A congenital defect of the vasculature such that there is a shunt (by-pass) of blood directly from the portal vein to the vena cava (i.e., the blood from the portal vein is not filtered through the liver).

Infantile liver failure syndrome-2 (ILFS2) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of acute liver failure during intercurrent febrile illness. Patients first present in infancy or early childhood, and there is complete recovery between episodes with conservative treatment (summary by Haack et al., 2015). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of infantile liver failure syndrome, see ILFS1 (615438).

Infantile liver failure syndrome-3 is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of acute liver failure during intercurrent febrile illness. Patients first present in infancy or early childhood, and there usually is complete recovery between episodes with conservative treatment. Affected individuals also have skeletal anomalies of the vertebral bodies and femoral heads (summary by Cousin et al., 2019). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of infantile liver failure syndrome, see ILFS1 (615438).

X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP) has two recognizable subtypes, XLP1 and XLP2. XLP1 is characterized predominantly by one of three commonly recognized phenotypes: Inappropriate immune response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection leading to hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) or severe mononucleosis. Dysgammaglobulinemia. Lymphoproliferative disease (malignant lymphoma). XLP2 is most often characterized by HLH (often associated with EBV), dysgammaglobulinemia, and inflammatory bowel disease. HLH resulting from EBV infection is associated with an unregulated and exaggerated immune response with widespread proliferation of cytotoxic T cells, EBV-infected B cells, and macrophages. Dysgammaglobulinemia is typically hypogammaglobulinemia of one or more immunoglobulin subclasses. The malignant lymphomas are typically B-cell lymphomas, non-Hodgkin type, often extranodal, and in particular involving the intestine.

Immunodeficiency-91 and hyperinflammation (IMD91) is an autosomal recessive complex immunologic disorder characterized by both immunodeficiency and recurrent infections, often to viruses or mycobacteria, as well as by hyperinflammation with systemic involvement. Affected individuals present in infancy with variable features, including fever, infection, thrombocytopenia, renal or hepatic dysfunction, recurrent infections, or seizures. Most patients eventually develop hepatic or renal failure, compromised neurologic function, lymphadenopathy or hepatosplenomegaly, and multiorgan failure resulting in death. More variable features may include intermittent monocytosis, features of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), and serologic evidence of hyperinflammation. The disorder is thought to result from dysregulation of the interferon response to viral stimulation in the innate immune system (summary by Le Voyer et al., 2021; Vavassori et al., 2021).

Cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase deficiency causes a defect in gluconeogenesis that results in a 'biochemical signature' of fasting hypoglycemia with high tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediate excretion, particularly of fumarate. Other biochemical anomalies that may be seen during metabolic crisis include ketonuria, dicarboxylic aciduria, and urea cycle dysfunction (Vieira et al., 2017). See PCKDM (261650) for a discussion of mitochondrial PCK (PEPCK2; 614095) deficiency.

Hepatorenocardiac degenerative fibrosis (HRCDF) is a primarily fibrotic disease affecting the liver, kidney, and heart, with considerable variability in disease onset and expression. Affected individuals develop degenerative hepatic fibrosis in childhood or early adulthood, with variable later onset of fibrocystic kidney disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (Devane et al., 2022).

Severe congenital liver disease (SCOLIV) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by the onset of progressive hepatic dysfunction usually in the first years of life. Affected individuals show feeding difficulties with failure to thrive and features such as jaundice, hepatomegaly, and abdominal distension. Laboratory workup is consistent with hepatic insufficiency and may also show coagulation defects, anemia, or metabolic disturbances. Cirrhosis and hypernodularity are commonly observed on liver biopsy. Many patients die of liver failure in early childhood (Moreno Traspas et al., 2022).