Nationwide questionnaire data of 229 Williams-Beuren syndrome patients using WhatsApp tool.

BACKGROUND: Williams-Beuren syndrome is a multisystemic disorder caused by a microdeletion of the 7q11.23 region. Although familial cases with autosomal dominant inheritance have been reported, the vast majority are sporadic. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the main complaints and clinical findings of patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome. METHODS: A total of 757 parents of patients registered in the Brazilian Association of Williams-Beuren Syndrome (ABSW) received a questionnaire via WhatsApp from March to July 2017. RESULTS: In total, 229 parents answered the survey. Age of diagnosis ranged from 2 days to 34 years (median: 3 years). The main clinical findings reported by the parents were abdominal colic (83.3%), failure to thrive (71.5%), feeding difficulty in the first year (68.9%), otitis (56.6%), urinary tract infections (31.9%), precocious puberty (27.1%) and scoliosis (15.9%). Cardiac defects were present in 66% of patients, and the most frequent defect was supravalvular aortic stenosis (36%). Arterial hypertension was reported in 23%. Hypercalcemia was reported in 10.5% of patients, mainly during the first year of life. Hyperacusis and hypersociability were common complaints (both present in 89%). Other behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms reported by the parents included attention deficit (89%), anger crises (83%), excessive fear (66%), depression (64%), anxiety (67%) and hypersexuality (33%). The most common complaints were hypersensitivity to sounds, talkative personality, emotional dependence and learning difficulties. In 98.3%, the parents denied family history. CONCLUSIONS: Williams-Beuren syndrome requires close follow-up with different medical specialties due to their variable clinical comorbidities, including language and school learning difficulties, behavioral and psychiatric problems.

Nationwide questionnaire data of 229 Williams-Beuren syndrome patients using WhatsApp tool / Resultados de um questionário nacional de 229 pacientes com síndrome de Williams-Beuren obtidos por WhatsApp

ABSTRACT Background: Williams-Beuren syndrome is a multisystemic disorder caused by a microdeletion of the 7q11.23 region. Although familial cases with autosomal dominant inheritance have been reported, the vast majority are sporadic. Objective: To investigate the main complaints and clinical findings of patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome. Methods: A total of 757 parents of patients registered in the Brazilian Association of Williams-Beuren Syndrome (ABSW) received a questionnaire via WhatsApp from March to July 2017. Results: In total, 229 parents answered the survey. Age of diagnosis ranged from 2 days to 34 years (median: 3 years). The main clinical findings reported by the parents were abdominal colic (83.3%), failure to thrive (71.5%), feeding difficulty in the first year (68.9%), otitis (56.6%), urinary tract infections (31.9%), precocious puberty (27.1%) and scoliosis (15.9%). Cardiac defects were present in 66% of patients, and the most frequent defect was supravalvular aortic stenosis (36%). Arterial hypertension was reported in 23%. Hypercalcemia was reported in 10.5% of patients, mainly during the first year of life. Hyperacusis and hypersociability were common complaints (both present in 89%). Other behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms reported by the parents included attention deficit (89%), anger crises (83%), excessive fear (66%), depression (64%), anxiety (67%) and hypersexuality (33%). The most common complaints were hypersensitivity to sounds, talkative personality, emotional dependence and learning difficulties. In 98.3%, the parents denied family history. Conclusions: Williams-Beuren syndrome requires close follow-up with different medical specialties due to their variable clinical comorbidities, including language and school learning difficulties, behavioral and psychiatric problems.

RESUMO Antecedentes: A síndrome de Williams-Beauren é doença de acometimento multisistêmico causado pela microdeleção da região 7q11.23. Apesar de haver casos familiares com herança autossômica dominante, a grande maioria dos casos é esporádica. Objetivo: Investigar as principais queixas e achados clínicos da síndrome. Métodos: 757 pais de pacientes inscritos na Associação Brasileira de Síndrome de Williams-Beuren (ABSW) receberam um questionário pelo WhatsApp, entre março e julho de 2017. Resultados: 229 pais de pacientes responderam à pesquisa. A idade de diagnóstico variou de 2 dias até 34 anos (mediana: 3 anos). Os principais achados reportados pelos pais: cólicas abdominais (83,3%), deficiência ponderoestatural (71,5%), dificuldade de alimentação no primeiro ano (68,9%), otite (56,6%), infecções do trato urinário (31,9%), puberdade precoce (27,1%) e escoliose (15,9%). Cardiopatias estavam presentes em 66%, sendo que a mais frequente era a estenose pulmonar supravalvar (36%). Hipertensão arterial foi reportada em 23%. Hipercalcemia foi reportada em 10,5%, principalmente no primeiro ano de vida. Hiperacusia e hiperssociabilidade foram achados comuns (89%). Os principais achados comportamentais e psiquiátricos reportados pelos pais foram: déficit de atenção (89%), crises de raiva (83%), medo excessivo (66%), depressão (64%), ansiedade (67%) e hiperssexualidade (33%). As queixas principais referidas foram hipersensibilidade a sons, personalidade excessivamente amigável, dependência emocional e dificuldades escolares. Em 98,3% dos casos os pais negaram história familial. Conclusões: A síndrome de Williams-Beuren é requer um seguimento e manejo estritos, com diferentes especialidades médicas devido às comorbidades clínicas variadas, que incluem dificuldades de linguagem e aprendizagem escolar, além de dificuldades comportamentais e psiquiátricas.

A comprehensive analysis of AHRR gene as a candidate for cleft lip with or without cleft palate.

Cleft lip and palate (CL/P) is among the most common congenital malformations and affects 1 in 700 newborns. CL/P is caused by genetic and environmental factors (maternal smoking, alcohol or drug use and others). Many genes and loci were associated with cleft lip/palate but the amount of heterogeneity justifies identifying new causal genes and variants. AHRR (Aryl-Hydrocarbon Receptor Repressor) gene has recently been related to CL/P however, few functional studies analyze the genotypephenotype interaction of AHRR with CL/P. Several studies associate the molecular pathway of AHRR to CL/P which indicates this gene as a functional candidate in CL/P etiology. METHODS: Systematic Literature Review was performed using PUBMED database with the keywords cleft lip, cleft palate, orofacial cleft, AHRR and synonyms. SLR resulted in 37 included articles. RESULTS: AHRR is a positional and functional candidate gene for CL/P. In silico analysis detected interactions with other genes previously associated to CL/P like ARNT and CYP1A1. AHRR protein regulates cellular toxicity through TCDD mediated AHR pathway. Exposure to TCDD in animal embryos is AHR mediated and lead to cleft palate due to palate fusion failure and post fusion rupture. AHRR regulates cellular growth and differentiation, fundamental to lip and palatogenesis. AHRR decreases carcinogenesis and recently a higher tumor risk has been described in CL/P patients and families. AHRR is also a smoking biomarker due to changed methylation sites found in smokers DNA although folate intake may partially revert these methylation alterations. This corroborates the role of maternal smoking and lack of folate supplementation as risk factors for CL/P. CONCLUSION: This research identified the importance of AHRR in dioxin response and demonstrated an example of genetic and environmental interaction, indispensable in the development of many complex diseases.