Congenital secretory chloride diarrhea is an autosomal recessive form of severe chronic diarrhea characterized by excretion of large amounts of watery stool containing high levels of chloride, resulting in dehydration, hypokalemia, and metabolic alkalosis. The electrolyte disorder resembles the renal disorder Bartter syndrome (see 607364), except that chloride diarrhea is not associated with calcium level abnormalities (summary by Choi et al., 2009). Genetic Heterogeneity of Diarrhea Other forms of diarrhea include DIAR2 (251850), caused by mutation in the MYO5B gene (606540) on 18q21; DIAR3 (270420), caused by mutation in the SPINT2 gene (605124) on 19q13; DIAR4 (610370), caused by mutation in the NEUROG3 gene (604882) on 10q21; DIAR5 (613217), caused by mutation in the EPCAM gene (185535) on 2p21; DIAR6 (614616), caused by mutation in the GUCY2C gene (601330) on 12p12; DIAR7 (615863) caused by mutation in the DGAT1 gene (604900) on 8q24; DIAR8 (616868), caused by mutation in the SLC9A3 gene (182307) on 5p15; DIAR9 (618168), caused by mutation in the WNT2B gene (601968) on 1p13; DIAR10 (618183), caused by mutation in the PLVAP gene (607647) on 19p13; DIAR11 (618662), caused by deletion of the intestine critical region (ICR) on chromosome 16p13, resulting in loss of expression of the flanking gene PERCC1 (618656); DIAR12 (619445), caused by mutation in the STX3 gene (600876) on 11q12; and DIAR13 (620357), caused by mutation in the ACSL5 gene (605677) on chromosome 10q25.

Autosomal dominant primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (PHOAD) is characterized by 3 major features: digital clubbing, periostosis, and pachydermia. Patients may also experience joint swelling and pain, and some have reported gastrointestinal symptoms, including watery diarrhea. Males are more commonly affected, and more severely affected, than females (Lee et al., 2016; Xu et al., 2021). Touraine et al. (1935) recognized pachydermoperiostosis (PDP) as a familial disorder with 3 presentations or forms: a complete form with periostosis and pachydermia, an incomplete form without pachydermia, and a forme fruste with pachydermia and minimal skeletal changes. Genetic Heterogeneity Autosomal recessive forms of PHO have been reported (see 259100), including PHOAR2E (614441), which is also caused by mutation in the SLCO2A1 gene. Patients with autosomal recessive PHO do not experience gastrointestinal symptoms.

PHOAR2-enteropathy syndrome (PHOAR2E) is characterized by primary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (PHO) and/or chronic nonspecific ulcers (CNSU) of the small intestine. The cardinal features of PHO are digital clubbing, pachydermia, and periostosis; other manifestations include swelling and pain of the large joints, hyperhidrosis, seborrhea, and acne. CNSU often presents with chronic unexplained anemia and abdominal pain, and patients may exhibit edema due to hypoalbuminemia. Radiologic imaging or endoscopy shows multiple small ulcers, predominantly in the ileum, although the stomach, duodenum, and jejunum are often involved. PHO is more frequent and more severe in male patients, who often also report watery diarrhea, whereas CNSU is more often diagnosed in female patients, who may also show features of PHO such as digital clubbing or arthralgias and swelling of the joints. The same mutations in the SLCO2A1 gene have been reported in patients presenting with either diagnosis, and presumed sex-related modifiers of the manifestations of disease or other genotype/phenotype correlates have yet to be elucidated (Li et al., 2017; Umeno et al., 2018; Hong et al., 2022; Kimball et al., 2024). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PHO, see PHOAR1 (259100).

Autoinflammation with infantile enterocolitis is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by onset of recurrent flares of autoinflammation in early infancy. Affected individuals tend to have poor overall growth and gastrointestinal symptoms in infancy associated with laboratory evidence of activated inflammation. This initial presentation is followed by recurrent febrile episodes with splenomegaly and sometimes hematologic disturbances, arthralgias, or myalgias. The disorder results from overactivation of an arm of the immune response system (Romberg et al., 2014; Canna et al., 2014).

Any neonatal inflammatory skin and bowel disease in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the EGFR gene.

Diarrhea-10 (DIAR10) is a protein-losing enteropathy characterized by intractable secretory diarrhea and massive protein loss due to leaky fenestrated capillaries. Features include early-onset anasarca, severe hypoalbuminemia, hypogammaglobulinemia, and hypertriglyceridemia, as well as electrolyte abnormalities. Some patients exhibit facial dysmorphism and cardiac and renal anomalies. Intrafamilial variability has been observed, and the disease can be severe, with death occurring in infancy in some patients (Broekaert et al., 2018; Kurolap et al., 2018). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of diarrhea, see DIAR1 (214700).

Any secretory diarrhea in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the SPINT2 gene.

Any secretory diarrhea in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the SLC9A3 gene.

Osteootohepatoenteric syndrome (OOHE) is characterized by a variable combination of bone fragility, hearing loss, cholestasis, and congenital diarrhea. Some patients also display mild developmental delay and intellectual disability (Esteve et al., 2018).

Microvillus inclusion disease (DIAR12) is a congenital enteropathy characterized by neonatal-onset intractable secretory diarrhea, resulting in severe dehydration and metabolic acidosis. Patients may tolerate limited enteral feeding, but are dependent on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and require eventual small bowel and/or liver transplantation. Pathologic hallmarks include variable loss of brush-border microvilli, microvillus inclusions, and accumulation of subapical vesicles in villus enterocytes (summary by Wiegerinck et al., 2014). Another form of microvillus inclusion disease, MVID1 (DIAR2; 251850), is caused by mutation in the MYO5B gene (606540). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of diarrhea, see DIAR1 (214700). Mutations in the STX3 gene that affect only isoform A (STX3A) cause DIAR12, whereas mutations in STX3 affecting both STX3A and isoform B (STX3B), which predominates in retinal tissue, cause a syndrome involving severe early-onset retinal dystrophy and MVID (RDMVID; 619446).

Immunodeficiency-87 and autoimmunity (IMD87) is an autosomal recessive immunologic disorder with wide phenotypic variation and severity. Affected individuals usually present in infancy or early childhood with increased susceptibility to infections, often Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), as well as with lymphadenopathy or autoimmune manifestations, predominantly hemolytic anemia. Laboratory studies may show low or normal lymphocyte numbers, often with skewed T-cell subset ratios. The disorder results primarily from defects in T-cell function, which causes both immunodeficiency and overall immune dysregulation (summary by Serwas et al., 2019 and Fournier et al., 2021).

Diarrhea-13 (DIAR13) is characterized by neonatal onset of recurrent vomiting and chronic watery diarrhea, resulting in severe failure to thrive. Supportive treatment includes medium-chain triglyceride (MCT)-based formula and/or total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and symptoms resolve after the age of 18 months (Al-Thihli et al., 2021). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of congenital diarrhea, see DIAR1 (214700).