Clinical Description
The defining clinical characteristics of the microcephaly-capillary malformation (MIC-CAP) syndrome are typically present at birth: microcephaly and generalized cutaneous capillary malformations, early-onset intractable epilepsy, and profound developmental delay [Carter et al 2011, Isidor et al 2011, Mirzaa et al 2011, McDonell et al 2013]. Given the small number of affected individuals reported to date (18 individuals from 15 families), the natural history is not yet completely understood.
Microcephaly is present at birth in most cases, with occipitofrontal head circumference ranging from 0 to 8 SD below the mean. Head growth generally decelerates during the first several months of life.
Generalized cutaneous capillary malformations. Growth of capillary malformations (which are present at birth) is commensurate with growth of the rest of the body. They may fade somewhat with age.
Histologic examination shows dilated small-caliber vessels in the papillary dermis consistent with capillary malformations [Carter et al 2011, Mirzaa et al 2012].
Seizures. Onset may be in utero or appear within the first days to months after birth. Seizures are most often observed on the first day of life. Seizures are frequent (dozens to hundreds per day) in the first two years of life and have occurred in all reported individuals.
Multiple seizure types described include focal, tonic, and complex partial, as well as infantile spasms. Electroencephalogram shows diffuse epileptiform activity with frequent multifocal spikes, abnormally slow background activity, and/or burst suppression pattern.
In most individuals, seizures are refractory to anticonvulsant therapy and ketogenic diet. After age two years, the seizures may stabilize to some degree and fewer medications may be required to keep seizures under reasonable control.
Profound neurologic impairment. Developmental progress is minimal. Most individuals do not attain head control or independent sitting due to spastic quadriparesis with severe central hypotonia. Cognitive development is poor, likely because of the underlying brain abnormality and intractable epilepsy.
Individuals are often not visually responsive; those tested have cortical visual impairment and/or optic atrophy.
Most have normal hearing by brain stem auditory evoked potential testing and respond to voice and music.
The majority require gastrostomy tube feeding because of poor swallowing mechanism, poor control of oral secretions, and/or aspiration with recurrent pneumonia. A few (3/18) have required tracheostomy for recurrent apnea and/or to manage secretions.
One individual with molecularly proven MIC-CAP syndrome has only moderate developmental delays (see Genotype-Phenotype Correlations).
Abnormal movements
Vision impairment
Optic atrophy (10/18 reported individuals)
Cortical vision impairment, roving eye movements, and nystagmus (reported in a few individuals)
Other features
Large anterior fontanelle at birth
Small size for gestational age (birth weight and length 2-4 SD below mean)
Postnatal growth deficiency and short stature
Sensorineural hearing impairment (1 individual)
Cerebellar angiomata (1 individual)
Cleft palate (1 individual)
Facial asymmetry due to bony deficiency of maxilla (1 individual)
Adrenal insufficiency (1 individual)
Hypoplastic scrotum and small testes (1 individual)
Kidney malformations (duplicated collecting system in 1 individual; unilateral dysplastic kidney in 1 individual) and vesicoureteral reflux
Structural cardiac defects such as ASD, VSD, PDA, PFO, and mild right ventricular hypertrophy (each reported in 1 individual)
Umbilical or inguinal hernia (2 sibs)
Life span is unknown but shortened because of severe neurologic impairments. The oldest living individual known was 12 years old at last assessment. At least three children have died in infancy. The cause of death in one male age 12 months was thought to be septic shock following acute pancreatitis, possibly secondary to valproate therapy [Carter et al 2011]. The cause of death in others has not been reported.
Neuropathology. In one individual who died at age 12 months, brain autopsy showed a very small brain (weight approximately equivalent to a newborn brain) with disproportionately small cerebral hemispheres compared to the cerebellum, diffuse cortical atrophy, thin corpus callosum, and white matter loss in the centrum semiovale and hippocampi. The descending pathways were hypoplastic with small cerebral peduncles and pyramids. There was widespread gliosis of optic nerves and tracts, lateral geniculate nuclei, visual cortex, and subcortical white matter [Carter et al 2011].