Ciliopathy: Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

Abstract

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is an autosomal recessive disease with a prevalence of about 1/125,000. The syndrome involves mixed rod-cone dystrophy (which becomes obvious by 6 years of age). About two thirds of patients have postaxial polydactyly, and sometimes syndactyly, brachydactyly, and/or clinodactyly may be present. Hypogonadism and renal involvement occur in about 40%, mental retardation in about 50%, and truncal obesity in about 70%; it is present early, along with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Vision becomes markedly impaired by about age 30 years. The BBS is genetically heterogeneous entity with considerable phenotypic variability. Other associated problems include CNS-related ataxia, abnormal gait, and facial hypotonia, as well as anomalies such as high palate, hearing loss, and cardiac malformations. In males, there is oligospermia, leading to infertility. Around 50–80% of BBS patients have renal malformations (like cyst, agenesis or scarring) and renal dysfunction leading to end-stage renal disease. There are no pigmentary changes before the age of 1–2 years. Later, subtle pigmentary changes appear in the macula or peripapillary area. Several years later, pigments appear in the equatorial region, along with attenuation of retinal blood vessels and waxy pallor of the optic disc. Eventually, the macula may show atrophic changes (Figs. 33.1, 33.2 and 33.3). Electroretinography (ERG) shows involvement of rods and cones and is abnormal even before the fundus shows changes. A perimacular hyperfluorescent ring can be seen.

Keywords: Bardet-Biedl syndrome; Ciliopathy.