MedGen

Brugada syndrome is characterized by cardiac conduction abnormalities (ST segment abnormalities in leads V1-V3 on EKG and a high risk for ventricular arrhythmias) that can result in sudden death. Brugada syndrome presents primarily during adulthood, although age at diagnosis may range from infancy to late adulthood. The mean age of sudden death is approximately 40 years. Clinical presentations may also include sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS; death of a child during the first year of life without an identifiable cause) and sudden unexpected nocturnal death syndrome (SUNDS), a typical presentation in individuals from Southeast Asia. Other conduction defects can include first-degree AV block, intraventricular conduction delay, right bundle branch block, and sick sinus syndrome. [from GeneReviews]

Sick sinus syndrome (also known as sinus node dysfunction) is a group of related heart conditions that can affect how the heart beats. "Sick sinus" refers to the sino-atrial (SA) node, which is an area of specialized cells in the heart that functions as a natural pacemaker. The SA node generates electrical impulses that start each heartbeat. These signals travel from the SA node to the rest of the heart, signaling the heart (cardiac) muscle to contract and pump blood. In people with sick sinus syndrome, the SA node does not function normally. In some cases, it does not produce the right signals to trigger a regular heartbeat. In others, abnormalities disrupt the electrical impulses and prevent them from reaching the rest of the heart.

Sick sinus syndrome occurs most commonly in older adults, although it can be diagnosed in people of any age. The condition increases the risk of several life-threatening problems involving the heart and blood vessels. These include a heart rhythm abnormality called atrial fibrillation, heart failure, cardiac arrest, and stroke.

Sick sinus syndrome tends to cause the heartbeat to be too slow (bradycardia), although occasionally the heartbeat is too fast (tachycardia). In some cases, the heartbeat rapidly switches from being too fast to being too slow, a condition known as tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome. Symptoms related to abnormal heartbeats can include dizziness, light-headedness, fainting (syncope), a sensation of fluttering or pounding in the chest (palpitations), and confusion or memory problems. During exercise, many affected individuals experience chest pain, difficulty breathing, or excessive tiredness (fatigue). Once symptoms of sick sinus syndrome appear, they usually worsen with time. However, some people with the condition never experience any related health problems. [from MedlinePlus Genetics]

The term 'sick sinus syndrome' encompasses a variety of conditions caused by sinus node dysfunction. The most common clinical manifestations are syncope, presyncope, dizziness, and fatigue. Electrocardiogram typically shows sinus bradycardia, sinus arrest, and/or sinoatrial block. Episodes of atrial tachycardias coexisting with sinus bradycardia ('tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome') are also common in this disorder. SSS occurs most often in the elderly associated with underlying heart disease or previous cardiac surgery, but can also occur in the fetus, infant, or child without heart disease or other contributing factors, in which case it is considered to be a congenital disorder (Benson et al., 2003). Genetic Heterogeneity of Sick Sinus Syndrome Sick sinus syndrome-2 (SSS2; 163800) is caused by mutation in the HCN4 gene (605206). Susceptibility to sick sinus syndrome-3 (SSS3; 614090) is influenced by variation in the MYH6 gene (160710). Sick sinus syndrome-4 (SSS4; 619464) is caused by mutation in the GNB2 gene (139390). [from OMIM]

Idiopathic generalized epilepsy is a broad term that encompasses several common seizure phenotypes, classically including childhood absence epilepsy (CAE, ECA; see 600131), juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE, EJA; see 607631), juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME, EJM; see 254770), and epilepsy with grand mal seizures on awakening (Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League Against Epilepsy, 1989). These recurrent seizures occur in the absence of detectable brain lesions and/or metabolic abnormalities. Seizures are initially generalized with a bilateral, synchronous, generalized, symmetrical EEG discharge (Zara et al., 1995; Lu and Wang, 2009). See also childhood absence epilepsy (ECA1; 600131), which has also been mapped to 8q24. Of note, benign neonatal epilepsy 2 (EBN2; 121201) is caused by mutation in the KCNQ3 gene (602232) on 8q24. Genetic Heterogeneity of Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy EIG1 has been mapped to chromosome 8q24. Other loci or genes associated with EIG include EIG2 (606972) on 14q23; EIG3 (608762) on 9q32; EIG4 (609750) on 10q25; EIG5 (611934) on 10p11; EIG6 (611942), caused by mutation in the CACNA1H gene (607904) on 16p; EIG7 (604827) on 15q14; EIG8 (612899), caused by mutation in the CASR gene (601199) on 3q13.3-q21; EIG9 (607682), caused by mutation in the CACNB4 gene (601949) on 2q23; EIG10 (613060), caused by mutation in the GABRD gene (137163) on 1p36; EIG11 (607628), caused by variation in the CLCN2 gene (600570) on 3q36; EIG12 (614847), caused by mutation in the SLC2A1 gene (138140) on 1p34; EIG13 (611136), caused by mutation in the GABRA1 gene (137160) on 5q34; EIG14 (616685), caused by mutation in the SLC12A5 gene (606726) on 20q12; EIG15 (618357), caused by mutation in the RORB gene (601972) on 9q22; EIG16 (618596), caused by mutation in the KCNMA1 gene (600150) on chromosome 10q22; EIG17 (602477), caused by mutation in the HCN2 gene (602781) on chromosome 19p13.3; and EIG18 (619521) caused by mutation in the HCN4 gene (605206) on chromosome 15q24. [from OMIM]

Idiopathic generalized epilepsy is characterized by various types of seizures, including childhood and juvenile absence epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, and epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizures upon awakening (EGTCA). EEG often shows spike-wave discharges. EIG18 is an autosomal dominant disorder manifest as myoclonic seizures in infancy. Although the seizures remit, some patients may have later speech or cognitive impairment (summary by Becker et al., 2017 and Campostrini et al., 2018). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE), see 600669. [from OMIM]