ESCO2 Spectrum Disorder

Review
In: GeneReviews® [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993.
[updated ].

Excerpt

Clinical characteristics: ESCO2 spectrum disorder is characterized by mild-to-severe prenatal growth restriction, limb malformations (which can include bilateral symmetric tetraphocomelia or hypomelia caused by mesomelic shortening), hand anomalies (including oligodactyly, thumb aplasia or hypoplasia, and syndactyly), elbow and knee flexion contractures (involving elbows, wrists, knees, ankles, and feet [talipes equinovarus]), and craniofacial abnormalities (which can include bilateral cleft lip and/or cleft palate, micrognathia, widely spaced eyes, exophthalmos, downslanted palpebral fissures, malar flattening, and underdeveloped ala nasi), ear malformation, and corneal opacities. Intellectual disability (ranging from mild to severe) is common. Early mortality is common among severely affected pregnancies and newborns; mildly affected individuals may survive to adulthood.

Diagnosis/testing: The diagnosis of ESCO2 spectrum disorder is established in a proband with suggestive clinical findings by identification of either biallelic pathogenic variants in ESCO2 by molecular genetic testing or premature centromere separation (PCS) by cytogenetic testing.

Management: Treatment of manifestations: Individualized treatment aimed to improve quality of life; surgery for cleft lip and/or palate, for correction of limb abnormalities, and to improve proper development of the prehensile hand grasp. Prostheses, speech assessment and therapy, special education for developmental delays, and standard treatment for ophthalmologic, cardiac, and renal abnormalities as indicated.

Surveillance: Periodic assessment of: growth and weight gain; motor and language development; speech development and hearing (in those with cleft lip and palate); and educational needs. Follow up for ophthalmologic, cardiac, and/or renal anomalies per treating physicians.

Genetic counseling: ESCO2 spectrum disorder is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. If both parents are known to be heterozygous for an ESCO2 pathogenic variant, each sib of an affected individual has at conception a 25% chance of inheriting both pathogenic variants and being affected, a 50% chance of inheriting one pathogenic variant and being an unaffected carrier, and a 25% chance of inheriting both normal alleles. When the ESCO2 pathogenic variants have been identified in an affected family member, carrier testing of at-risk relatives, prenatal testing for pregnancies at increased risk, and preimplantation genetic testing are possible.

Publication types

  • Review