A rare congenital malformation syndrome, most commonly presenting with hemifacial microsomia associated with ear and/or eye malformations and vertebral anomalies of variable severity. Additional malformations involving the heart, kidneys, central nervous, digestive and skeletal systems may also be associated. The phenotypic spectrum ranges from isolated mild facial asymmetry to severe bilateral craniofacial microsomia and additional multiple extracranial abnormalities. Intelligence is typically normal. The aetiology is poorly understood but is suspected to be heterogeneous and multifactorial. The gene MYT1 (20q13.33) has been implicated in a few rare cases, and chromosomal abnormalities have been associated with some of the congenital malformations associated with this condition. The condition usually occurs sporadically, but autosomal dominant inheritance has been reported.

CHD7 disorder encompasses the entire phenotypic spectrum of heterozygous CHD7 pathogenic variants that includes CHARGE syndrome as well as subsets of features that comprise the CHARGE syndrome phenotype. The mnemonic CHARGE syndrome, introduced in the premolecular era, stands for coloboma, heart defect, choanal atresia, retarded growth and development, genital hypoplasia, ear anomalies (including deafness). Following the identification of the genetic cause of CHD7 disorder, the phenotypic spectrum expanded to include cranial nerve anomalies, vestibular defects, cleft lip and/or palate, hypothyroidism, tracheoesophageal anomalies, brain anomalies, seizures, and renal anomalies. Life expectancy highly depends on the severity of manifestations; mortality can be high in the first few years when severe birth defects (particularly complex heart defects) are present and often complicated by airway and feeding issues. In childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, decreased life expectancy is likely related to a combination of residual heart defects, infections, aspiration or choking, respiratory issues including obstructive and central apnea, and possibly seizures. Despite these complications, the life expectancy for many individuals can be normal.

WT1 disorder is characterized by congenital/infantile or childhood onset of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS), a progressive glomerulopathy that does not respond to standard steroid therapy. Additional common findings can include disorders of testicular development (with or without abnormalities of the external genitalia and/or müllerian structures) and Wilms tumor. Less common findings are congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) and gonadoblastoma. While various combinations of renal and other findings associated with a WT1 pathogenic variant were designated as certain syndromes in the past, those designations are now recognized to be part of a phenotypic continuum and are no longer clinically helpful.

A rare multiple congenital anomalies/dysmorphic syndrome with characteristics of male, 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis, cleft palate, micrognathia, conotruncal heart defects and unspecific skeletal, brain and kidney anomalies.

Heterotaxy ('heter' meaning 'other' and 'taxy' meaning 'arrangement'), or situs ambiguus, is a developmental condition characterized by randomization of the placement of visceral organs, including the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and stomach. The organs are oriented randomly with respect to the left-right axis and with respect to one another (Srivastava, 1997). Heterotaxy is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder. For a discussion of the genetic heterogeneity of visceral heterotaxy, see HTX1 (306955).

Multiple types of congenital heart defects are associated with mutation in the GDF1 gene, including tetralogy of fallot (TOF), transposition of the great arteries (TGA), double-outlet right ventricle (DORV), total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR), pulmonary stenosis or atresia, atrioventricular canal, ventricular septal defect (VSD), and hypoplastic left or right ventricle (Jin et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of multiple types of congenital heart defects, see 306955.

This multisystem disorder is characterized by moyamoya disease, short stature, hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, and facial dysmorphism. Other variable features include dilated cardiomyopathy, premature graying of the hair, and early-onset cataracts. Moyamoya disease is a progressive cerebrovascular disorder characterized by stenosis or occlusion of the internal carotid arteries and the main branches, leading to the development of small collateral vessels (moyamoya vessels) at the base of the brain. Affected individuals can develop acute neurologic events due to stroke-like episodes (summary by Miskinyte et al., 2011). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of moyamoya disease, see MYMY1 (252350).

Visceral heterotaxy-6 (HTX6) is characterized by dextrocardia with or without accompanying complex cardiovascular defects, as well as variable manifestations of visceral heterotaxy, including situs inversus totalis (Perles et al., 2012).

Autosomal visceral heterotaxy-7 is an autosomal recessive developmental disorder characterized by complex congenital heart malformations and/or situs inversus and caused by defects in the normal left-right asymmetric positioning of internal organs. The phenotype is variable (summary by Guimier et al., 2015). For a discussion of the genetic heterogeneity of visceral heterotaxy, see HTX1 (306955).

Autosomal visceral heterotaxy-8 (HTX8) is an autosomal recessive developmental disorder characterized by visceral situs inversus associated with complex congenital heart malformations caused by defects in the normal left-right asymmetric positioning of internal organs (summary by Vetrini et al., 2016). For a discussion of the genetic heterogeneity of visceral heterotaxy, see HTX1 (306955).

WDR26-related intellectual disability (ID) is characterized by developmental delay / intellectual disability, characteristic facial features, hypotonia, epilepsy, and infant feeding difficulties. To date 15 individuals, ages 24 months to 34 years, have been reported. Developmental delay is present in all individuals and ranges from mild to severe. All individuals have delayed speech. Although some begin to develop speech in the second year, others have remained nonverbal. Seizures, present in all affected individuals reported to date, can be febrile or non-febrile (tonic-clonic, absence, rolandic seizures); most seizures are self limited or respond well to standard treatment. Affected individuals are generally described as happy and socially engaging; several have stereotypies / autistic features (repetitive or rocking behavior, abnormal hand movements or posturing, and at times self-stimulation).

Primary ciliary dyskinesia-40 (CILD40) is an autosomal recessive disorder with a relatively mild respiratory phenotype compared to other CILDs. Patients present in childhood with mild upper respiratory symptoms and infections, but typically do not develop serious lung disease. Nitric oxide levels are low-normal or normal. All reported patients have had situs inversus, including several with severe congenital cardiac malformations, but left-right body asymmetry is still theoretically random and would occur in 50% of patients (summary by Loges et al., 2018). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of primary ciliary dyskinesia and Kartagener syndrome, see CILD1 (244400).

Multiple types of congenital heart defects-7 (CHTD7) is an autosomal dominant disorder with incomplete penetrance characterized mainly by tetralogy of Fallot but also including right-sided aortic arch, absent pulmonary valve, and other cardiac abnormalities (Jin et al., 2017, Reuter et al., 2019).

Biliary, renal, neurologic, and skeletal syndrome (BRENS) is an autosomal recessive complex ciliopathy with multisystemic manifestations. The most common presentation is severe neonatal cholestasis that progresses to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Most patients have additional clinical features suggestive of a ciliopathy, including postaxial polydactyly, hydrocephalus, retinal abnormalities, and situs inversus. Additional features of the syndrome may include congenital cardiac defects, echogenic kidneys with renal failure, ocular abnormalities, joint hyperextensibility, and dysmorphic facial features. Some patients have global developmental delay. Brain imaging typically shows dilated ventricles, hypomyelination, and white matter abnormalities, although some patients have been described with abnormal pituitary development (summary by Shaheen et al., 2020 and David et al., 2020).

Visceral heterotaxy-12 (HTX12) is an embryonic developmental disorder characterized by defects in the asymmetric positioning of visceral organs across the left-right axis, known as laterality defects. The phenotype is highly variable, ranging from complete organ reversal (situs inversus totalis) to selective misarrangement of organs (situs ambiguus) such as the liver, spleen, and pancreas. The disorder is often associated with dextrocardia or variable complex congenital heart defects. Early death may occur in the most severe cases (summary by Szenker-Ravi et al., 2022). For a discussion of the genetic heterogeneity of visceral heterotaxy, see HTX1 (306955).