hypothyroidism

Pseudohypoparathyroidism, Type 1A

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Cataracts and nystagmus are sometimes present.  Optic neuritis and papilledema have been reported and can result in optic atrophy.  The combination of cataracts and swelling of the optic nerves in children requires evaluation for hypocalcemia.

Systemic Features: 

The title refers to a group of conditions that have organ resistance to parathyroid hormone.  The phenotype is variable since there usually is a usually some degree of end-organ resistance to other hormones such as gonadotropins and TSH as in the PHP1A disorder described here.  The grouped clinical features are often referred to as Albright hereditary oseodystrophy or AHO.

Short stature with a short neck, a round face, chubby cheeks, and a depressed nasal bridge are usually present.  There may be cognitive deficits and some patients are considered to be mentally retarded.  The fourth and fifth metacarpals and sometimes metatarsals are characteristically short.   The teeth are late to erupt and can have an enamel deficit.  End organ resistance to other hormones may lead to signs of hypothyroidism and hypogonadism.  Calcification of subcutaneous tissues can result in palpable hard nodules and calcium deposition in basal ganglia and choroidal plexus may be demonstrable.  Some patients experience hypocalcemic tetany and seizures.  Hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia are often present along with elevated serum parathyroid hormone levels.

Genetics

This transmission pattern is likely modified by the effects of imprinting which also can modify the phenotype.  Mutltigenerational family patterns have an excess of maternal transmission.  The full phenotype is more likely expressed among maternally transmitted cases whereas partial or incomplete expression is more often seen among individuals who received the paternal allele. 

Heterozygous muttions in the GNAS1 gene (20q13.32) plays a role in this disease.  Signal transduction failure likely plays a major role in the failure of organs to respond to the appropriate hormone.

Several subtypes of pseudohypoparathyroidism have been reported but some do not have ocular signs.  However, type 1C (612462) patients can have cataracts and nystagmus with an almost identical phenotype to that of IA and may be the same condition.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal dominant
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

Treatment focuses on normalization of calcium and phosphate serum levels.  A deficiency of vitamin D should also be corrected and has been reported to correct at least some of the lens opacities.  Cataract removal can be considered.

References
Article Title: 

Williams Syndrome

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Blue irides (77%) and a lacey or stellate pattern (74%) of the iris are characteristic.  The stroma appears coarse with radial or cartwheel striations.  The iris collarette is usually absent or anomalous.  Features of the Peters' anomaly may be present.  The periorbital tissues are described as 'full' and prominent.  Strabismus (usually esotropia) occurs in more than half of patients.  Retinal vessel tortuosity is present in 22% of patients.  Cataracts may be found in younger individuals but are uncommon. Hyperopia is the most common refractive error.  Keratoconus has been described in at least 3 patients.

Systemic Features: 

The phenotype is variable, likely depending upon the size of the deletion.  Cardiovascular disease, primarily hypertension and large vessel stenosis, are among the most important features.  The elastin arteriopathy lead to thickened arterial walls with peripheral pulmonary stenosis and supravalvular aortic stenosis.  The facies is considered unique with bitemporal narrowing, a wide mouth, full lips, malocclusion, small jaw, and prominent earlobes.  The teeth are small and widely spaced.  Connective tissue abnormalities include joint hyperextensibility, hernias, lax skin, hypotonia, and bowel/bladder diverticulae.  Small birth size is common and infants often fail to thrive but at puberty patients can experience a growth spurt.  Ultimate height in adults is usually in the third centile.

Vocal cord anomalies and paralysis can result in a hoarse voice.  A sensorineural hearing loss is common among adults but hyperacusis is often present in young children.

Hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria are common and some (10%) have hypothyroidism.

Most individuals have some cognition difficulties and delays but normal intelligence has also been reported.  Patient personalities consist of anxiety, attention deficit disorder, marked friendliness and a high level of empathy.  Visiospatial construction is often impaired.  Most adults are unable to live independently.

Genetics

This is a deletion syndrome but included in this database because the major features are due to the loss of a single gene (ELN).  The deletion segment consists of 1.4-1.8 Mb at 7q11.23 containing as many as 28 genes.   Most cases occur sporadically but parent-child transmission and affected siblings have been reported.  The recurrence risk is low.

Increased tortuosity of the retinal arterioles is also a feature of Fabry disease (301500) and of a condition known as isolated retinal arteriolar tortuosity (611773, 180000).

Treatment
Treatment Options: 

Feeding issues should be addressed early in infants who fail to thrive.  Early intervention with speech and physical therapy plus special education can be helpful.  Psychological evaluations may help in managing behavioral issues.

Hypertension can often be managed medically but surgery may be required for vascular stenoses.   Hypercalcemia and hypothyroidism often respond to medical therapy. Strabismus, vessel narrowing, and valvular malfunctions can be treated surgically.

References
Article Title: 

The iris in Williams syndrome

Holmstrom G, Almond G, Temple K, Taylor D, Baraitser M. The iris in Williams syndrome. Arch Dis Child. 1990 Sep;65(9):987-9.

PubMed ID: 
2221973

Ocular findings of Williams' syndrome

Hotta Y, Kishishita H, Wakita M, Inagaki Y, Momose T, Kato K. Ocular findings of Williams' syndrome. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1990 Aug-Sep;79(8-9):869-70.

PubMed ID: 
2239289

Cystinosis

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Cystinosis is a clinically heterogeneous disorder that has been divided into three allelic forms based on the age of onset and the amount of kidney disease.  Since the three types are caused by mutations in the same CTNS gene they are discussed here as a single entity with emphasis on the similarities and differences.  All three cause significant corneal disease secondary to crystalline cystine deposits.

The early onset and most common form of cystinosis (219800) causes severe photophobia and even corneal erosions from accumulation of refractile cystine crystals which can be seen in the first years of life.  Accumulation of cystine in the retina leads to peripheral pigmentary changes that progress centrally and is present to some degree in all patients by age 7 years.  Mottling of the retinal pigment epithelium is the most common finding but there are often alternating areas of hyperpigmentation and depigmentation as well.  Visual fields may be markedly constricted.  Photoreceptor damage eventually leads to decreased rod and cone responses as recorded by ERG.  Visual acuity ranges from near normal to NLP.

The late-onset juvenile nephropathic (219900) form has a similar corneal profile but the pigmentary retinopathy occurs later than in the infantile disease.

The adult nonnephropathic form (219750) likewise has visible cystine crystals in the cornea.  This disorder should be considered in all healthy adults with a crystalline dystrophy of the cornea.  The pigmentary retinopathy does not occur.

Systemic Features: 

In the more common infantile form of cystinosis, accumulation of cystine leads to dysfunction in many organs.  Nephropathy, hypothyroidism, and growth retardation in the infantile type are major complications.  The kidney disease leads to a Fanconi syndrome type pattern of kidney failure.  Pancreatic insufficiency, ovarian failure, myopathy, and central nervous system signs are often seen.  Patients require renal transplantation, often in the first decade of life.  Slow eating and dysphagia are common.  Heterozygotes may have elevated levels of free cystine in leukocytes.

The later onset juvenile form of cystinosis presents with kidney failure secondary to glomerular damage instead of tubular dysfunction.  The age of diagnosis varies widely, however, anywhere from 2-26 years of age, with end-stage kidney failure occurring generally in the third decade.  Aminoaciduria is usually not present and growth is normal.

The adult-onset or benign type is also uncommon.  Patients with this non-nephropathic type (219750), of course, do not develop kidney disease but have demonstrable cystine deposits in the cornea, buffy coat, and bone marrow.  No proteinuria or amino aciduria is detectable.

Genetics

Cystinosis is an autosomal recessive disease that is found in individuals homozygous for mutations in the CTNS gene (17p13) that encodes cystinosin.  The most common mutation among Caucasians of European descent is a 57-kb deletion which sometimes includes contiguous and regulatory genes.  Other sequence variants have also been found.  High cystine levels can be demonstrated in leucocytes of heterozygotes, at least in the infantile form.   A large number of mutations, both homozygous and compound heterozygous, have been found .  The accumulation of cystine seems to result from impaired cystine transport across the lysosomal membrane and it has been suggested that the severity of disease depends on the amount of functional cystinosin produced by various mutations in the CTNS gene.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

Topical cysteamine eye drops can dramatically reduce the number of cornea crystals and improve symptoms such as photophobia and visual acuity.  Oral administration of the same drug can be beneficial for systemic disease as well, especially if initiated before the age of two years.  It can also reduce the frequency and severity of posterior segment disease with the most benefit occurring in those who begin the drug early in life.  Improved kidney function and quality of life may be dramatic.

The chronic nature and multisystem involvement require lifelong monitoring of ocular and systemic disease.

References
Article Title: 
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