Hypertelorism in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease 1A from the common PMP22 duplication: A Case Report

Abstract

The 1.4Mb tandem-duplication in the PMP22 gene at 17p11.2 usually manifests as hereditary sensorimotor polyneuropathy with foot deformity, sensorineural hearing-loss, moderate developmental delay, and gait disturbance. Hypertelorism and marked phenotypic variability within a single family has not been reported. In a single family, the PMP22 tandem-duplication manifested as short stature, sensorimotor polyneuropathy, tremor, ataxia, sensorineural hearing-loss, and hypothyroidism in the 27 years-old index case, as mild facial dysmorphism, muscle cramps, tinnitus, intention tremor, bradydiadochokinesia, and sensorimotor polyneuropathy in the 31 year-old half-brother of the index-patient, and as sensorimotor polyneuropathy and foot-deformity in the father of the two. The half-brother additionally presented with hypertelorism, not previously reported in PMP22 tandem-duplication carriers. The presented cases show that the tandem-duplication 17p11.2 may present with marked intra-familial phenotype variability and that mild facial dysmorphism with stuck-out ears and hypertelorism may be a rare phenotypic feature of this mutation. The causal relation between facial dysmorphism and the PMP22 tandem-duplication, however, remains speculative.

Keywords: Hereditary neuropathy; Nerve conduction; Neuromuscular disorder; Peripheral nervous system.

Figure 1

A 31 years-old Caucasian male carrying the common tandem duplication in the PMP22 gene locus showed hypertelorism and facial dysmorphism. He additionally presented with hereditary neuropathy (HMSN-1A) and liability to pressure palsies.