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- $Unique_ID{BRK03883}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Ivemark Syndrome}
- $Subject{Ivemark Syndrome Asplenia Syndrome Bilateral Right-Sidedness Sequence
- Splenic Agenesis Syndrome Bilateral Left-Sidedness Sequence }
- $Volume{}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (C) 1989 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
-
- 740:
- Ivemark Syndrome
-
- ** IMPORTANT **
- It is possible that the main title of the article (Ivemark Syndrome) is
- not the name you expected. Please check the SYNONYM listing to find the
- alternate names and disorder subdivisions covered by this article.
-
- Synonyms
-
- Asplenia Syndrome
- Bilateral Right-Sidedness Sequence
- Splenic Agenesis Syndrome
-
- Information on the following diseases can be found in the Related
- Disorders section of this report:
-
- Bilateral Left-Sidedness Sequence
-
- 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.
-
- Ivemark Syndrome is a rare progressive disorder usually evident at birth.
- It is characterized by the absence of a spleen, malformations of the
- cardiovascular system and abnormal displacement of the abdomen and
- intestines.
-
- Symptoms
-
- Ivemark Syndrome is characterized by the absence of the spleen and multiple
- heart, lung, genitourinary and gastrointestinal abnormalities. There may be
- an abnormal displacement of the stomach to the right or left side of the
- body. The lungs are mirror imaged (isomerism) with both resembling a normal
- right lung. The bowel may be rotated improperly and may have an obstruction
- due to a knotting or twisting of the intestinal tract (volvulus). Other
- symptoms may include shortness of breath (dyspnea), a blue discoloration of
- the skin (cyanosis), lack of vitality, generalized wasting and cardiac
- failure due to the severe heart abnormalities. Physical and mental
- development may be retarded.
-
- Diagnosis of Ivemark Syndrome is usually made by blood smears that show
- the presence of smooth, round nuclear particles (Howell-Jolly or Heinz
- bodies) seen in slides of stained red blood cells (erythrocytes).
-
- Causes
-
- The exact cause of Ivemark Syndrome is not known. Some scientists believe
- it may be inherited as 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 show no 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
-
- Ivemark Syndrome is a rare disorder that affects males three times more often
- than females.
-
- Related Disorders
-
- Symptoms of the following disorder can be similar to Ivemark Syndrome.
- Comparisons may be useful for a differential diagnosis.
-
- Bilateral Left-Sidedness Sequence or Polysplenia Syndrome is a rare
- disorder characterized by two or more spleens and multiple abnormalities of
- the heart, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. The stomach may be on either
- side of the body with a liver on both sides. The lungs are mirror imaged
- resembling a normal left lung and the intestines may be malrotated.
-
- Therapies: Standard
-
- Ultrasound examination of a pregnant woman can identify a fetus with Ivemark
- Syndrome prenatally. After birth, antibiotic therapy may be prescribed to
- help reduce the incidence of infection. Surgery may be indicated to relieve
- some of the symptoms or abnormalities associated with this syndrome. Genetic
- counseling may be of benefit for patients and their families. Other
- treatment is symptomatic and supportive.
-
- Therapies: Investigational
-
- This disease entry is based upon medical information available through
- January 1990. 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 Ivemark Syndrome, please contact:
-
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
- P.O. Box 8923
- New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783
- (203) 746-6518
-
- NIH/ National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHHD)
- 9000 Rockville Pike
- Bethesda, MD 20892
- (301) 496-5133
-
- For genetic information and genetic counselling referrals:
-
- March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
- 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
- White Plains, NY 10605
- (914) 428-7100
-
- Alliance of Genetic Support Groups
- 35 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 440
- Chevy Chase, MD 20815
- (800) 336-GENE
- (301) 652-5553
-
- References
-
- MENDELIAN INHERITANCE IN MAN, 7th ed.: Victor A. McKusick; Johns Hopkins
- University Press, 1986. Pp. 826
-
- SMITH'S RECOGNIZABLE PATTERNS OF HUMAN MALFORMATION, 4th ed., Kenneth L.
- Jones, M.D.; W.B. Saunders Co. 1988. Pp. 543.
-
- IVEMARK SYNDROME IN SIBLINGS. R. Hurwitz, et al.; CLIN GENET, (July 1982,
- issue 22 (1)). Pp. 7-11.
-
- PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS OF ASPLENIA/POLYSPLENIA SYNDROME. D. Chitayat, et
- al.; AM J OBSTET GYNECOL, (May 1988, issue 158 (5)). Pp. 1085-1087.
-
- PROLONGED AND FUNCTIONAL SURVIVAL WITH THE ASPLENIA SYNDROME. M. Wolfe,
- et al.; AM J MED, (December 1986, issue 81 (6)). Pp. 1089-1091.
-
- THE ASPLENIA SYNDROME: AN EXPLANATION FOR ABSENCE OF THE SPLEEN. I.
- Monie; TERATOLOGY, (June 1983, issue 27, (3)). Pp. 301-304.
-
- CONGENITAL ASPLENIA: IMMUNOLOGIC ASSESSMENT AND A CLINICAL REVIEW OF
- EIGHT SURVIVING PATIENTS. W. Bigger, et al.; PEDIATRICS, (April 1981, issue
- 67 (4)). Pp. 548-551.
-
- CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES AND ANOMALIES OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT. H.
- Mishalany, et al.; SURGERY (January 1982, issue 91 (1)). Pp. 38-41.
-
- ASPLENIA SYNDROME WITH ATYPICAL CARDIAC ANOMALIES. W. Berman, et al.;
- PEDIATR CARDIOL (1982, issue 3 (1)). Pp. 35-38.
-
-