HD PBL 6 Flashcards
Define aneuploidy.
presence of abnormal number of chromosomes in a cell
What is the karyotype of the boy in this scenario?
47 X,Y
With trisomy 21
What are the characteristics of Down’s syndrome?
- physical growth delay
- mild to moderate intellectual disability
- characteristic facial features (slanted eyes, palmar crease)
What are the neurological complications of Down’s Syndrome?
- cognitive impairment
- early onset AD
What are the physical complications of Down’s Syndrome?
- stunted growth
- short stature
- hypotonia
What are the senses affected in Down’s Syndrome?
- strabismus (cross-eyed)
- congenital cataracts
- hearing problems (otitis media)
What are the endocrine complications of Down’s Syndrome?
hypothyroidism
What are the cardiac complications of Down’s Syndrome?
- CHD
- AVSD
- VSD
- ASD
- PDA
- Tetralogy of Fallot
What are the GI complications of Down’s Syndrome?
- Hirschsprung’s
- Duodenal atresia
- Pyloric stenosis
- Imperforate anus
Explain the genetic basis of DS.
- Non-disjunction occurs in 94% of cases
- -> where the chromosomes fail to separate from each other during cell division
- Robertsonian translocation occurs in ~5% of cases
- -> 10-15% recurrence if mother is a carrier and 3-5% if father is a carrier
- Mosaicism in ~1% of cases
- -> when some cells are normal and some have trisomy 21
Explain the mechanism of a Robertsonian translocation.
- due to breakage of 2 acrocentric chromosomes at, or close to, their centromeres
- subsequent fusion of long arms
- short arms of each chromosome are lost
- total chromosome number reduced to 45
- if there is no gain/loss of important genetic material = Robertsonian translocation carrier who will appear norma l
What are the possible outcomes of a Robertsonian 14/21 translocation?
- trisomy 21
- monosomy 14
- trisomy 14
- monosomy 21
(last 3 are lethal)
How can DS lead to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease?
- chromosome 21 carrier amyloid precursor protein
- therefore trisomy 21 may upregulate the formation of amyloid plaques
- autopsies have shown that, by the age of 40, DS individuals have plaques + neurofibrillary tangles
What tests are offered ~8-12 weeks of pregnancy?
- Offer foetal screening for DS (ultrasound)
- ‘combined test’:
1. nuchal translucency
2. serum 𝜷HCG
3. serum pregnancy-associated protein A
(offered up to 13 weeks + 6 days)
What is involved in the ‘triple test’ offered at 15-20 weeks?
- plasma levels of HCG
- unconjugated oestradiol
- alpha-fetoprotein