MedGen

Hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) is a rare immune disease (see this term) and a potentially life-threatening disorder characterized by cytokine storm and overwhelming inflammation causing fever, hepatosplenomegaly, cytopenia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperferritinemia, and hemophagocytosis in bone marrow, liver, spleen or lymph nodes. It can be either primary due to a genetic defect (primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis ; see this term), or secondary to malignancies, to infections, most commonly with viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus or cytomegalovirus, human immunodeficiency virus, or to autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus or adult-onset Still disease (secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis) (see these termes). [from ORDO]

Altmann (1955) was the first to describe a congenital aural atresia (CAA) classification, which has been modified over the years (Cremers et al., 1988; Schuknecht, 1989; Jahrsdoerfer et al., 1992). In CAA type I, there is bony or fibrous atresia of the lateral part of the external auditory canal and an almost normal medial part and middle ear. CAA type II is the most frequent type and is characterized by partial or total aplasia of the external auditory canal. CAA type IIA involves an external auditory canal with either complete bony atresia of the medial part or partial aplasia that ends blindly in a fistula leading to a rudimentary tympanic membrane. CAA type IIB is characterized by bony stenosis of the total length of the external auditory canal. CAA type III involves bony atresia of the external auditory canal and a very small or absent middle-ear cavity (summary by Feenstra et al., 2011). [from OMIM]

A rare large vessel vasculitis (LVV) characterized by vasculitis predominantly involving the arteries originating from the aortic arch and the extracranial branches of the carotid arteries. Clinical manifestations are variable, the predominant cranial phenotype is characterized by headache, jaw claudication, scalp tenderness and visual symptoms and the predominant LVV type by constitutional symptoms, polymyalgia rheumatica and occasionally limb ischemia. Overlaps between these two phenotypes are common. [from ORDO]

Disorder characterised by abnormal proliferation of trophoblasts during pregnancy, of a type which is invasive or metastatic. [from SNOMEDCT_US]

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is a rare and often aggressive soft tissue sarcoma occurring in a wide range of anatomical sites. [from ORDO]

Malignant growth of cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)or Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), without specification as to location [from NCI]

A form of malignant cancer of the connective tissue surrounding nerves. Given its origin and behavior, it is classified as a sarcoma. [from HPO]

An unusual benign or malignant neoplasm characterized by the presence of neoplastic large polygonal cells with granular, eosinophilic cytoplasm which contains abundant lysosomes. It was originally thought to be a tumor originating from muscle cells and was named granular cell myoblastoma. Subsequent studies have suggested a derivation from Schwann cells. It affects females more often than males and it usually presents as a solitary mass. A minority of patients have multiple tumors. It can arise from many anatomic sites including the posterior pituitary gland, skin, oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, heart, mediastinum, and breast. [from NCI]

Triple A syndrome is an inherited condition characterized by three specific features: achalasia, Addison disease, and alacrima. Achalasia is a disorder that affects the ability to move food through the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach. It can lead to severe feeding difficulties and low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). Addison disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, is caused by abnormal function of the small hormone-producing glands on top of each kidney (adrenal glands). The main features of Addison disease include fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, low blood pressure, and darkening of the skin. The third major feature of triple A syndrome is a reduced or absent ability to secrete tears (alacrima). Most people with triple A syndrome have all three of these features, although some have only two.

Many of the features of triple A syndrome are caused by dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. This part of the nervous system controls involuntary body processes such as digestion, blood pressure, and body temperature. People with triple A syndrome often experience abnormal sweating, difficulty regulating blood pressure, unequal pupil size (anisocoria), and other signs and symptoms of autonomic nervous system dysfunction (dysautonomia).

People with this condition may have other neurological abnormalities, such as developmental delay, intellectual disability, speech problems (dysarthria), and a small head size (microcephaly). In addition, affected individuals commonly experience muscle weakness, movement problems, and nerve abnormalities in their extremities (peripheral neuropathy). Some develop optic atrophy, which is the degeneration (atrophy) of the nerves that carry information from the eyes to the brain. Many of the neurological symptoms of triple A syndrome worsen over time.

People with triple A syndrome frequently develop a thickening of the outer layer of skin (hyperkeratosis) on the palms of their hands and the soles of their feet. Other skin abnormalities may also be present in people with this condition.

Alacrima is usually the first noticeable sign of triple A syndrome, as it becomes apparent early in life that affected children produce little or no tears while crying. They develop Addison disease and achalasia during childhood or adolescence, and most of the neurologic features of triple A syndrome begin during adulthood. The signs and symptoms of this condition vary among affected individuals, even among members of the same family. [from MedlinePlus Genetics]

A malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor occurring during adulthood. [from NCI]

Any neoplasm composed of fibrous tissue. [from HPO]

An abnormal localized widening (dilatation) of the abdominal aorta. [from HPO]

A benign or malignant neoplasm (tumor) of the peripheral nervous system. [from HPO]

A benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor that generally appears as a soft, skin-colored papule or small subcutaneous nodule. Individuals with neurofibromatosis can have numerous neurofibromas. [from HPO]

Hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy is a condition characterized by an abnormal buildup of protein clumps called amyloid deposits in the blood vessels in the brain, causing vascular disease (angiopathy). People with hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy often have progressive loss of intellectual function (dementia), stroke, and other neurological problems starting in mid-adulthood. Due to neurological decline, this condition is typically fatal in one's sixties, although there is variation depending on the severity of the signs and symptoms. Most affected individuals die within a decade after signs and symptoms first appear, although some people with the disease have survived longer.

There are many different types of hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy. The different types are distinguished by their genetic cause, which determines whether areas of the brain other than blood vessels are affected, and the signs and symptoms that occur. The various types of hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy are named after the regions where they were first diagnosed.

The Dutch type of hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy is the most common form. Stroke is frequently the first sign of the Dutch type and is fatal in about one third of people who have this condition. Survivors often develop dementia and have recurrent strokes. About half of individuals with the Dutch type who have one or more strokes will have recurrent seizures (epilepsy).

People with the Flemish and Italian types of hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy are prone to recurrent strokes and dementia. Individuals with the Piedmont type may have one or more strokes and typically experience impaired movements, numbness or tingling (paresthesias), confusion, or dementia.

The first sign of the Icelandic type of hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy is typically a stroke followed by dementia. Strokes associated with the Icelandic type usually occur earlier than the other types, with individuals typically experiencing their first stroke in their twenties or thirties.

Strokes are rare in people with the Arctic type of hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy, in which the first sign is usually memory loss that then progresses to severe dementia. Strokes are also uncommon in individuals with the Iowa type. This type is characterized by memory loss, problems with vocabulary and the production of speech, personality changes, and involuntary muscle twitches (myoclonus).

Two types of hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy, known as familial British dementia and familial Danish dementia, are characterized by dementia and movement problems. Strokes are uncommon in these types. People with the Danish type also have clouding of the lens of the eyes (cataracts) and deafness. [from MedlinePlus Genetics]

A tumor (abnormal growth of tissue) that arises from the soft tissue. The most common types are lipomatous (fatty), vascular, smooth muscle, fibrous, and fibrohistiocytic neoplasms. [from HPO]

A fibroblastic sarcoma is a malignant tumor derived from fibrous connective tissue and characterized by immature proliferating fibroblasts or undifferentiated anaplastic spindle cells. [from HPO]