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Microcephalic osteodysplastic dysplasia, Saul-Wilson type(SWILS)

MedGen UID:
722057
Concept ID:
C1300285
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: MICROCEPHALIC OSTEODYSPLASTIC DYSPLASIA; SAUL-WILSON SYNDROME
Modes of inheritance:
Autosomal recessive inheritance
MedGen UID:
141025
Concept ID:
C0441748
Intellectual Product
Source: Orphanet
A mode of inheritance that is observed for traits related to a gene encoded on one of the autosomes (i.e., the human chromosomes 1-22) in which a trait manifests in individuals with two pathogenic alleles, either homozygotes (two copies of the same mutant allele) or compound heterozygotes (whereby each copy of a gene has a distinct mutant allele).
 
Gene (location): COG4 (16q22.1)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0019407
OMIM®: 618150
Orphanet: ORPHA85172

Disease characteristics

Excerpted from the GeneReview: Saul-Wilson Syndrome
Saul-Wilson syndrome (SWS) is a skeletal dysplasia characterized by profound short stature, distinctive craniofacial features, short distal phalanges of fingers and toes, and often clubfoot. Early development (primarily speech and motor) is delayed; cognition is normal. Other findings can include hearing loss (conductive, sensorineural, and mixed), lamellar cataracts, and/or rod-cone retinal dystrophy. To date, 16 affected individuals have been reported. [from GeneReviews]
Authors:
Carlos Ferreira   view full author information

Additional descriptions

From OMIM
Saul-Wilson syndrome (SWILS) is a rare skeletal dysplasia with characteristic dysmorphic and radiographic findings, as well as early developmental delay, primarily involving speech, with eventual normal cognition. Clinical findings include marked short stature, prominent forehead with an enlarged anterior fontanel, prominent eyes with cataracts, narrow nasal bridge with a convex nasal ridge, micrognathia, clubfoot, brachydactyly, and short distal phalanges of fingers. Radiographic changes include platyspondyly, irregular end plates of vertebral bodies, and hypoplasia of the odontoid process with cervical instability in the spine, coxa valga, overtubulation, metaphyseal flaring and megaepiphyses in the long bones, while the hands and feet exhibit short phalanges, metacarpals and metatarsals, cone-shaped epiphyses of phalanges, and accessory ossification centers of metacarpals and metatarsals (summary by Ferreira et al., 2018).  http://www.omim.org/entry/618150
From MedlinePlus Genetics
Saul-Wilson syndrome is characterized by short stature (dwarfism) and other skeletal abnormalities. The growth problems in Saul-Wilson syndrome are called primordial, which means they begin before birth; affected individuals show slow prenatal growth (intrauterine growth retardation). After birth, affected individuals continue to grow at a very slow rate, with the average adult height being 3 feet, 6 inches (107 centimeters).

Individuals with Saul-Wilson syndrome have distinctive facial features that often include a prominent forehead, sparse scalp hair and eyebrows, prominent scalp veins, a narrow nasal bridge, a beaked nose, a wide area separating the nostrils (broad columella), a thin upper lip, and a small lower jaw (micrognathia). This combination of facial features can give affected individuals an appearance of premature aging, particularly in infancy, that is sometimes described as progeroid.

Additional skeletal abnormalities in Saul-Wilson syndrome include abnormalities in the structure of the long bones, short fingers and toes, an inward- and downward-turning foot (clubfoot), an abnormality of the hip joint that causes a decreased angle between the head and shaft of the upper leg bones (coxa vara), or flattened bones of the spine (platyspondyly) and other spinal abnormalities. Some affected individuals have bones that are unusually fragile, resulting in bone fractures that occur with little or no trauma. Adults with Saul-Wilson syndrome may experience joint pain (osteoarthritis) due to breakdown (degeneration) of the joints.

Children with Saul-Wilson syndrome often have hearing loss, clouding of the lenses of the eyes (cataracts), or a blue tint to the whites of the eyes (blue sclerae). They may also have retinitis pigmentosa, in which breakdown of the light-sensitive layer (retina) at the back of the eye can cause vision loss. Individuals with Saul-Wilson syndrome may have early delay of speech and motor development, but they usually have normal intelligence.

In Saul-Wilson syndrome, levels of white blood cells can vary from normal to low (intermittent neutropenia). Neutropenia makes it more difficult for the body to fight off foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses, and may contribute to recurrent respiratory infections that occur in childhood in some individuals with Saul-Wilson syndrome.  https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/saul-wilson-syndrome

Clinical features

From HPO
Clubfoot
MedGen UID:
3130
Concept ID:
C0009081
Congenital Abnormality
Clubfoot is a congenital limb deformity defined as fixation of the foot in cavus, adductus, varus, and equinus (i.e., inclined inwards, axially rotated outwards, and pointing downwards) with concomitant soft tissue abnormalities (Cardy et al., 2007). Clubfoot may occur in isolation or as part of a syndrome (e.g., diastrophic dysplasia, 222600). Clubfoot has been reported with deficiency of long bones and mirror-image polydactyly (Gurnett et al., 2008; Klopocki et al., 2012).
Madelung deformity
MedGen UID:
57537
Concept ID:
C0152441
Congenital Abnormality
An anomaly related to partial closure, or failure of development of the ulnar side of the distal radial growth plate, which results in an arrest of epiphyseal growth of the medial and volar portions of the distal radius. This leads to shortening of the radius and relative overgrowth of the ulna.
Coxa valga
MedGen UID:
116080
Concept ID:
C0239137
Finding
Coxa valga is a deformity of the hip in which the angle between the femoral shaft and the femoral neck is increased compared to age-adjusted values (about 150 degrees in newborns gradually reducing to 120-130 degrees in adults).
Short metacarpal
MedGen UID:
323064
Concept ID:
C1837084
Anatomical Abnormality
Diminished length of one or more metacarpal bones in relation to the others of the same hand or to the contralateral metacarpal.
Short distal phalanx of finger
MedGen UID:
326590
Concept ID:
C1839829
Finding
Short distance from the end of the finger to the most distal interphalangeal crease or the distal interphalangeal joint flexion point. That is, hypoplasia of one or more of the distal phalanx of finger.
Short metatarsal
MedGen UID:
341358
Concept ID:
C1849020
Finding
Diminished length of a metatarsal bone, with resultant proximal displacement of the associated toe.
Hypoplasia of proximal fibula
MedGen UID:
347892
Concept ID:
C1859478
Finding
Underdevelopment or shortening of the end of the fibula (calf bone) nearest the knee.
Pseudoepiphyses of the metacarpals
MedGen UID:
349766
Concept ID:
C1860253
Finding
A pseudoepiphysis is a secondary ossification center distinct from the normal epiphysis. The normal metacarpal epiphyses are located at the distal ends of the metacarpal bones. Accessory epiphyses (which are also known as pseudoepiphyses) can also occasionally be observed at the proximal ends of the metacarpals, usually involving the 2nd metacarpal bone.
Fetal growth restriction
MedGen UID:
4693
Concept ID:
C0015934
Pathologic Function
An abnormal restriction of fetal growth with fetal weight below the tenth percentile for gestational age.
Short stature
MedGen UID:
87607
Concept ID:
C0349588
Finding
A height below that which is expected according to age and gender norms. Although there is no universally accepted definition of short stature, many refer to "short stature" as height more than 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender (or below the 3rd percentile for age and gender dependent norms).
Postnatal growth retardation
MedGen UID:
395343
Concept ID:
C1859778
Finding
Slow or limited growth after birth.
Sensorineural hearing loss disorder
MedGen UID:
9164
Concept ID:
C0018784
Disease or Syndrome
A type of hearing impairment in one or both ears related to an abnormal functionality of the cochlear nerve.
Hearing impairment
MedGen UID:
235586
Concept ID:
C1384666
Disease or Syndrome
A decreased magnitude of the sensory perception of sound.
Spinal cord compression
MedGen UID:
11549
Concept ID:
C0037926
Disease or Syndrome
External mechanical compression of the spinal cord.
Syringomyelia
MedGen UID:
21449
Concept ID:
C0039144
Disease or Syndrome
Dilated, glial-lined cavity in spinal cord. This cavity does not communicate with the central canal, and usually is between the dorsal columns unilaterally or bilaterally along the side of the cord.
Delayed speech and language development
MedGen UID:
105318
Concept ID:
C0454644
Finding
A degree of language development that is significantly below the norm for a child of a specified age.
Global developmental delay
MedGen UID:
107838
Concept ID:
C0557874
Finding
A delay in the achievement of motor or mental milestones in the domains of development of a child, including motor skills, speech and language, cognitive skills, and social and emotional skills. This term should only be used to describe children younger than five years of age.
Motor delay
MedGen UID:
381392
Concept ID:
C1854301
Finding
A type of Developmental delay characterized by a delay in acquiring motor skills.
Ventriculomegaly
MedGen UID:
480553
Concept ID:
C3278923
Finding
An increase in size of the ventricular system of the brain.
Micrognathia
MedGen UID:
44428
Concept ID:
C0025990
Congenital Abnormality
Developmental hypoplasia of the mandible.
Pectus carinatum
MedGen UID:
57643
Concept ID:
C0158731
Finding
A deformity of the chest caused by overgrowth of the ribs and characterized by protrusion of the sternum.
Enlarged epiphyses
MedGen UID:
318846
Concept ID:
C1833328
Finding
Increased size of epiphyses.
Irregular vertebral endplates
MedGen UID:
331233
Concept ID:
C1842153
Finding
An irregular surface of the vertebral end plates, which are normally relatively smooth.
Platyspondyly
MedGen UID:
335010
Concept ID:
C1844704
Finding
A flattened vertebral body shape with reduced distance between the vertebral endplates.
Odontoid hypoplasia
MedGen UID:
339524
Concept ID:
C1846439
Finding
The odontoid process, or dens, is a bony projection from the axis (C2) upward into the ring of the atlas (C1) at the top of the spine. During embryogenesis, the body of the odontoid derives from the centrum of the atlas and separates from the atlas, fusing with the superior portion of the axis. If the odontoid is hypoplastic or absent, the attachments for the apical and alar ligaments are missing, allowing for excessive rotation of the atlas, craniocervical instability, and possibly cord compression (summary by Stevens et al., 2009).
Overtubulated long bones
MedGen UID:
338539
Concept ID:
C1848769
Finding
Overconstriction, or narrowness of the diaphysis and metaphysis of long bones.
Flared metaphysis
MedGen UID:
337976
Concept ID:
C1850135
Finding
The presence of a splayed (i.e.,flared) metaphyseal segment of one or more long bones.
Cone-shaped epiphyses of the phalanges of the hand
MedGen UID:
347156
Concept ID:
C1859480
Finding
A cone-shaped appearance of the epiphyses of the fingers of the hand, producing a 'ball-in-a-socket' appearance. The related entity 'angel-shaped' epiphysis refers to a pronounced cone-shaped epiphysis in combination with a pseudoepiphysis at the distal end of a phalanx.
Wide anterior fontanel
MedGen UID:
400926
Concept ID:
C1866134
Finding
Enlargement of the anterior fontanelle with respect to age-dependent norms.
Pectus excavatum
MedGen UID:
781174
Concept ID:
C2051831
Finding
A defect of the chest wall characterized by a depression of the sternum, giving the chest ("pectus") a caved-in ("excavatum") appearance.
Neutropenia
MedGen UID:
163121
Concept ID:
C0853697
Finding
An abnormally low number of neutrophils in the peripheral blood.
Convex nasal ridge
MedGen UID:
66809
Concept ID:
C0240538
Finding
Nasal ridge curving anteriorly to an imaginary line that connects the nasal root and tip. The nose appears often also prominent, and the columella low.
Prominent forehead
MedGen UID:
373291
Concept ID:
C1837260
Finding
Forward prominence of the entire forehead, due to protrusion of the frontal bone.
Narrow nasal bridge
MedGen UID:
1641596
Concept ID:
C4551564
Finding
Decreased width of the bony bridge of the nose.
Prominent superficial veins
MedGen UID:
324870
Concept ID:
C1837785
Finding
A condition in which superficial veins (i.e., veins just under the skin) are more conspicuous or noticable than normal.
Progeroid facial appearance
MedGen UID:
341830
Concept ID:
C1857710
Finding
A degree of wrinkling of the facial skin that is more than expected for the age of the individual, leading to a prematurely aged appearance.
Proptosis
MedGen UID:
41917
Concept ID:
C0015300
Disease or Syndrome
An eye that is protruding anterior to the plane of the face to a greater extent than is typical.
Night blindness
MedGen UID:
10349
Concept ID:
C0028077
Disease or Syndrome
Inability to see well at night or in poor light.
Cataract
MedGen UID:
39462
Concept ID:
C0086543
Disease or Syndrome
A cataract is an opacity or clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its capsule.
Blue sclerae
MedGen UID:
154236
Concept ID:
C0542514
Finding
An abnormal bluish coloration of the sclera.

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVMicrocephalic osteodysplastic dysplasia, Saul-Wilson type

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Matar MM
A A Pract 2019 Aug 1;13(3):93-95. doi: 10.1213/XAA.0000000000001001. PMID: 30907751

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