Severe congenital thrombocytopaenia--first clinical manifestation of Noonan syndrome

Genetic conditions of short stature: A review of three classic examples

Noonan, Turner, and Prader-Willi syndromes are classical genetic disorders that are marked by short stature. Each disorder has been recognized for several decades and is backed by extensive published literature describing its features, genetic origins, and optimal treatment strategies. These disorders are accompanied by a multitude of comorbidities, including cardiovascular issues, endocrinopathies, and infertility. Diagnostic delays, syndrome-associated comorbidities, and inefficient communication among the members of a patient's health care team can affect a patient's well-being from birth through adulthood. Insufficient information is available to help patients and their multidisciplinary team of providers transition from pediatric to adult health care systems. The aim of this review is to summarize the clinical features and genetics associated with each syndrome, describe best practices for diagnosis and treatment, and emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary teams and appropriate care plans for the pediatric to adult health care transition.

Severe thrombocytopenia and intracranial hemorrhage in a newborn with Noonan syndrome and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia

Noonan syndrome (NS) is a genetic disorder with distinctive physical features and often multiple organ involvement. Bleeding disorders are reported in over half of patients with NS, including thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction. Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) is an alloantigenic thrombocytopenia that can present with severe bleeding. Here, we present a case of intracranial hemorrhage and severe thrombocytopenia in a neonate found to have both NAIT and a de novo heterozygous pathogenic variant in PTPN11, consistent with Noonan syndrome.

Prolonged thrombocytopenia in a neonate with Noonan syndrome: a case report

We report a case of a Chinese neonate who was diagnosed with Noonan syndrome and had persistent, self-limited thrombocytopenia. The neonate was admitted to the Neonatology Department 20 minutes after birth because of respiratory distress. From birth until 2 months of age, platelet values fluctuated between approximately 6 and 30 × 10⁹/L. There was no intracranial hemorrhage. However, the child had a transient hypocalcemic seizure and fever. We excluded thrombocytopenia caused by perinatal asphyxia, immune thrombocytopenia, fetomaternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, and chromosome 13, 18, and 21 trisomy syndromes. Despite treatment with anti-infective agents and transfusion of platelets and immunoglobulin, the platelet count did not return to the normal range. Genetic testing confirmed a PTPN11 gene mutation, which led to the diagnosis of Noonan syndrome. At 3 months of age, the platelet count gradually increased without intervention and returned to the normal range by 6 months. We speculate that the thrombocytopenia in this case was closely related to Noonan syndrome.

Rapid detection by hydrops panel of Noonan syndrome with PTPN11 mutation (p.Thr73Ile) and persistent thrombocytopenia

BACKGROUND

Nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) is still a challenging diagnosis. The differential diagnosis is extensive and the success of identifying a cause depends on the thoroughness of efforts to establish a diagnosis. For the early diagnosis of NIHF, a virtual gene panel diagnostic tool was developed. The female premature baby in question was delivered via emergency cesarean at 30 + 1 weeks of gestational age (GA) due to rapidly developing NIHF to a healthy mother. The family history was noncontributory.

METHODS

DNA of the family was extracted and sequenced by the virtual hydrops panel with whole-exome sequencing.

RESULTS

The hydrops panel revealed Noonan syndrome (NS) with a germline mutation in PTPN11 c.218C>T (p.Thr73Ile).

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of our patient was rapidly confirmed by the hydrops panel. The variant of c.218C>T (p.Thr73Ile) has not yet been described in literature relating to NIHF. Only a few case reports of this variant are known. This particular mutation is associated with Noonan syndrome, congenital heart defect and persistent thrombocytopenia. Few reveal juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia.

JMML genomics and decisions

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a unique clonal hematopoietic disorder of early childhood characterized by hyperactivation of the RAS signal transduction pathway. Approximately 90% of patients harbor molecular alteration in 1 of 5 genes (PTPN11, NRAS, KRAS, NF1, CBL), which define genetically and clinically distinct JMML subtypes. Three subtypes, PTPN11- , NRAS-, and KRAS-mutated JMML, are characterized by heterozygous somatic gain-of-function mutations in non syndromic children, while two subtypes, JMML in neurofibromatosis type 1 and in JMML in children with CBL syndrome, are characterized by germ line RAS disease and acquired biallelic inactivation of the respective tumor suppressor genes in hematopoietic cells. In addition to the initiating RAS pathway lesion, secondary genetic alterations within and outside of the RAS pathway are detected in about half the patients. Most recently, genome-wide DNA methylation profiles identified distinct methylation signatures correlating with clinical and genetic features and highly predictive of outcome. JMML is a stem cell disorder, and most JMML patients require allogeneic stem cell transplantation for long-term survival. However, spontaneous disease regression is noted in the majority of children with CBL-mutated JMML and in some NRAS-mutated cases. In the absence of 1 of the 5 canonical RAS pathway alteration, rare mutations in other RAS genes and non-JMML myeloproliferative disorders need to be excluded. Understanding the genetic basis of myeloproliferative disorders in early childhood will greatly improve clinical decision making.

Evaluation of bleeding disorders in patients with Noonan syndrome: a systematic review

Background

Noonan syndrome (NS) is an autosomal dominant genetic condition that has a number of clinical features, including bleeding diathesis and a number of hematological abnormalities including clotting factor deficiencies, von Willebrand disease and abnormal platelet count/function.

Methods

We evaluated the frequency/types of bleeding disorders, and associated hematological laboratory findings, in patients with NS, using published data from 1965 to 2014.

Results

Of 45 studies identified, 31 included data for 428 patients with NS. Of these patients, 43% had reported bleeding, 26% had no reported bleeding and no bleed data was reported for 31%. Most patients (90%) had bleeding-related laboratory test abnormalities, but only 194 (45%) had a confirmed diagnosis of a specific bleeding disorder. Abnormal laboratory tests included: prolonged prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and other platelet-related disorders. Of the 194 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of a specific bleeding disorder, 153 (79%) had single clotting factor deficiencies, von Willebrand disease or platelet-related disorders, and 41 (21%) had multiple deficiencies including platelet-related disorders.

Conclusion

As patients with NS can experience multiple bleeding disorders, including abnormal platelet function, clinical evaluations should be performed at diagnosis, after diagnosis, before any surgery is undertaken, and if patients become symptomatic.

CHD associated with syndromic diagnoses: peri-operative risk factors and early outcomes

CHD is frequently associated with a genetic syndrome. These syndromes often present specific cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular co-morbidities that confer significant peri-operative risks affecting multiple organ systems. Although surgical outcomes have improved over time, these co-morbidities continue to contribute substantially to poor peri-operative mortality and morbidity outcomes. Peri-operative morbidity may have long-standing ramifications on neurodevelopment and overall health. Recognising the cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular risks associated with specific syndromic diagnoses will facilitate expectant management, early detection of clinical problems, and improved outcomes--for example, the development of syndrome-based protocols for peri-operative evaluation and prophylactic actions may improve outcomes for the more frequently encountered syndromes such as 22q11 deletion syndrome.