Incidence of cardiovascular events and risk markers in a prospective study of children diagnosed with Marfan syndrome

Unique Features of Cardiovascular Involvement and Progression in Children with Marfan Syndrome Justify Dedicated Multidisciplinary Care

Marfan syndrome (MIM: # 154700; MFS) is an autosomal dominant disease representing the most common form of heritable connective tissue disorder. The condition presents variable multiorgan expression, typically involving a triad of cardiovascular, eye, and skeletal manifestations. Other multisystemic features are often underdiagnosed. Moreover, the disease is characterized by age related penetrance. Diagnosis and management of MFS in the adult population are well-described in literature. Few studies are focused on MFS in the pediatric population, making the clinical approach (cardiac and multiorgan) to these cases challenging both in terms of diagnosis and serial follow-up. In this review, we provide an overview of MFS manifestations in children, with extensive revision of major organ involvement (cardiovascular ocular and skeletal). We attempt to shed light on minor aspects of MFS that can have a significant progressive impact on the health of affected children. MFS is an example of a syndrome where an early personalized approach to address a dynamic, genetically determined condition can make a difference in outcome. Applying an early multidisciplinary clinical approach to MFS cases can prevent acute and chronic complications, offer tailored management, and improve the quality of life of patients.

Pediatric Chest Pain: A Review of Diagnostic Tools in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Pediatric chest pain is a common chief complaint in the emergency department. Not surprisingly, children with chest pain are usually brought to the emergency department by their parents out of fear of heart disease. However, chest pain in the pediatric population is generally a benign disease. In this review, we have identified musculoskeletal pain as the most prevalent etiology of chest pain in the pediatric population, accounting for 38.7-86.3% of cases, followed by pulmonary (1.8-12.8%), gastrointestinal (0.3-9.3%), psychogenic (5.1-83.6%), and cardiac chest pain (0.3-8.0%). Various diagnostic procedures are commonly used in the emergency department for cardiac chest pain, including electrocardiogram (ECG), chest radiography, cardiac troponin examination, and echocardiography. However, these examinations demonstrate limited sensitivity in identifying cardiac etiologies, with sensitivities ranging from 0 to 17.8% for ECG and 11.0 to 17.2% for chest radiography. To avoid the overuse of these diagnostic tools, a well-designed standardized algorithm for pediatric chest pain could decrease unnecessary examination without missing severe diseases.

Echogenomics: Echocardiography in Heritable Aortopathies

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this article is to review the current echocardiographic considerations in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with inherited aortopathies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Aortic dilation is a key feature in heritable aortopathies, and dissection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. New genetic and histopathologic findings are helpful in better understanding these conditions. Non-invasive imaging modalities, including echocardiogram, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, are essential in monitoring these patients, as well as providing new prognostic factors of arterial stiffness that may help with risk stratification in the future. Diagnosis of heritable aortopathies should be considered with identification of aortic root dilation, particularly in children and young adults, or when there is a family history of aortic disease. Recent adult consensus guidelines highlight the importance of underlying genotype and phenotypic features when considering prophylactic surgical intervention. There are currently no consensus pediatric guidelines.

Marfan syndrome in a Ghanaian male: The diagnostic challenges

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominantly inherited condition that has varying phenotypic expressions. This case report describes one such African patient, from Ghana, who had typical clinical and imaging traits of MFS but was first diagnosed incidentally at the age of 23 years. In this report, we explore the challenges of early diagnosis in this population.

Genetic Basis, New Diagnostic Approaches, and Updated Therapeutic Strategies of the Syndromic Aortic Diseases: Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, and Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Syndromic aortic diseases (SADs) encompass various pathological manifestations affecting the aorta caused by known genetic factors, such as aneurysms, dissections, and ruptures. However, the genetic mutation underlying aortic pathology also gives rise to clinical manifestations affecting other vessels and systems. As a consequence, the main syndromes currently identified as Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, and vascular Ehlers-Danlos are characterized by a complex clinical picture. In this contribution, we provide an overview of the genetic mutations currently identified in order to have a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms. Moreover, an update is presented on the basis of the most recent diagnostic criteria, which enable an early diagnosis. Finally, therapeutic strategies are proposed with the goal of improving the rates of patient survival and the quality of life of those affected by these SADs.

Growth of the aortic root in children and young adults with Marfan syndrome

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim was to gain insight into the growth of the aortic root in children and young adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS). Furthermore, we aimed to identify a clinical profile of patients with MFS who require an aortic root replacement at a young age with specific interest in age, sex, height and fibrillin-1 (FBN1) genotype.

METHODS

Aortic root dimensions of 97 patients with MFS between 0 year and 20 years and 30 controls were serially assessed with echocardiography. Trends were analysed using a linear mixed-effect model. Additionally, including only patients with MFS, we allowed trends to differ by sex, aortic root replacement and type of FBN1 mutation.

RESULTS

Average aortic root dilatation in patients with MFS became more pronounced after the age of 8 years. In the MFS cohort, male patients had a significantly greater aortic root diameter than female patients, which was in close relationship with patient height. There was no difference in aortic root growth between children with dominant negative (DN) or haploinsufficient FBN1 mutations. However, DN-FBN1 variants resulting in loss of cysteine content were associated with a more severe phenotype. Eleven children needed an aortic root replacement. Compared with patients with MFS without aortic root surgery, these children had a significantly larger aortic root diameter from an early age.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides clinically useful longitudinal growth charts on aortic root growth in children and young adults with MFS. Children requiring prophylactic aortic root replacement during childhood can be identified at a young age. Our growth charts can help clinicians in decision making with regard to follow-up and prophylactic therapy. Loss of cysteine content in the FBN1 protein was associated with larger aortic root dimensions.

Femtosecond Laser Combined with Double-Flange Polypropylene Suture Capsular Tension Ring Suspension for the Treatment of Subluxation of Lens in Marfan Syndrome

Purpose

To evaluate the use of femtosecond laser combined with double-flange polypropylene suture capsular tension ring (CTR) suspension to treat subluxation of lens in Marfan syndrome. The objective is to provide safer and more effective surgical procedures for patients. Setting. Eye Hospital, Aier Eye Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

Methods

In this retrospective study, we observed sixteen patients (16 eyes) with Marfan syndrome who had undergone this operation. Femtosecond laser incision was performed on the anterior capsule with the lens as the center. The suspending CTR was clipped to anterior capsule to support it, which was secured to the sclera with a double-flange polypropylene suture. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), tilt, and decentration of the intraocular lens (IOL) and postoperative complications were evaluated.

Results

All 16 patients were successfully implanted with suspended CTR and IOL after femtosecond laser assisted surgery. Visual acuity improved significantly after surgery (p < 0.01). At 1 month, 3 months and 6 months postoperatively, the tilt of the IOL was 2.70 ± 0.934, 2.65 ± 0.897, and 2.66 ± 0.781, and the decentration of the IOL was 0.30 ± 0.770, 0.30 ± 0.682, and 0.29 ± 0.737; both had no statistically significant difference between the three groups. After the operation, 4 patients had hyphema and 2 patients experienced a temporary postoperative IOP increase. Only one flange was exposed one month after operation and recovered right after secondary adjustment.

Conclusion

Femtosecond laser combined with double-flange polypropylene suture CTR suspension was effective in fixing the lens capsule to the scleral wall in cases of subluxation of lens seen in Marfan syndrome during our short-term observation. The long-term efficacy of this operation needs further observation and follow-up.

Marfan syndrome

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant, age-related but highly penetrant condition with substantial intrafamilial and interfamilial variability. MFS is caused by pathogenetic variants in FBN1, which encodes fibrillin-1, a major structural component of the extracellular matrix that provides support to connective tissues, particularly in arteries, the pericondrium and structures in the eye. Up to 25% of individuals with MFS have de novo variants. The most prominent manifestations of MFS are asymptomatic aortic root aneurysms, aortic dissections, dislocation of the ocular lens (ectopia lentis) and skeletal abnormalities that are characterized by overgrowth of the long bones. MFS is diagnosed based on the Ghent II nosology; genetic testing confirming the presence of a FBN1 pathogenetic variant is not always required for diagnosis but can help distinguish MFS from other heritable thoracic aortic disease syndromes that can present with skeletal features similar to those in MFS. Untreated aortic root aneurysms can progress to life-threatening acute aortic dissections. Management of MFS requires medical therapy to slow the rate of growth of aneurysms and decrease the risk of dissection. Routine surveillance with imaging techniques such as transthoracic echocardiography, CT or MRI is necessary to monitor aneurysm growth and determine when to perform prophylactic repair surgery to prevent an acute aortic dissection.

Aortic regurgitation in Marfan syndrome patients who underwent prophylactic surgery: A single-center experience

BACKGROUND

Marfan syndrome is an inherited connective tissue disease that causes aortic root dilatation and dissection and requires surgical intervention. Apart from emergent surgery for aortic dissection or aortic aneurysmal rupture, prophylactic surgical intervention can also be administered, depending on the severity of aortic root dilatation. The direct relationship between surgical intervention and aortic regurgitation was seldom mentioned in previous studies.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was designed to determine the clinical presentations of prophylactic surgery in patients with Marfan syndrome. Between January 2009 and May 2019, 112 patients, adolescents and young adults, treated in the Department of Pediatric Cardiology of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, were enrolled. All patients' sex, body measurements, echocardiography reports, and surgical notes were collected for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

Among the participants, nine patients (8%) underwent the Bentall procedure, and the other 103 did not receive surgical intervention. The operation group had a larger aortic root size (4.89 vs 2.86 cm, p < 0.001), more dilated left ventricle (4.81 vs 4.1 cm, p = 0.002), and higher prevalence of moderate and severe aortic regurgitation (66% vs 1%, p < 0.001) than the nonoperation group.

CONCLUSION

Among adolescents and young adults with Marfan syndrome, echocardiographic presentation of aortic root dilatation, left ventricular dilatation, and significant aortic regurgitation was significantly associated with prophylactic surgical intervention. According to the study, significant aortic regurgitation should also be considered as an important indication for prophylactic surgery.

The Molecular Genetics of Marfan Syndrome

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a complex connective tissue disease that is primarily characterized by cardiovascular, ocular and skeletal systems disorders. Despite its rarity, MFS severely impacts the quality of life of the patients. It has been shown that molecular genetic factors serve critical roles in the pathogenesis of MFS. FBN1 is associated with MFS and the other genes such as FBN2, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) receptors (TGFBR1 and TGFBR2), latent TGF-β-binding protein 2 (LTBP2) and SKI, amongst others also have their associated syndromes, however high overlap may exist between these syndromes and MFS. Abnormalities in the TGF-β signaling pathway also contribute to the development of aneurysms in patients with MFS, although the detailed molecular mechanism remains unclear. Mutant FBN1 protein may cause unstableness in elastic structures, thereby perturbing the TGF-β signaling pathway, which regulates several processes in cells. Additionally, DNA methylation of FBN1 and histone acetylation in an MFS mouse model demonstrated that epigenetic factors play a regulatory role in MFS. The purpose of the present review is to provide an up-to-date understanding of MFS-related genes and relevant assessment technologies, with the aim of laying a foundation for the early diagnosis, consultation and treatment of MFS.