seizures

Among the three reported individuals with the COL4A3BP mutation, one had postnatal microcephaly, widely spaced teeth, synophrys, and intellectual disability. Another had trunk hypotonia, global developmental delay, wide intermamillary distance, 2-3 toe syndactyly, tonic-clonic seizures, and myopathic facies. The third had a broad-based gait, coarse and curly hair, tonic-clonic seizures, and global developmental delay. 

The characteristic facies may be evident at birth and requires karyotyping to rule out the trisomy of Down syndrome. Brachycephaly and a flat face may be present.  The mouth is often small and the nasal tip is shortened while the philtrum is long and smooth.  Some degree of intellectual disability and neurosensory hearing loss soon become evident.  There is postnatal growth delay and most individuals are short in stature.  The ears are low-set and rotated posteriorly.

The skeletal anomalies are not fully delineated but one patient had bilateral radioulnar synostosis while hip chondrolysis requiring hip replacement has been seen in two adult individuals.  Limited motion may be present in some joints, both large and small.  Seizures have been reported in a few individuals. Nails may appear dystrophic and there are variable tooth anomalies present. 

Only a small number of individuals with Kabuki syndrome 2 have been reported and the phenotype is incompletely described.  Most of the features in type 2 are similar to those in type 1 with defects in multiple organs.  There are often cardiac malformations including septal defects.  Otitis media and hearing loss are common.  The pinnae are large and cupped.  A highly arched or cleft palate may be present and the teeth are usually small.  The joints are highly mobile and general hypotonia is often present. The fifth finger is often short and clinodactylous.  Persistent fetal fingerpads are common.  The amount of intellectual disability varies considerably with some patients functioning normally.  Urogenital anomalies are less common than found in Kabuki syndrome 1 and anal malformations do not seem to be a feature.

Patients have mild to severe microcephaly (up to -15 SD) with psychomotor delays.  Profound intellectual disability is a consistent feature.  Physical growth is retarded and patients have shortness of stature.  Most patients are unable to sit, stand, or walk unassisted.  One patient died at 5.5 years of age while another was alive at 20 years of age.  Rare patients may have hearing loss and seizures.

Scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis may be seen while  other skeletal malformations seem to occur sporadically e.g., triphalangeal thumbs, brachydactyly, postaxial polydactyly, and restricted large joint motion.  

The forehead slopes markedly.  Neuroimaging shows a consistent reduction in cortex size with simple gyral folding while the cerebellum and the brain stem are also small.  Subarachnoid cysts have been noted in several patients and the corpus callosum may be short or otherwise malformed.

Infants are born with low birth weight due to intrauterine growth retardation and there is often a history of oligohydramnios.  Newborns are often floppy and hypotonic although spasticity may develop later.  A small midface and microcephaly (80%) with a sloping forehead and a flat occiput are frequently evident.  The ears are large, floppy, and low-set while the hard palate is highly arched and the degree of micrognathia can be severe.  The fists are often clenched and the digits can appear narrow and arachnodactylous.  Hiatal hernias may be present.

Many patients develop features of the nephrotic syndrome in the first year of life with proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia due to glomerular kidney disease and renal system malformations.  Renal biopsies show focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in the majority of glomeruli.

Evidence of abnormal neuronal migration with brain deformities such as cystic changes, porencephaly, encephalomalacia, and spinal canal anomalies have been reported.  MRI imaging shows diffuse cortical and cerebellar atrophy atrophic optic nerves, and thinning of the corpus callosum.  The normal striated layers of the lateral geniculate nuclei are obliterated.  The cerebellum shows severe cellular disorganization with profound depletion of granule cells and excessive Bergmann gliosis.  The vermis is shortened. 

Multifocal seizures are sometimes (40%) seen in infancy and early childhood and the EEG generally shows slowed and disorganized backgound and sometimes a high-voltage hypsarrhythmia.  The degree of psychomotor delay and intellectual disability is often severe.   Most patients are unable to sit independently (90%), ambulate (90%), or make purposeful hand movements (77%).  The majority (87%) of children have extrapyramidal movements and a combination of axial dystonia and limb chorea.  Mean age of death is about 11 years (2.7 to 28 years in one series) and most die from renal failure.

Patients present at a median age of two months with typically severe microcytic sideroblastic anemia. Median hemoglobin levels are 7.1 g/dl.  Lymphopenia and panhypogammaglobulinemia are usually present and many children have periodic febrile illnesses.  The number of CD19⁺ B cells is reduced.  Aminoaciduria, hypercalcinuria, and nephrocalcinosis have been observed.  Cardiomyopathy has been seen in several patients and may be responsible for the early demise.  Developmental delays may be severe with variable neurodegeneration features such as seizures, cerebellar symptoms, and sensorineural hearing loss.  Achievement of milestones is generally delayed.  Median survival is 4 years although one patient has lived to the age of 19 years.