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Biomedical subjects

W G Wilson

Publications and source records attributed to W G Wilson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Deletion (14) (q24.3q32.1): evidence for a distinct clinical phenotype.

We report on a 4-year-old girl with distinctive facial features (redundant skin, bushy eyebrows, narrow palpebral fissures, short, upturned nose, epicanthal folds, and a long upper lip with well-defined philtrum) who has an interstitial deletion of chromosome 14 including band 14q31, designated as 46,XX,del(14)(pter-->q24.3::q32.1-->qter). Comparison with previously reported patients with deletions of 14q involving band 14q31 suggests that there is a distinctive clinical phenotype associated with this deletion. Our patient had dental abnormalities (3 maxillary and 3 mandibular incisors) not described in the other patients.

Abnormalities, Multiple

Neonatal progeroid syndrome: more than one disease?

We report on an infant with the neonatal progeroid syndrome whose clinical course and autopsy findings indicate that this may be a heterogeneous phenotype. The infant had intrauterine growth retardation, absence of subcutaneous fat, and a wizened, aged face, all apparently characteristic of the condition, but also had congenital heart defects and urinary reflux not reported in previous cases. An elevated maternal serum alpha fetoprotein was noted at 16 weeks of gestation and late-onset growth retardation appeared after 31 weeks. Autopsy findings showed normal cerebral myelination, in contrast to findings of sudanophilic leukodystrophy in the one patient with the syndrome previously examined at autopsy. These findings suggest that the neonatal progeroid syndrome may be a phenotype and have more than one cause.

Abnormalities, Multiple

A "new" skeletal dysplasia in two unrelated boys.

We report on 2 unrelated boys with similar physical and radiographic findings that may represent a "new" skeletal dysplasia. Findings in common include early speech delay, short stature, frontal bossing with a depression over the metopic suture, a narrow nasal root with beaked nose, midfacial hypoplasia with relatively prominent eyes, and brachydactyly with blunt fingers. Radiographic findings include mild irregularities of the vertebral bodies, hypoplasia of the odontoid process, short phalanges with increased distal width, coning and sclerosis of several epiphyses, and overtubulation of the long bones. Although these patients share some manifestations with the floating-harbor syndrome (Robinson et al.: J Pediatr 113:703-706, 1988), their radiographic changes are distinctive and are not suggestive of a recognized skeletal dysplasia syndrome.

Bone Diseases, Developmental

Spondylometaphyseal dysplasia, corner fracture type: a heritable condition associated with coxa vara.

The authors present the radiographic features of a previously incompletely delineated bone dysplasia, which they call spondylometaphyseal dysplasia, corner fracture type. This is a dominant heritable condition associated with short stature and developmental coxa vara. The progressive hip deformity usually causes significant disability requiring surgical correction. Developmental coxa vara, simulated corner fractures of long tubular bones, and vertebral body abnormalities result in a diagnostic constellation. Knowledge of these distinctive radiologic features allows accurate diagnosis, which in turn should lead to appropriate genetic counseling and possibly to earlier, more efficacious surgical treatment of the coxa vara.

Adult

Apparent Ruvalcaba syndrome with genitourinary abnormalities.

The Ruvalcaba syndrome is a rare malformation syndrome characterized by skeletal dysplasia, facial anomalies, and mental retardation. We report on a 22-year-old woman with severe growth and mental retardation and numerous manifestations characteristic of the Ruvalcaba syndrome. In addition, she has several anomalies not previously described in the Ruvalcaba syndrome, including upslanting palpebral fissures, torus palatinus, hiatal hernia with gastroesophageal reflux, recurrent respiratory infections, pectus excavatum, equinovarous deformity, hypotonia, unilateral renal hypoplasia, an accessory ovary, and atretic fallopian tube. Review of published reports of Ruvalcaba syndrome confirms variability of the clinical and radiographic changes. Findings present in at least 50% of reported patients include mental retardation, short stature, pubertal delay, an abnormal nose (usually beaked) with hypoplastic nasal alae, microstomia with narrow maxilla, thin upper lip vermilion, broad hips, small hands, joint limitation, short fingers and toes, and vertebral abnormalities. Because 5 of the reported patients had renal abnormalities, a renal ultrasound or contrast study is indicated in the evaluation of these patients. Additional reports, particular from multiplex families, will be important to better characterize this syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple

Holoprosencephaly and interstitial deletion of 2(p2101p2109).

We report on a girl with holoprosencephaly and a small, de novo interstitial deletion of most of band 2(p21). The similarity between the cytogenetic findings and CNS malformations in our patient and those recently reported by Münke et al. [Am J Med Genet 30:929-938, 1988] suggests a phenotypic relationship between deletion of this band and holoprosencephaly.

Abnormalities, Multiple

OEIS complex (cloacal exstrophy): prenatal diagnosis in the second trimester.

OEIS complex (exstrophy of the cloaca) is an association of fetal malformations that includes omphalocele, exstrophy of the bladder, imperforate anus, and spinal defects. Most cases should be prenatally detectable by maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening, but an accurate diagnosis is essential for appropriate counselling of the family.

Adult

Proteus syndrome versus Bannayan-Zonana syndrome: a problem in differential diagnosis.

The Proteus syndrome (PS) and the Bannayan-Zonana syndrome (BZS) both have multiple hamartomata as prominent features. Hemihypertrophy, macrodactyly, exostoses, skin lesions, scoliosis, and sporadic occurrence are seen in PS, whereas patients with BZS have macrocephaly and related craniofacial findings. BZS has been observed in families as an autosomal dominant trait. Although the two syndromes can be distinguished in most patients, there are features in common to both that may pose a diagnostic dilemma in an isolated case. We report the case of a 3-year-old girl with macrocephaly, macrodactyly, and superficial and intra-abdominal hamartomata who illustrates the problem of differentiating between PS and BZS. We compare this patient and another recently reported patient with other published cases of PS and BZS. Patients with PS, in general, show more extensive systemic involvement, including skeletal and cutaneous manifestations. Macrocephaly, seen in all reported patients with BZS, is also found in 14% of patients with PS. Overlap among syndromes which include hamartomata as prominent features suggests that they might be etiologically or pathogenetically related. The present case also illustrates the usefulness of imaging techniques in the diagnosis of mixed mesodermal hamartomata.

Child, Preschool

Cytogenetic studies in couples with recurrent pregnancy loss.

We reviewed the results of lymphocyte karyotypes from 232 couples who had had two or more pregnancy losses (spontaneous abortions or stillbirths). Despite the use of strict criteria to correct for possible bias of ascertainment, 8% of these couples (19 of 232) had a chromosome abnormality. Six of these abnormalities were low-percentage mosaicism for aneuploidy or a translocation. If these couples were excluded, 13 (6%) of the study couples had a chromosome abnormality. There was no significant difference in the incidence of chromosome abnormalities in those couples having two losses as compared with those having three or more losses. The study couples were referred from a wide range of sources, and most women had not had extensive gynecologic evaluation. These results confirm the importance of cytogenetic analysis of couples with recurrent pregnancy loss, and suggest that such studies be considered after two losses.

Abortion, Habitual

Lobar holoprosencephaly presenting as spastic diplegia.

A child with lobar holoprosencephaly presented with spastic diplegia and mild mental retardation, compounded by attention deficits and hyperactivity. His facial features were normal, and except for borderline microcephaly, there were no other predictors of holoprosencephaly. This patient represents the mild end of the spectrum of the holoprosencephaly malformation complex, which seems to be under-represented in the medical literature. Holoprosencephaly does not appear to have been described previously in association with spastic diplegia. This patient also illustrates the value of CT scans of the head of patients with neurological findings, without specific etiology.

Brain

Arachnoid cysts in a brother and sister.

We describe a brother and sister with microcephaly and mental retardation who were shown by cranial CT scan to have almost identical unilateral arachnoid cysts. The occurrence in sibs suggests the possibility of a genetic basis for at least some cases of arachnoid cysts.

Adolescent

Deletion (13)(q14.1q14.3) in two generations: variability of ocular manifestations and definition of the phenotype.

A 5-yr-old girl with unilateral retinoblastoma was found to have del(13)(q14.1q14.3). Her 16-month-old sister and 35-year-old mother, with retinal colobomata but without retinoblastoma, have the same deletion. Esterase D studies indicate reduced gene dose at this locus in the 3 females, consistent with a deletion of band 13q14. These patients are of apparently normal intelligence but have a mildly "coarse" facial appearance, a broad nasal bridge, upturned nares, and a long upper lip with thin upper lip vermillion similar to the phenotype suggested by Motegi et al [1983a] for patients with this deletion. Review of the literature documents 2 other patients with deletions of band 13q14 but without retinoblastoma, indicating that retinoblastoma is not a necessary consequence of this deletion. Of the 12 reported patients with deletions limited to band 13q14, seven had normal intelligence and five were macrocephalic. Insufficient clinical information is provided to draw conclusions about phenotype. The family which we describe and those reviewed by Motegi et al suggest that there may be a characteristic appearance in patients with this deletion.

Adult