Clinical Description
SRCAP-related Floating-Harbor syndrome (SRCAP-FHS) is characterized by typical craniofacial features; growth deficiency (low birth weight, normal head circumference, and proportionate short stature); bone age delay that normalizes between ages six and 12 years; skeletal anomalies (brachydactyly, broad fingertips, clinodactyly, short thumbs, prominent joints, and clavicular abnormalities); severe receptive and expressive language impairment; hypernasality and high-pitched voice; and intellectual disability that is typically mild to moderate. Difficulties with temperament and behavior, present in many children, tend to improve in adulthood. To date, more than 100 individuals have been identified with SRCAP-FHS [Hood et al 2012, Le Goff et al 2013, Nikkel et al 2013, Dong et al 2014, Kehrer et al 2014, Nagasaki et a 2014, Seifert et al 2014, Amita et al 2016, Coughlin et al 2017, Singh et al 2017, Budisteanu et al 2018, Choi et al 2018, Milani et al 2018, Homma et al 2019, Li et al 2019, Shields et al 2019, Zhang et al 2019, Ko et al 2020, Singana et al 2020, Bo et al 2021, Ercoskun & Yuce-Kahraman 2021, Turkunova et al 2022, Yang et al 2023, Alanis et al 2024, Çetinkaya et al 2024, Dobrzynski et al 2024, Jeon et al 2024, Saeed & Alsayer 2024, He et al 2025]. The following description of the phenotypic features associated with this condition is based on these reports.
Craniofacial features.
SRCAP-FHS is frequently recognized in early childhood because of the characteristic facial features including triangular face, deep-set eyes, short philtrum, wide mouth with thin vermilion of the upper lip, long nose with narrow bridge, broad base, broad tip, and low-hanging columella, and low-set ears (see ). The craniofacial features become more pronounced with age, especially the length of the nose and the width of the nasal tip.
Growth. The majority of individuals with SRCAP-FHS have low birth weight (range: 0-3 standard deviations [SD] below the mean for age and sex) and normal head circumference (range: 0-2 SD below the mean). In the first years of life, weight gain and linear growth are poor. Short stature is a cardinal sign of SRCAP-FHS. A significant delay in bone age is reported (≥2 SD below the mean), with normalization between ages six and 12 years. Average adult height is 140-155 cm.
Intellect. Although gross motor and fine motor milestones are within normal limits, affected individuals typically have mild-to-moderate intellectual disability. A disorder of speech and language is the most severe disability. Most aspects of communication are affected; expressive language is most consistently and severely affected. Dysarthria and verbal dyspraxia with phoneme imprecision are most common, with absent speech in some individuals. Voice is described as hypernasal and high-pitched. The majority of affected children receive mainstream education with individualized educational plans. Regression of skills is not typical in individuals with SRCAP-FHS.
Behavior. Many individuals with SRCAP-FHS have temperament and behavior differences and difficulties: temper tantrums in infancy and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder spectrum with impulsivity, inattention, and restlessness at school age. Aggressive and violent outbursts can occur. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety have been observed. Behavior problems are reported to improve in adulthood.
Puberty. Early puberty has been reported; data are insufficient to determine the incidence in either sex.
Eyes. Five of the described 105 individuals have been reported with hyperopia and eight of 13 with strabismus. Two individuals had anterior chamber abnormalities [Alanis et al 2024].
Hearing. Conductive hearing loss has been seen in 11 of the reported individuals with SRCAP-FHS. Cochlear abnormality has been observed in one individual.
Neurologic. Seizures have been observed in seven of the reported individuals.
Gastrointestinal. Reflux can be severe, requiring gastrostomy tube feeding in some. Constipation and colonic strictures have been observed. One individual had celiac disease; two had transient gluten intolerance.
Renal and genitourinary anomalies can occur and include hypospadias and undescended testes, epididymal cysts, varicocele, and posterior urethral valves in boys. Hydronephrosis / renal pelviectasis and nephrocalcinosis, renal cysts, and renal agenesis have been observed. One adult developed polycystic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease.
Orthopedic. The body habitus is often stocky with a broad chest and short neck. Additional features include hand/digit anomalies such as clinodactyly, brachydactyly, short thumbs, and broad fingertips that give the appearance of clubbing (see ). Clavicular anomalies including pseudarthrosis and clavicular hypoplasia have been observed, as have short metacarpals, 11 pairs of ribs, kyphoscoliosis, prominent joints, dysplastic hips, and dislocated radial heads. Perthes disease has also been reported.
Dental. A number of individuals with SRCAP-FHS have dental problems (e.g., increased caries, microdontia, oligodontia, delayed loss of primary teeth) and orthodontic problems (e.g., maxillary retrusion and underbite).
Cardiac. Cardiac malformations are not usually a feature of SRCAP-FHS. Of the reported affected individuals, one had mild aortic coarctation, one had mesocardia with persistent left superior vena cava, two had atrial septal defect, and one had tetralogy of Fallot.