Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism and Gynaecomastia in the Young Adult: A Case Series.

We present three cases who presented to our Endocrinology OPD a few days apart with the common complaints of no or minimal development of secondary sexual characteristics. Although they had similar problems, investigations revealed a spectrum of different clinical, biochemical and genetic abnormalities. All the patients had otherwise normal anterior pituitary hormone secretion and sellar anatomy. One had a short Y chromosome, one was a Klinefelter syndrome and the other had no chromosomal abnormality. These findings along with absence of any detectable abnormality on pituitary imaging helped us diagnose these cases as Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Treatment with testosterone showed marked improvement at 1 year follow up.

A case of inappropriately high glycated hemoglobin.

Hemoglobin is a tetramer formed of two alpha and two beta globin chains. On exposure to high levels of blood glucose, hemoglobin gets non-enzymatically glycated at different sites in the molecule. HbA1c is formed when glucose gets added on to the N-terminal valine residue of the beta chain of hemoglobin. The development of chronic vascular complications of diabetes such as retinopathy, nephropathy and cardiovascular disease is intimately linked to the level of glycemic control attained by the individual with diabetes. We report a case of convulsions and monoplegia admitted to emergency department, showing unusually high glycated hemoglobin but plasma glucose not as high. The patient was not a known diabetic and we could not find any of the other documented conditions that are known to elevate glycated hemoglobin to such disproportionately high levels. Screening for abnormal hemoglobins was negative in the patient. Oral hypoglycemic drug treatment over 3 months and withdrawal of other medications only marginally lowered glycated hemoglobin.

Prognosis for splicing factor PRPF8 retinitis pigmentosa, novel mutations and correlation between human and yeast phenotypes.

PRPF8-retinitis pigmentosa is said to be severe but there has been no overview of phenotype across different mutations. We screened RP patients for PRPF8 mutations and identified three new missense mutations, including the first documented mutation outside exon 42 and the first de novo mutation. This brings the known RP-causing mutations in PRPF8 to nineteen. We then collated clinical data from new and published cases to determine an accurate prognosis for PRPF8-RP. Clinical data for 75 PRPF8-RP patients were compared, revealing that while the effect on peripheral retinal function is severe, patients generally retain good visual acuity in at least one eye until the fifth or sixth decade. We also noted that prognosis for PRPF8-RP differs with different mutations, with p.H2309P or p.H2309R having a worse prognosis than p.R2310K. This correlates with the observed difference in growth defect severity in yeast lines carrying the equivalent mutations, though such correlation remains tentative given the limited number of mutations for which information is available. The yeast phenotype is caused by lack of mature spliceosomes in the nucleus, leading to reduced RNA splicing function. Correlation between yeast and human phenotypes suggests that splicing factor RP may also result from an underlying splicing deficit.

A detailed phenotypic assessment of individuals affected by MFRP-related oculopathy.

PURPOSE: To determine the spectrum of mutations and phenotypic variability within patients with mutations in membrane-type frizzled related protein gene (MFRP). METHODS: Individuals were initially ascertained based on a phenotype similar to that previously published in association with MFRP mutations. Affected patients underwent a full ophthalmic examination (best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, applanation tonometry, and fundoscopy), color fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, autofluorescence imaging, and electrophysiology. MFRP was identified by a genome-wide scan in the fourth-largest autozygous region in one consanguineous family. Sanger sequencing of all the exons and intron-exon boundaries of MFRP was undertaken in the affected individuals. RESULTS: Seven affected individuals from four families were identified as having mutations in MFRP. Patients from two families were homozygous for mutations already previously described (c.1143_1144 insC and c.492 delC), while those from the other two were compound heterozygous for mutations (c.201G>A and c.491_492 insT, and c.492 delC, and c.1622_1625 delTCTG), three of which were novel. There was considerable phenotypic variability within and among families. Autofluorescence imaging revealed the central macula to be relatively well preserved. Foveal cysts and optic nerve head drusen were present in two of the four families. Electrophysiology results showed rod-cone dystrophy with mild to moderate reduction in macular function in all affected members. CONCLUSIONS: We report three novel MFRP mutations and expand the phenotypic data available on patients with MFRP mutations.

A Case of Primary Hypogonadism with Features of Albright's Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: McCune Albright syndrome is rare with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 1,000,000 persons. The classical clinical triad consists of fibrous dysplasia of the bone, café-au-lait skin spots and precocious puberty. However, in rare cases, there may be primary hypogonadism and amenorrhea. CASE PRESENTATION: An eighteen-year-old female presented with amenorrhea. She had a short stature, round face, thick neck, and short fourth metacarpals and metatarsals. The secondary sexual characters were absent. Serum calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid concentrations were normal, but gonadotropin hormones were very low. X-ray examination revealed short fourth and fifth metacarpals, short left metatarsal, and short fibula. CONCLUSION: These local bony abnormalities along with the biochemical findings helped us to diagnose this case as an unusual presentation of primary hypogonadism with features of McCune Albright's syndrome where there was amenorrhea rather than preocious puberty.

A 112 kb deletion in chromosome 19q13.42 leads to retinitis pigmentosa.

PURPOSE. This study sets out to identify novel mutations in PRPF31 in a cohort of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) patients with a history of nonpenetrance in the family. METHODS. Twenty-one patients with history of nonpenetrant autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa were selected; all underwent full ophthalmic examination. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe analysis (MLPA) was performed and, where a deletion was found, further family members were recruited. An individual suspected to harbor a large deletion was used as a positive control. Analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the upstream region was used to determine the extent of the deletion, and the breakpoint was then characterized by PCR and sequencing. RESULTS. In one family, multiplex ligation-dependent probe analysis revealed a novel large deletion in 19q13.4 encompassing exons 1 to 13 of the PRPF31 gene. The mutation was characterized as a deletion of 112 kilobase (kb), encompassing over 90% of PRPF31 and five upstream genes: TFPT, OSCAR, NDUFA3, TARM-1, and VSTM-1. The breakpoint in the positive control family was also characterized. The mechanism of deletion in both families was Alu-mediated nonallelic homologous recombination. CONCLUSIONS. This study describes two large deletions, one in a previously reported family and one in a new family: the latter represents the largest deletion yet described on chromosome 19 and the first report of the involvement of VSTM-1. Remarkably, heterozygous deletion of this large region (encompassing six genes) produces little or no other clinical disease besides retinitis pigmentosa.

Autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa with intrafamilial variability and incomplete penetrance in two families carrying mutations in PRPF8.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to report detailed genotype/phenotype correlation in two British autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) families with recently described mutations in PRPF8. METHODS: Ten affected members from the two families (excluded for PRPF31 mutations) were assessed clinically. Seven subjects had fundus photography; some had electrophysiology, autofluorescence imaging, and visual field testing. Linkage analysis was performed from genomic DNA in one family. RNA was extracted from lymphocytes of the proband from both families, reverse transcribed into cDNA and subsequently screened for mutations in PRPF8. Segregation of mutations in each family was tested by direct genomic sequencing of the specific exons carrying the mutation. RESULTS: All affected members complained of nyctalopia with variable age of onset. In the first family, there was marked variation in the clinical phenotype among affected individuals ranging from severe rod-cone dystrophy to a 67-year-old patient with a normal retinal appearance and mild rod dysfunction on scotopic electroretinography (ERG). The second family demonstrated similar variability and a history of a nonpenetrant individual. Linkage analysis in the first family showed strong evidence for linkage to markers on chromosome 17p implicating PRPF8 as a candidate gene. A c.6353 C>T change causing a nonconservative missense mutation p.S2118F was found in exon 38 of PRPF8 by direct sequencing of the cDNA. The mutation c.6930G>C (p.R2310S) was found in the second family. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of marked intrafamilial variability associated with mutations in the PRPF8 gene, including incomplete penetrance. PRPF8 mutations should be suspected in patients with adRP and variable expressivity.

A rare complication from prostaglandin analogue therapy.

This case describes a rare complication of prostaglandin analogue eye drops used for treatment of primary open angle glaucoma. Though increase in the number, size and pigmentation of eyelashes is well-known, this case shows extensive hair growth in malar region, which can be unacceptable. This complication can be one of the causes of discontinuation of prostaglandin analogue therapy.