Ehlers-Danlos type IV syndrome in a patient with Down syndrome: simple co-occurrence or true association?

Am J Med Sci. 2006 Jan;331(1):48-50. doi: 10.1097/00000441-200601000-00014.

Abstract

Down syndrome, a common chromosome aneuploidy, has been associated with an increased incidence of cutaneous disorders. The simultaneous occurrence with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is rare. We report here the clinical case of a 19-year-old female patient with Down syndrome (trisomy 21) who was also affected by EDS type IV. She died from spontaneous bleeding due to rupture of nonaneurysmal abdominal aorta. Since the affected chromosomes in these two syndromes are different (21 and 2, respectively), the concomitant appearance of Down syndrome and EDS type IV in our patient, though clinically intriguing, most likely represents a co-occurrence. However, the possibility that a presently unknown link may exist between these syndromes cannot be ruled out.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Down Syndrome / complications*
  • Down Syndrome / genetics
  • Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome / complications*
  • Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome / genetics
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Karyotyping