Familial pulmonary arterial hypertension, leucopenia, and atrial septal defect: a probable new familial syndrome with multisystem involvement

Clin Dysmorphol. 2009 Jan;18(1):19-23. doi: 10.1097/MCD.0b013e32831841f7.

Abstract

We present two siblings with identical clinical findings that seem to represent a previously unreported familial syndrome. Major findings involve three systems: pulmonary arterial hypertension, cardiac abnormalities including secundum-type atrial septal defect, and the hematopoietic system with intermittent neutropenia, lymphopenia, monocytosis, and anemia. The siblings also shared several minor abnormalities: pectus carinatum, long fingers, proximally placed thumb, broad nasal bridge, and high-arched palate. The male proband also had bilateral inguinal hernias and undescended testes. The same findings in two siblings suggest a genetic cause--either an autosomal recessive disorder or germline mosaicism in one parent for a dominant mutation. Investigations revealed a bone morphogenetic protein receptor 2 polymorphism in intron 4 in only one sibling, which was also present in unaffected maternal relatives.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / pathology*
  • Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / pathology*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / physiopathology
  • Infant
  • Leukopenia / pathology*
  • Leukopenia / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Syndrome