Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is characterized by arterial, intestinal, and/or uterine fragility; thin, translucent skin; easy bruising; characteristic facial appearance (thin vermilion of the lips, micrognathia, narrow nose, prominent eyes); and an aged appearance to the extremities, particularly the hands. Vascular dissection or rupture, gastrointestinal perforation, or organ rupture are the presenting signs in most adults with vEDS. Arterial rupture may be preceded by aneurysm, arteriovenous fistulae, or dissection but also may occur spontaneously. The majority (60%) of individuals with vEDS who are diagnosed before age 18 years are identified because of a positive family history. Neonates may present with clubfoot, hip dislocation, limb deficiency, and/or amniotic bands. Approximately half of children tested for vEDS in the absence of a positive family history present with a major complication at an average age of 11 years. Four minor diagnostic features – distal joint hypermobility, easy bruising, thin skin, and clubfeet – are most often present in those children ascertained without a major complication.

PLOD1-related kyphoscoliotic Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (kEDS) is an autosomal recessive generalized connective tissue disorder characterized by hypotonia, early-onset kyphoscoliosis, and generalized joint hypermobility in association with skin fragility and ocular abnormality. Intelligence is normal. Life span may be normal, but affected individuals are at risk for rupture of medium-sized arteries. Adults with severe kyphoscoliosis are at risk for complications from restrictive lung disease, recurrent pneumonia, and cardiac failure.

Connective tissue disorder due to lysyl hydroxylase-3 deficiency is a rare, genetic disease, caused by lack of lysyl hydrohylase 3 (LH3) activity, characterized by multiple tissue and organ involvement, including skeletal abnormalities (club foot, progressive scoliosis, osteopenia, pathologic fractures), ocular involvement (flat retinae, myopia, cataracts) and hair, nail and skin anomalies (coarse, abnormally distributed hair, skin blistering, reduced palmar creases, hypoplastic nails). Patients also present intrauterine growth retardation, facial dysmorphism (flat facial profile, low-set ears, shallow orbits, short and upturned nose, downturned corners of mouth) and joint flexion contractures. Growth and developmental delay, bilateral sensorineural deafness, friable diaphragm and later-onset spontaneous vascular ruptures are additional reported features.

Combined osteogenesis imperfecta and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome-1 (OIEDS1) is an autosomal dominant generalized connective tissue disorder characterized by features of both osteogenesis imperfecta (bone fragility, long bone fractures, blue sclerae) and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (joint hyperextensibility, soft and hyperextensible skin, abnormal wound healing, easy bruising, vascular fragility) (summary by Cabral et al., 2007; Malfait et al., 2013). Genetic Heterogeneity of Combined Osteogenesis Imperfecta and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Also see OIEDS2 (619120), caused by mutation in the COL1A2 gene (120160) on chromosome 7q21.

Combined osteogenesis imperfecta and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome-2 (OIEDS2) is an autosomal dominant generalized connective tissue disorder characterized by features of both osteogenesis imperfecta (bone fragility, long bone fractures, blue sclerae) and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (joint hyperextensibility, soft and hyperextensible skin, abnormal wound healing, easy bruising, vascular fragility) (summary by Raff et al., 2000 and Malfait et al., 2013). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of combined osteogenesis imperfecta and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, see 619115.