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Outline
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Common Genetics Problems in Pediatrics
  • Shannon Browning MD
  • November 1, 2006
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Klinefelter Syndrome
  • Occurs in approximately 1 in 1000 births
  • 80% have the classic 47,xxy karyotype, with 10 % having 46,XY/47XXY mosaicism and another 10% having multiple x or Y chromosomes
  • Results from nondisjunction and is often associated with advanced maternal age
  • Rarely diagnosed before the onset of puberty


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Klinefelter Syndrome
  • Most children with KS present initially with behavior problems , abnormal puberty or infertility issues
  • Typically taller than average and increased carrying angle and a relatively wide pelvis
  • 30% will develop gynecomastia during in puberty
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Klinefelter Syndrome
  • 50% of children have speech delays and 25% have motor
  • All affected males are infertile,  although there are rare cases of fertility
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Sickle Cell Disease
  • Results from a single genetic mutation in which a nucleotide in the coding sequence of a beta-globin gene is mutated from adenosine to thymidine
  • This mutation occurs in the middle of the triplet that codes for normally glutamic acid as the 6th AA of the beta-chain of hemoglobin.  The single base change substitutes Valine for glutamic acid.


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Sickle Cell Disease
  • The resulting mutated hemoglobin has decreased solubility and abnormal polymerization properties
  • If only 1 beta-globin gene is mutated= heterozygous state which is referred to as sickle cell trait
  • If both genes are mutated resulting in homozygous state and called sickle cell anemia or sickle cell disease.
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Sickle Cell Disease
  • Prenatal testing for sickle cell has improved significantly over the past 2 decades.
  • The newborn with sickle cell disease is not anemic initially because of the protective affects of elevated fetal hemoglobin.  Hemolytic anemia develops over the 1st 2-4mo.
  • Chorionic villus sampling can be performed as early as 9 wks gestation making it an earlier alternative to amniocentesis.
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Teratogens
  • Accutane embryopathy is associated with embryonic exposure to isotretinoin beyond the 15th day after conception and through the end of 1st trimester
  • Isotretinoin is a vitamin A derivative that is administered orally and used for the treatment of cystic acne
  • It impedes the normal neural crest migration in the developing embryo.
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Teratogens
  • This disruption in the migration of the neural crest cells leads to defects in the central nervous system, severe ear anomalies, conotruncal heart defects and thymic abnormalities
  • Alcohol can cause all the above mentioned abnormalities with the exception of thymus abnormalities
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Teratogens
  • Warfarin embryopathy is a recognizable pattern of malformation.  Warfarin acts as an anticoagulant because it is a vitamin K antagonist.  It prevents the carboxylation of gamma-carboxyglutamic acid which is a component of osteocalcin and other vit K dependent bone proteins.
  • The critical period of exposure is between 6-9 weeks.
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Down’s Syndrome
  • 95% of all those affected with DS have trisomy of the chromosome 21
  • 90-95% of these cases are due to maternal meiotic error with 75% occurring in meiosis I.  3-5% are due to paternal meiotic errors and the remainder are due to mitotic nondisjunction
  • Recurrence risk estimates are based on empiric data
  • The overall recurrence risk for having a child with any trisomy is approx 1% added to the mother’s age-related risk.  As a woman ages the age related risk exceeds the recurrence risk
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CHARGE association
  • C=coloboma, H=heart defect, A=atresia choanae, R= retardation of growth postnatally and development, G=genital anomalies, and E=ear anomalies
  • Affected individuals must have 4 of the 6 features with at least one being coloboma or atresia choanae
  • There are multiple causes of this association
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Turner Syndrome
  • The two most common features in girls with TS is short stature and gonadal dysgenesis.  It should be suspected in any girl of short stature with unknown cause.
  • Estimated that 1 in 2500 girls are affected
  • Linear growth velocity varies: from birth to 3 yrs it is normal, from 3-12 yrs velocity decreases, and after age 12 it decelerates even further.
  • Most affected girls have a 45,X karyotype
  • Diagnosis is based on chromosomal analysis
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Neurofibromatosis Type I
  • Occurs in 1 in 3000 to 1 in 4000 lives births and is unrelated to gender, ethnicity or geographic location
  • Autosomal dominant condition
  • 50% of cases are spontaneous mutations in the gene that codes for neurofibromin on chromosome 17.
  • Males and females are equally affected
  • The recurrence risk to offspring of an affected individual is 50%
  • This gene abnormality shows full penetrance
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Neurofibromatosis Type I
  • Café au lait macules (CALMs) are uniformly pigmented flat spots that range in size from a few mm to as much as 30cm in adults.  CALMs increase in size in proportion to growth.
  • One or two CALMs are common more than 6 raises the concern about NF-1
  • Of children who present with 6 or more CALMs 89% meet the diagnostic criteria for NF-1 within 3 years.
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Angelman Syndrome
  • Affected children are normal at birth
  • They experience global developmental delay, but speech is affected most.  Most children will never speak
  • They laugh frequently and have an ataxic gait and often hold their elbows away from their bodies.