Hypoglycemia and Dandy-Walker variant in a Kabuki syndrome patient: a case report

Case report: Kabuki syndrome and persistent hypoglycemia in neonates

The Kabuki syndrome (KS) is a rare congenital disease that has two different types, KS1 and KS2, with variant in epigenetic gene KMT2D and KDM6A, respectively. It is associated with multiple abnormalities such as (developmental delay, atypical facial features, cardiac anomalies, minor skeleton anomalies, genitourinary anomalies, and mild to moderate intellectual disability). This syndrome can lead to neonatal hypoglycemia that results from hyperinsulinemia and electrolyte abnormalities. We described 18-month-old Egyptian girl with Kabuki syndrome type 2 presented with persistent hypoglycemia since birth and accompanied by an abnormality in urine concentration, and blood gases showed academia. She was treated medically. The diagnosis was made at the age of five months. Growth failure and developmental delay were noted during the patient's growth. We found that KS2 with heterozygous gene mutation KDM6A, which had related with severe hypoglycemia in neonates. Mostly due to congenital hyperinsulinism for further investigations. We aim to increase the awareness of different genetic diseases that are related to neonatal hypoglycemia and early recognition and treatment to prevent the neurodevelopmental complication and improve the outcome.

The genetic basis of hydrocephalus: genes, pathways, mechanisms, and global impact

Hydrocephalus (HC) is a heterogenous disease characterized by alterations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics that may cause increased intracranial pressure. HC is a component of a wide array of genetic syndromes as well as a secondary consequence of brain injury (intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), infection, etc.) that can present across the age spectrum, highlighting the phenotypic heterogeneity of the disease. Surgical treatments include ventricular shunting and endoscopic third ventriculostomy with or without choroid plexus cauterization, both of which are prone to failure, and no effective pharmacologic treatments for HC have been developed. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the genetic architecture and molecular pathogenesis of HC. Without this knowledge, the development of preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic measures is impeded. However, the genetics of HC is extraordinarily complex, based on studies of varying size, scope, and rigor. This review serves to provide a comprehensive overview of genes, pathways, mechanisms, and global impact of genetics contributing to all etiologies of HC in humans.

Prenatal phenotype of Kabuki syndrome: A case series and literature review

OBJECTIVES

Kabuki syndrome (KS) is a genetic disorder characterized by intellectual disability, facial dysmorphism and congenital anomalies. We aim to investigate the prenatal features of fetuses with KS and to provide a comprehensive review of the literature on prenatal sonographic abnormalities associated with KS.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the prenatal ultrasound findings of all mothers of children with molecularly confirmed KS in Hong Kong, between 1991 and 2019. We also performed systematic review of the literature to identify studies on the prenatal findings in KS.

RESULTS

We identified 11 cases with KS with detectable fetal ultrasound findings ranging from no detectable abnormalities to a variety of non-specific findings including increased nuchal translucency, pleural effusion, cardiac anomalies, renal anomalies, intrauterine growth restriction, polyhydramnios, oligohydramnios and single umbilical artery. In combining our cases with the 77 cases published, 42 (50.6%) of them had more than one abnormal antenatal ultrasound finding. The most frequent ultrasound features observed were cardiac anomalies (49.4%), followed by polyhydramnios (28.9%), genitourinary anomalies (26.5%), single umbilical artery (15.7%), intrauterine growth restriction (14.5%) and hydrops fetalis/pleural effusion/ascites (12.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

These cases demonstrate the prenatal phenotypic heterogeneity associated with KS. Although the ultrasound abnormalities are non-specific, KS should be considered in the differential diagnosis when these fetal findings following normal microarray analysis/karyotyping.