Lethal pontocerebellar hypoplasia-hypotonia-respiratory insufficiency syndrome

What it is

A rare multiple congenital anomalies/dysmorphic syndrome characterized by pontocerebellar hypoplasia, hypotonia and respiratory insufficiency. Cardiac anomalies (particularly hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), eye manifestations (congenital cataracts, corneal clouding), seizures and facial dysmorphism (including microcephaly, bitemporal narrowing, absence of eyelashes, short palpebral fissures, small and low-set ears, anteverted nares, microstomia, and micrognathia) are present in the majority of the patients. Additional findings such as hepatosplenomegaly, edema, micropenis/cryptorchidism, hypoglycemia, hypernatremia, increased triglycerides, elevated plasma lactate and decreased plasma cholesterol were reported. Brain imaging may reveal simplified/delayed cortical gyration, dilated ventricles, and periventricular or diffuse white matter abnormalities. It is mostly caused by biallelic deletions in the ATAD3 gene cluster (ATAD3A, ATAD3B and ATAD3C) or by point mutations in the ATAD3A gene. Even though the syndrome is mostly neonatally lethal, some patients, regardless of the type of the mutation/deletion they harbor, may have a less severe condition and may survive.

Key facts

Prevalence

<1 / 1 000 000

Age of onset

Antenatal, Neonatal

Classified as

Clinical syndrome

Prevalence figures describe populations, not individuals, and are often estimates from a single study. Where the figure is an incidence or a birth prevalence, it says so.

Genes reported in subtypes

Orphanet records this gene on 2 more specific entries under this disorder, not on this entry itself:

A well-studied disease is usually split into subtypes, and the gene is curated on whichever one the evidence belongs to. Open a subtype to see which gene goes with it.

ICD-10 codes

ICD-10 has no distinct code for most rare diseases, so many are filed under the nearest available one. A shared code identifies the group, not this disease — the ORPHAcode above is what identifies it.

Related health topics

Reached through the ICD-10 categories this disease is filed under, so these describe the broader group rather than this disease specifically.

Cross-references