, at least one patient indeed had blepharophimosis and epicanthal folds. Furthermore, all three patients with blepharophimosis and epicanthal folds, including the presently reported patient, had truncating mutations at the same specific portion of the protein, that is the bipartite nuclear localization signal. We suggest that this specific class of ADNP mutation is likely associated with a blepharophimosis syndrome phenotype. From a clinical standpoint, a differential diagnosis of patients with blepharophimosis should include ADNP mutations in addition to blepharophimosis ptosis epicanthus inversus syndrome, especially when intellectual disability is present.

Facial abnormalities in Nablus mask-like facial syndrome: multidetector computed tomography findings.

Nablus mask-like facial syndrome (NMLFS) is a rare microdeletion syndrome characterized by a mask-like facial appearance. NMLFS has been reported in only 6 patients and has a recognizable facial appearance, along with other clinical features. The first case of NMLFS has been described by Teebi in 2000, in a 4-year-old Palestinian boy. Three years later, Salpietro et al reported a second example of NMLFS in a 21-month-old girl. The same patient recently came to our hospital to undergo a computed tomography (CT) study to evaluate the degree of development of the zygomatic-maxillary region for orthodontic treatment and orthognathic surgery. To the best of our knowledge, no reports have previously illustrated the maxillofacial CT findings of NMLFS in the radiologic data. We report the multidetector CT (MDCT) facial characteristics/abnormalities of this syndrome, emphasizing the usefulness of multiplanar reformations (MPRs) in preoperative planning.

Ultrasound biomicroscopy image patterns in normal upper eyelid and congenital ptosis in the Indian population.

PURPOSE: To study the features of upper eyelid in healthy individual and different types of congenital ptosis in the Indian population using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM). METHODS: This was a prospective observational study at a tertiary care center. Eyelid structure of healthy individuals with no eyelid abnormalities (n = 19); simple congenital ptosis (n = 33) cases; Marcus Gunn jaw-winking ptosis (MGJWP, n = 7) cases, and blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES, n = 20) cases were studied on a vertical UBM scan using 50-MHz probe. Lid-thickness, tarsal-thickness, orbicularis oculi and levator-Muller-orbital septum-conjunctival (LMSC) complex were measured in primary gaze. Comparison was made between four groups and results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA test. In normal individuals, LMSC measurements were repeated in down-gaze imaging. RESULTS: Skin with subcutaneous tissue, LMSC complex and pre-aponeurotic fat-pad appeared echodense while orbicularis oculi and tarsus appeared echolucent. In primary gaze, mean thickness (± standard deviation) of the eyelid, tarsus, orbicularis oculi and LMSC, respectively, were: 1.612 ± 0.205, 0.907 ± 0.098, 0.336 ± 0.083, and 0.785 ± 0.135 mm in normal individual. LMSC showed 46.64% increase in thickness on down-gaze. The mean eyelid thickness and LMSC were thicker in MGJWP and BPES as compared to normal. In different types of congenital ptosis cases, various patterns of UBM imaging were observed. CONCLUSION: UBM allows noninvasive imaging of eyelid structures with good anatomical correspondence in normal eyelids and study the structural alterations of eyelids in different types of congenital ptosis. UBM can be used to highlight the anatomical difference in normal eyelids that may help modify the surgery for better cosmetic outcomes. Furthermore, it has the potential to be used in preoperative evaluation and operative planning in certain types of acquired ptosis, which needs to be evaluated.