Clinical Description
PLOD1-related kyphoscoliotic Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (PLOD1-kEDS) is characterized by hypotonia, early-onset kyphoscoliosis, and generalized joint hypermobility in association with skin fragility and ocular abnormality. To date, 94 individuals have been identified with biallelic pathogenic variants in PLOD1 [Yeowell et al 2000, Brunk et al 2004, Walker et al 2004, Giunta et al 2005b, Walker et al 2005, Yeowell et al 2005, Yiş et al 2008, Esaka et al 2009, Voermans et al 2009, Kariminejad et al 2010, Gok et al 2012, Busch et al 2014, Tosun et al 2014, Brady et al 2017, Quade et al 2017, Henneton et al 2018, Ni et al 2020, Shin et al 2020, Conti et al 2021, Zhao et al 2021, Colman et al 2022, Yan et al 2022]. The following description of the phenotypic features associated with this condition is based on these reports.
Prenatal. Pregnancy involving an affected fetus may be complicated by premature rupture of membranes.
Neurologic manifestations / development. Muscular hypotonia with muscular weakness is common; weakness may be severe with wrist drop and may lead to upper brachial plexus palsy.
Mild-to-moderate gross motor delay is common. Walking nearly always occurs before age two years. Loss of motor milestones does not occur. Fine motor skills can be affected as well due to weakness and/or joint laxity. Intellect is unaffected.
Musculoskeletal manifestations. Generalized joint hypermobility is present in neonates. Recurrent joint dislocations are a common serious problem. The joints most affected include hips, shoulders, knees, and wrists.
Thoracic (kypho)scoliosis is also common in the neonate. Kyphoscoliosis appears during infancy and becomes moderate to severe in childhood.
Clubfoot (talipes equinovarus) deformities are present at birth in approximately 25% of affected individuals. Pectus deformity is also present with similar frequency.
Osteopenia/osteoporosis occurs in 25% of affected individuals, but its clinical significance is currently unknown.
A marfanoid habitus is often striking, including pectus deformity (~25%), long limbs, and arachnodactyly.
Skin. All individuals with PLOD1-kEDS have hyperelastic and easily stretched skin with velvety texture. The skin is friable with poor wound healing. An estimated 60% of individuals have widened atrophic scarring. Bruising occurs easily in all individuals, and severe bruising occurs in approximately 50%.
Cardiovascular. Both aortic dilatation/dissection and rupture of medium-sized arteries may occur. The rate of progression of aortic root dilatation in PLOD1-kEDS is not known. Mitral valve prolapse is common. Venous ectasia following use of intravenous catheters has been reported [Heim et al 1998]. Antenatal/neonatal brain hemorrhage has been described [Giunta et al 2005b, Rohrbach et al 2011, Tosun et al 2014, Quade et al 2017, Ni et al 2020, Shin et al 2020, Yan et al 2022].
Eyes. Bluish sclerae and refractive errors (high myopia, hypermetropia) are common. Many individuals have microcornea, although its clinical significance is unclear. Ocular fragility (scleral as opposed to corneal), which was observed in the original reports of individuals with procollagen lysyl hydroxylase deficiency [Pinnell et al 1972], is found in a minority of individuals.
Hernias. An equal distribution of umbilical and inguinal hernias is reported.
Other. High palate is also reported.
Prognosis. Life span may be normal. Adults with severe kyphoscoliosis are at risk for complications from restrictive lung disease, recurrent pneumonia, and cardiac failure. Vascular rupture is the major life-threatening complication in this disorder.
Nomenclature
Kyphoscoliotic EDS (or EDS, kyphoscoliotic form) was initially referred to as EDS, oculoscoliotic form after its first description by Pinnell et al [1972].
Prior to the development of the 1998 Villefranche classification, kEDS was known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI (EDS VI) or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VIA (EDS VIA).
Giunta et al [2005a] convincingly demonstrated that Nevo syndrome is part of the spectrum of EDS VI; thus, the term "Nevo syndrome" does not refer to a distinct disorder but is now incorporated into kEDS.
In 2017, the International EDS Consortium proposed a revised EDS classification system. The new nomenclature for EDS, kyphoscoliotic form is kyphoscoliotic EDS, or kEDS [Malfait et al 2017].