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$Unique_ID{BRK03968}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Marden-Walker Syndrome}
$Subject{Marden-Walker Syndrome Connective Tissue Disorder Marden-Walker Type
MWS Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita Cerebro-Oculo-Facio-Skeletal Syndrome
Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome }
$Volume{}
$Log{}

Copyright (C) 1992 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

895:
Marden-Walker Syndrome

** IMPORTANT **
It is possible that the main title of the article (Marden-Walker Syndrome)
is not the name you expected.  Please check the SYNONYMS listing to find the
alternate name and disorder subdivisions covered by this article.

Synonyms

     Connective Tissue Disorder, Marden-Walker Type
     MWS

Information on the following diseases can be found in the Related
Disorders section of this report:

     Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita
     Cerebro-Oculo-Facio-Skeletal Syndrome
     Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome

General Discussion

** REMINDER **
The Information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for
educational purposes only.  It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment
purposes.  If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please
contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources"
section of this report.

Marden-Walker Syndrome is a rare connective tissue disorder that is
inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.  Patients with this disorder
typically have a distinct face, a cleft or high-arched palate, bone joints in
a fixed position, growth delay and limited control of muscle movement.
Marden-Walker Syndrome affects males more often than females.

Symptoms

Patients with Marden-Walker Syndrome have distinct facial features including
an abnormality of the jaw, droopy eyelids, a flat bridge of the nose, low-set
ears, and a fixed facial position.

Other characteristics of this disorder are curvature of the spine causing
a hunchback, bent joints that will not move (joint contractures), a cleft or
high-arched palate, growth delay, and slow muscle movement.

Other symptoms of Marden-Walker Syndrome may include a small head
circumference, heart abnormalities, an irregular sexual and urinary system, a
decrease in bone mass, a breastbone that pushes out or sinks in, a small
projecting piece of tissue on the front of the outer ear (preauricular tag),
abnormally small eyes, a short neck, a small mouth and/or a low hairline.

A condition in which extra tissue causes obstruction of the small
intestine (duodenal bands); narrowing of the ring that separates the stomach
from the first part of the small intestine causing a blockage in the flow of
partly digested food (pyloric stenosis); and/or loss of appetite, failure of
the body to absorb nutrients adequately, stomach pain and weight loss caused
by a condition in which there are not enough pancreatic hormones or enzymes
(pancreatic insufficiency) have all been associated with Marden-Walker
Syndrome.

Causes

Marden-Walker Syndrome is inherited through an autosomal recessive trait.
Human traits, including the classic genetic diseases, are the product of the
interaction of two genes, one received from the father and one from the
mother.  In recessive disorders, the condition does not appear unless a
person inherits the same defective gene for the same trait from each parent.
If one receives one normal gene and one gene for the disease, the person will
be a carrier for the disease, but usually will not show symptoms.  The risk
of transmitting the disease to the children of a couple, both of whom are
carriers for a recessive disorder, is twenty-five percent.  Fifty percent of
their children will be carriers, but healthy as described above.  Twenty-five
percent of their children will receive both normal genes, one from each
parent, and will be genetically normal.

Affected Population

Marden-Walker Syndrome is a very rare disorder that affects males more often
than females with a ratio of 11 to 3.  There have been approximately twenty
cases reported in the medical literature.

Related Disorders

Symptoms of the following disorders can be similar to those of Marden-Walker
Syndrome.  Comparisons may be useful for a differential diagnosis:

Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita is a rare congenital disease
characterized by reduced mobility of multiple joints at birth due to
proliferation of fibrous tissue.  Typically the range of motion of the joints
of all limbs is limited.  (For more information on this disorder choose
"Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita" as your search term in the Rare Disease
Database).

Cerebro-Oculo-Facio-Skeletal Syndrome is a genetic degenerative disorder
of the brain and spinal chord that is present at birth.  The disorder is
characterized by an extremely small head, abnormally small eyes, clouding of
the eye's lens (cataract), a horizontally narrow opening between the eyelids,
abnormally large ears, a small jaw, fixed bending of the elbows and knees,
and/or a hunched back.  Cerebro-Oculo-Facio-Skeletal Syndrome is inherited as
an autosomal recessive trait.  (For more information on this disorder, choose
"Cerebro-Oculo-Facio-Skeletal Syndrome" as your search term in the Rare
Disease Database).

Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome is a rare disorder inherited through an
autosomal recessive trait.  People with this disorder have muscles that do
not relax after contracting (myotonia).  The main characteristics of
Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome are abnormal bone formation and abnormalities of the
face and eyes.  Other abnormalities that may be found in some patients with
this disorder are short stature, low birth weight, a short neck, a pigeon
breast, curvature of the spine causing a hunchback and/or a condition in
which the joints are bent and will not move (joint contractures).

Therapies:  Standard

Genetic counseling may be of benefit for patients and their families.  Other
treatment is symptomatic and supportive.

Therapies:  Investigational

Research on birth defects and their causes is ongoing.  The National
Institutes of Health (NIH) is sponsoring the Human Genome Project which is
aimed at mapping every gene in the human body and learning why they sometimes
malfunction.  It is hoped that this new knowledge will lead to prevention and
treatment of genetic disorders in the future.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through
February 1992.  Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to
keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and
accurate.  Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for
the most current information about this disorder.

Resources

For more information on Marden-Walker Syndrome, please contact:

     National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
     P.O. Box 8923
     New Fairfield, CT  06812-1783
     (203)-746-6518

     Coalition of Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue
     c/o National Marfan Foundation
     382 Main Street
     Port Washington, NY  11050
     [phone]

     American Cleft Palate Cranial Facial Association
     1218 Granview Ave.
     Pittsburgh, PA 15211
     [phone]
     (800) 24CLEFT

     Forward Face
     560 First Ave.
     New York, NY  10016
     [phone]
     (800) 422-FACE

     FACES
     National Association For The Craniofacially Handicapped
     P.O. Box 11082
     Chattanooga, TN  37401
     [phone]

     The National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information
Clearinghouse
     Box AMS
     Bethesda, MD  20892
     [phone]

For Genetic Information and Genetic Counseling Referrals:

     March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
     1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
     White Plains, NY 10605
     [phone]

     Alliance of Genetic Support Groups
     35 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 440
     Chevy Chase, MD  20815
     (800) 336-GENE
     [phone]

References

MENDELIAN INHERITANCE IN MAN, 9th Ed.:  Victor A. McKusick, Editor:  Johns
Hopkins University Press, 1990.  Pp. 1309.

BIRTH DEFECTS ENCYCLOPEDIA, Mary Louise Buyse, M.D., Editor-In-Chief;
Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1990.  Pp. 1103-1104.

CONGENITAL MYOPATHY WITH OCULO-FACIAL ABNORMALITIES (MARDEN-WALKER
SYNDROME):  N. Linder, et al.; Am J Med Genet (June, 1991, issue 39(4)).  Pp.
377-9.

EXPANDED SPECTRUM OF FINDINGS IN MARDEN-WALKER SYNDROME:  G.P. Pineda, et
al.; Am J Med Genet (August, 1990, issue 36(4)).  Pp. 495-9.

A 26-MONTH-OLD CHILD WITH MARDEN-WALKER SYNDROME AND PYLORIC STENOSIS:
D. Gossage, et al.; Am J Med Genet (April, 1987, issue 26(4)).  Pp.  915-9.