Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0026827 (hypotonia)
 5,860 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Obstructive sleep apnea is the underlying cause of a variety of pediatric maladies, including pulmonary hypertension and failure to thrive. In children, unlike adults, obstruction secondary to lymphoid hyperplasia is often encountered; adenotonsillectomy restores airway patency. Patients who fail this procedure, such as children with cerebral palsy and associated muscular hypotonia, may face tracheotomies. We report on 10 pediatric patients with severe mental insufficiency and obstructive sleep apnea in whom palatal hypotonicity and lack of adenotonsillar hypertrophy was identified. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty was performed in conjunction with adenotonsillectomy to enlarge the diameter of the nasopharyngeal inlet with successful resolution of the obstructive symptoms in eight patients. The remaining two children required more surgery. This procedure is presented as a possible alternative to tracheotomy in selected patients.
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PMID:Surgical therapy of obstructive sleep apnea in children with severe mental insufficiency. 232 9

Four infants with Down syndrome developed cor pulmonale and heart failure in association with chronic upper airway obstruction. Features of the sleep apnea syndrome were conspicuous; namely, noisy breathing with retraction, cyanosis and frequent apnea during sleep, and daytime lethargy and somnolence. The clinical picture masqueraded as cyanotic congenital heart disease. Arterial blood gas analyses revealed alveolar hypoventilation, especially during sleep. The nature of the obstructive element was variable. Adenoidectomy provided partial relief in one patient, and tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy resulted in temporary improvement in two others. Three patients were markedly benefitted by tracheostomy. Functional inspiratory pharyngeal closure was demonstrated fluorographically in one patient. Infants with Down syndrome may be predisposed to upper airway obstruction by virtue of hypoplasia of facial and oropharyngeal structures and generalized hypotonia. Additional obstructive elements may be contributed by hypertrophied lymphoid tissue, excessive secretions, and glossoptosis. Removal of the obstructive element is helpful, but functional obstruction may only be relieved by tracheostomy.
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PMID:Alveolar hypoventilation and cor pulmonale associated with chronic airway obstruction in infants with Down syndrome. 645 3

Four children were found to have clinically significant obstructive sleepapnea. Hypertrophy of the nasopharyngeal lymphoid tissue, specifically the adenoid and tonsils causing obstructive sleepapnea in children, is a well defined clinical entity with nocturnal CO2 retention, retarded growth and impaired physical and psychological status. A small number of these children may develop pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale and ultimately death. Children with only moderately enlarged tonsils in association with neuromuscular hypotonia and anatomical defects may also develop this syndrome. Polysomnographic monitoring during natural sleep proved useful in confirming the diagnosis. All patients had improved after surgical relief of airway obstruction. The subjective impressions were documented by objective improvement: normalization of growth curves, ECG improvement of cor pulmonale and improvement of bloodgasses. Increased awareness of obstructive sleepapnea and examination of the sleeping patient and polysomnographic monitoring should result in earlier treatment and less morbidity for children with obstructive sleepapnea.
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PMID:[Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome]. 652 17

Autosomal recessive deficiency of lysosomal acid maltase (GAA) or glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII) results in a spectrum of phenotypes including a rapidly fatal infantile disorder (Pompe's), juvenile, and a late-onset adult myopathy. The infantile onset form presents as hypotonia with massive accumulation of glycogen in skeletal and heart muscle, with death due to cardiorespiratory failure. Adult patients with the slowly progressive form develop severe skeletal muscle weakness and respiratory failure. Particle bombardment is a safe, efficient physical method in which high-density, subcellular-sized particles are accelerated to high velocity to carry DNA into cells. Because it does not depend on a specific ligand, receptor, or biochemical features on cell surfaces, particle-mediated gene transfer can be readily applied to a variety of systems. We evaluated particle bombardment as a delivery system for therapy of GSDII. We utilized a vector carrying the CMV promoter linked to the human GAA cDNA. Human GSDII cell lines (fibroblasts and lymphoid) as well as ex vivo with adult-onset peripheral blood cells (lymphocytes and monocytes) were transiently transfected by bombardment with a Helios gene gun delivering gold particles coated with the GAA expression plasmid. All cell types showed an increase in human GAA activity greater than 50% of normal activity. Subsequently, GAA -/- mice were treated every 2 weeks for 4 months by particle bombardment to the epidermis of the lower back and hind limbs. Muscle weakness in the hind and forelimbs was reversed. These data suggest that particle delivery of the GAA cDNA by the Helios gene gun may be a safe, effective treatment for GSDII.
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PMID:Helios gene gun particle delivery for therapy of acid maltase deficiency. 1244 41

Many phenotypic manifestations have been reported in cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome, but none, to date, are pathognomonic or obligatory. Previous histopathological studies reported findings in skin and hair; no autopsy studies have been published. We report the clinical and autopsy findings of a 7-year-old boy with severe CFC syndrome and malnutrition of psychosocial origin. Manifestations of CFC, reported previously, included macrocephaly and macrosomia at birth; short stature; hypotonia; global developmental delays; dry, sparse thin curly hair; sparse eyebrows and eyelashes; dilated cerebral ventricles; high cranial vault; bitemporal constriction; supraorbital ridge hypoplasia; hypertelorism; ptosis; exophthalmos; depressed nasal bridge; anteverted nostrils; low-set, posteriorly-rotated, large, thick ears; decayed, dysplastic teeth; strabismus; hyperelastic skin; wrinkled palms; keratosis pilaris atrophicans faciei; ulerythema ophryogenes; hyperkeratosis; gastroesophageal reflux; and tracheobronchomalacia. Additional findings, not previously reported, include islet cell hyperplasia, lymphoid depletion, thymic atrophy and congenital hypertrophy of peripheral nerves with onion bulb formations. Although the islet cell hyperplasia, lymphoid depletion, and thymic atrophy are nonspecific findings that may be associated with either CFC or malnutrition, the onion bulb hypertrophy is specific for a demyelinating-remyelinating neuropathy. These findings implicate congenital peripheral neuropathy in the pathogenesis of the developmental delays, feeding difficulties, respiratory difficulties, ptosis and short stature in this case. Additional studies of other cases of CFC are needed.
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PMID:Cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome (CFC) with congenital peripheral neuropathy and nonorganic malnutrition: an autopsy study. 1600 34

Prader Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic condition caused by loss of the paternal copy of a region of imprinted genes on chromosome 15. There is severe muscular hypotonia in the neonatal period, with the onset of hyperphagia and food-seeking behaviour in childhood. All individuals with PWS have developmental delay. Without careful control of food intake and the food environment, individuals with PWS become morbidly obese and are likely to die as young adults from the complications of obesity. The aims of growth hormone (GH) treatment in PWS are distinct from the use of GH in other conditions-although GH does increase final height in PWS, the main benefits of treatment are improved body composition and better exercise capacity, which can help with the aim of preventing obesity. GH trials in PWS have demonstrated improved muscle bulk, reduced fat mass and increased levels of physical activity. GH has also been demonstrated to improve attainment of developmental and cognitive milestones in children with PWS. GH treatment appears to change respiratory status in PWS, possibly because of growth of lymphoid tissue at the start of treatment. Respiratory assessment is recommended prior to, and just after starting GH treatment. Ideal age for starting GH is not clear, although there has been a trend towards starting at younger ages. It may be that GH treatment in childhood confers benefits into adult life. There are less data to support continuing GH treatment into adult life.
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PMID:What is the value of growth hormone therapy in Prader Willi syndrome? 2416 7