Deficiency of lysosomal acid lipase causes 2 distinct phenotypes in humans: Wolman disease (WOLD; 620151) and cholesteryl ester storage disease (CESD). WOLD is an early-onset fulminant disorder of infancy with massive infiltration of the liver, spleen, and other organs by macrophages filled with cholesteryl esters and triglycerides. Death occurs early in life. CESD is a milder, later-onset disorder with primary hepatic involvement by macrophages engorged with cholesteryl esters. This slowly progressive visceral disease has a wide spectrum of involvement ranging from early onset with severe cirrhosis to later onset of more slowly progressive hepatic disease with survival into adulthood (summary by Du et al., 2001).

The clinical manifestations of glycogen storage disease type IV (GSD IV) discussed in this entry span a continuum of different subtypes with variable ages of onset, severity, and clinical features. Clinical findings vary extensively both within and between families. The fatal perinatal neuromuscular subtype presents in utero with fetal akinesia deformation sequence, including decreased fetal movements, polyhydramnios, and fetal hydrops. Death usually occurs in the neonatal period. The congenital neuromuscular subtype presents in the newborn period with profound hypotonia, respiratory distress, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Death usually occurs in early infancy. Infants with the classic (progressive) hepatic subtype may appear normal at birth, but rapidly develop failure to thrive; hepatomegaly, liver dysfunction, and progressive liver cirrhosis; hypotonia; and cardiomyopathy. Without liver transplantation, death from liver failure usually occurs by age five years. Children with the non-progressive hepatic subtype tend to present with hepatomegaly, liver dysfunction, myopathy, and hypotonia; however, they are likely to survive without progression of the liver disease and may not show cardiac, skeletal muscle, or neurologic involvement. The childhood neuromuscular subtype is rare and the course is variable, ranging from onset in the second decade with a mild disease course to a more severe, progressive course resulting in death in the third decade.

Johanson-Blizzard syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by poor growth, mental retardation, and variable dysmorphic features, including aplasia or hypoplasia of the nasal alae, abnormal hair patterns or scalp defects, and oligodontia. Other features include hypothyroidism, sensorineural hearing loss, imperforate anus, and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (summary by Al-Dosari et al., 2008).

Williams syndrome (WS) is characterized by cardiovascular disease (elastin arteriopathy, peripheral pulmonary stenosis, supravalvar aortic stenosis, hypertension), distinctive facies, connective tissue abnormalities, intellectual disability (usually mild), a specific cognitive profile, unique personality characteristics, growth abnormalities, and endocrine abnormalities (hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria, hypothyroidism, and early puberty). Feeding difficulties often lead to poor weight gain in infancy. Hypotonia and hyperextensible joints can result in delayed attainment of motor milestones.

MED12-related disorders include the phenotypes of FG syndrome type 1 (FGS1), Lujan syndrome (LS), X-linked Ohdo syndrome (XLOS), Hardikar syndrome (HS), and nonspecific intellectual disability (NSID). FGS1 and LS share the clinical findings of cognitive impairment, hypotonia, and abnormalities of the corpus callosum. FGS1 is further characterized by absolute or relative macrocephaly, tall forehead, downslanted palpebral fissures, small and simple ears, constipation and/or anal anomalies, broad thumbs and halluces, and characteristic behavior. LS is further characterized by large head, tall thin body habitus, long thin face, prominent nasal bridge, high narrow palate, and short philtrum. Carrier females in families with FGS1 and LS are typically unaffected. XLOS is characterized by intellectual disability, blepharophimosis, and facial coarsening. HS has been described in females with cleft lip and/or cleft palate, biliary and liver anomalies, intestinal malrotation, pigmentary retinopathy, and coarctation of the aorta. Developmental and cognitive concerns have not been reported in females with HS. Pathogenic variants in MED12 have been reported in an increasing number of males and females with NSID, with affected individuals often having clinical features identified in other MED12-related disorders.

PCWH syndrome is a complex neurocristopathy that includes features of 4 distinct syndromes: peripheral demyelinating neuropathy (see 118200), central dysmyelination, Waardenburg syndrome, and Hirschsprung disease (see 142623) (Inoue et al., 2004). Inoue et al. (2004) proposed the acronym PCWH for this disorder.

A very rare complex ichthyosis syndrome with characteristics of scalp hypotrichosis, scarring alopecia, ichthyosis and sclerosing cholangitis. The ichthyosis presents with diffuse white scales sparing the skin folds and is accompanied by scalp hypotrichosis, cicatricial alopecia, and sparse eyelashes/eyebrows. Additional manifestations may include oligodontia, hypodontia and enamel dysplasia. All patients present with neonatal sclerosing cholangitis with jaundice and pruritus, hepatomegaly and biochemical cholestasis. Caused by a mutation in the CLDN1 gene on chromosome 3q28 coding for the tight junction protein claudin-1. Autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance.

Neonatal diabetes mellitus with congenital hypothyroidism (NDH) syndrome is characterized by intrauterine growth retardation and onset of nonimmune diabetes mellitus within the first few weeks of life. Other features include renal parenchymal disease, primarily renal cystic dysplasia, and hepatic disease, with hepatitis in some patients and hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis in others. Facial dysmorphism, when present, consistently involves low-set ears, epicanthal folds, flat nasal bridge, long philtrum, and thin upper lip. Most patients exhibit developmental delay (Dimitri et al., 2015).

North American Indian childhood cirrhosis is a rare liver disorder that occurs in children. The liver malfunction causes yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice) in affected infants. The disorder worsens with age, progressively damaging the liver and leading to chronic, irreversible liver disease (cirrhosis) in childhood or adolescence. Unless it is treated with liver transplantation, North American Indian childhood cirrhosis typically causes life-threatening complications including liver failure.

This autosomal recessive disorder is designated Meckel syndrome type 7 (MKS7) based on the classic phenotypic triad of (1) cystic renal disease; (2) a central nervous system abnormality, and (3) hepatic abnormalities, as defined by Meckel (1822), Salonen (1984), and Logan et al. (2011). According to these criteria, polydactyly is a variable feature. Herriot et al. (1991) and Al-Gazali et al. (1996) concluded that Dandy-Walker malformation can be the phenotypic manifestation of a central nervous system malformation in MKS. For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of Meckel syndrome, see MKS1 (249000).

Any progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the TJP2 gene.

Syndromic multisystem autoimmune disease due to Itch deficiency is a rare, genetic, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by failure to thrive, global developmental delay, distinctive craniofacial dysmorphism (relative macrocephaly, dolichocephaly, frontal bossing, orbital proptosis, flattened midface with a prominent occiput, low, posteriorly rotated ears, micrognatia), hepato- and/or splenomegaly, and multisystemic autoimmune disease involving the lungs, liver, gut and/or thyroid gland.

Any renal-hepatic-pancreatic dysplasia in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the NPHP3 gene.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is characterized by the presence of multiple arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) that lack intervening capillaries and result in direct connections between arteries and veins. The most common clinical manifestation is spontaneous and recurrent nosebleeds (epistaxis) beginning on average at age 12 years. Telangiectases (small AVMs) are characteristically found on the lips, tongue, buccal and gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa, face, and fingers. The appearance of telangiectases is generally later than epistaxis but may be during childhood. Large AVMs occur most often in the lungs, liver, or brain; complications from bleeding or shunting may be sudden and catastrophic. A minority of individuals with HHT have GI bleeding, which is rarely seen before age 50 years.

Adenosine deaminase 2 deficiency (DADA2) is a complex systemic autoinflammatory disorder in which vasculopathy/vasculitis, dysregulated immune function, and/or hematologic abnormalities may predominate. Inflammatory features include intermittent fevers, rash (often livedo racemosa/reticularis), and musculoskeletal involvement (myalgia/arthralgia, arthritis, myositis). Vasculitis, which usually begins before age ten years, may manifest as early-onset ischemic (lacunar) and/or hemorrhagic strokes, or as cutaneous or systemic polyarteritis nodosa. Hypertension and hepatosplenomegaly are often found. More severe involvement may lead to progressive central neurologic deficits (dysarthria, ataxia, cranial nerve palsies, cognitive impairment) or to ischemic injury to the kidney, intestine, and/or digits. Dysregulation of immune function can lead to immunodeficiency or autoimmunity of varying severity; lymphadenopathy may be present and some affected individuals have had lymphoproliferative disease. Hematologic disorders may begin early in life or in late adulthood, and can include lymphopenia, neutropenia, pure red cell aplasia, thrombocytopenia, or pancytopenia. Of note, both interfamilial and intrafamilial phenotypic variability (e.g., in age of onset, frequency and severity of manifestations) can be observed; also, individuals with biallelic ADA2 pathogenic variants may remain asymptomatic until adulthood or may never develop clinical manifestations of DADA2.

Adams-Oliver syndrome (AOS) is characterized by aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) of the scalp and terminal transverse limb defects (TTLD). ACC lesions usually occur in the midline of the parietal or occipital regions, but can also occur on the abdomen or limbs. At birth, an ACC lesion may already have the appearance of a healed scar. ACC lesions less than 5 cm often involve only the skin and almost always heal over a period of months; larger lesions are more likely to involve the skull and possibly the dura, and are at greater risk for complications, which can include infection, hemorrhage, or thrombosis, and can result in death. The limb defects range from mild (unilateral or bilateral short distal phalanges) to severe (complete absence of all toes or fingers, feet or hands, or more, often resembling an amputation). The lower extremities are almost always more severely affected than the upper extremities. Additional major features frequently include cardiovascular malformations/dysfunction (23%), brain anomalies, and less frequently renal, liver, and eye anomalies.

Any congenital bile acid synthesis defect in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the ABCD3 gene.

Dyskeratosis congenita and related telomere biology disorders (DC/TBD) are caused by impaired telomere maintenance resulting in short or very short telomeres. The phenotypic spectrum of telomere biology disorders is broad and includes individuals with classic dyskeratosis congenita (DC) as well as those with very short telomeres and an isolated physical finding. Classic DC is characterized by a triad of dysplastic nails, lacy reticular pigmentation of the upper chest and/or neck, and oral leukoplakia, although this may not be present in all individuals. People with DC/TBD are at increased risk for progressive bone marrow failure (BMF), myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myelogenous leukemia, solid tumors (usually squamous cell carcinoma of the head/neck or anogenital cancer), and pulmonary fibrosis. Other findings can include eye abnormalities (epiphora, blepharitis, sparse eyelashes, ectropion, entropion, trichiasis), taurodontism, liver disease, gastrointestinal telangiectasias, and avascular necrosis of the hips or shoulders. Although most persons with DC/TBD have normal psychomotor development and normal neurologic function, significant developmental delay is present in both forms; additional findings include cerebellar hypoplasia (Hoyeraal Hreidarsson syndrome) and bilateral exudative retinopathy and intracranial calcifications (Revesz syndrome and Coats plus syndrome). Onset and progression of manifestations of DC/TBD vary: at the mild end of the spectrum are those who have only minimal physical findings with normal bone marrow function, and at the severe end are those who have the diagnostic triad and early-onset BMF.

Neonatal sclerosing cholangitis (NSC) is a rare autosomal recessive form of severe liver disease with onset in infancy. Affected infants have jaundice, cholestasis, acholic stools, and progressive liver dysfunction resulting in fibrosis and cirrhosis; most require liver transplantation in the first few decades of life. Cholangiography shows patent biliary ducts, but there are bile duct irregularities (summary by Girard et al., 2016; Grammatikopoulos et al., 2016).

Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) belongs to a group of congenital hepatorenal fibrocystic syndromes and is a cause of significant renal and liver-related morbidity and mortality in children. The majority of individuals with ARPKD present in the neonatal period with enlarged echogenic kidneys. Renal disease is characterized by nephromegaly, hypertension, and varying degrees of renal dysfunction. More than 50% of affected individuals with ARPKD progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) within the first decade of life; ESRD may require kidney transplantation. Pulmonary hypoplasia resulting from oligohydramnios occurs in a number of affected infants. Approximately 30% of these infants die in the neonatal period or within the first year of life from respiratory insufficiency or superimposed pulmonary infections. With neonatal respiratory support and renal replacement therapies, the long-term survival of these infants has improved to greater than 80%. As advances in renal replacement therapy and kidney transplantation improve long-term survival, it is likely that clinical hepatobiliary disease will become a major feature of the natural history of ARPKD. In addition, a subset of individuals with this disorder are identified with hepatosplenomegaly; the renal disease is often mild and may be discovered incidentally during imaging studies of the abdomen. Approximately 50% of infants will have clinical evidence of liver involvement at diagnosis although histologic hepatic fibrosis is invariably present at birth. This can lead to progressive portal hypertension with resulting esophageal or gastric varices, enlarged hemorrhoids, splenomegaly, hypersplenism, protein-losing enteropathy, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Other hepatic findings include nonobstructed dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts (Caroli syndrome) and dilatation of the common bile duct, which may lead to recurrent or persistent bacterial ascending cholangitis due to dilated bile ducts and stagnant bile flow. An increasing number of affected individuals surviving the neonatal period will eventually require portosystemic shunting or liver transplantation for complications of portal hypertension or cholangitis. The classic neonatal presentation of ARPKD notwithstanding, there is significant variability in age and presenting clinical symptoms related to the relative degree of renal and biliary abnormalities.

The two forms of deoxyguanosine kinase (DGUOK) deficiency are a neonatal multisystem disorder and an isolated hepatic disorder that presents later in infancy or childhood. The majority of affected individuals have the multisystem illness with hepatic disease (jaundice, cholestasis, hepatomegaly, and elevated transaminases) and neurologic manifestations (hypotonia, nystagmus, and psychomotor retardation) evident within weeks of birth. Those with isolated liver disease may also have renal involvement and some later develop mild hypotonia. Progressive hepatic disease is the most common cause of death in both forms.

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol is a glycolipid that anchors more than 150 proteins to the cell surface, and these proteins, termed GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs), perform a variety of functions as enzymes, adhesion molecules, complement regulators, and coreceptors in signal transduction pathways. Reduced surface levels of GPI-APs or abnormal GPI-AP structure can therefore result in variable manifestations. Glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis defect-1 (GPIBD1) is characterized predominantly by portal hypertension due to portal vein thrombosis. Most patients have absence seizures, cerebral thrombosis, and macrocephaly. Some patients have mildly to moderately impaired intellectual development (summary by Makrythanasis et al., 2016; Pode-Shakked et al., 2019). Genetic Heterogeneity of Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Biosynthesis Defects Also see GPIBD2 (239300), caused by mutation in the PIGV gene (610274); GPIBD3 (614080), caused by mutation in the PIGN gene (606097); GPIBD4 (300868), caused by mutation in the PIGA gene (311770); GPIBD5 (280000), caused by mutation in the PIGL gene (605947); GPIBD6 (614749), caused by mutation in the PIGO gene (614730); GPIBD7 (615398), caused by mutation in the PIGT gene (610272); GPIBD8 (614207), caused by mutation in the PGAP2 gene (615187); GPIBD9 (615802), caused by mutation in the PGAP1 gene (611655); GPIBD10 (615716), caused by mutation in the PGAP3 gene (611801); GPIBD11 (616025), caused by mutation in the PIGW gene (610275); GPIBD12 (616809), caused by mutation in the PIGY gene (610662); GPIBD13 (616917), caused by mutation in the PIGG gene (616918); GPIBD14 (617599), caused by mutation in the PIGP gene (605938); GPIBD15 (617810), caused by mutation in the GPAA1 gene (603048); GPIBD16 (617816), caused by mutation in the PIGC gene (601730); GPIBD17 (618010), caused by mutation in the PIGH gene (600154); GPIBD18 (618143), caused by mutation in the PIGS gene (610271); GPIBD19 (618548), caused by mutation in the PIGQ gene (605754); GPIBD20 (618580), caused by mutation in the PIGB gene (604122); GPIBD21 (618590), caused by mutation in the PIGU gene (608528); GPIBD22 (618879), caused by mutation in the PIGK gene (605087); GPIBD23 (617020), caused by mutation in the ARV1 gene (611647); GPIBD24 (619356), caused by mutation in the PIGF gene (600153); and GPIBD25 (619985), caused by mutation in the C18ORF32 gene (619979).

Any COACH syndrome in which the cause of the disease is a variation in the TMEM67 gene.

Rajab interstitial lung disease with brain calcifications-1 (RILCBC1) is an autosomal recessive multisystem disorder with a highly variable phenotype. Most patients present in infancy or early childhood with poor growth and interstitial lung disease, which may lead to death. Some may also have liver, skeletal, and renal abnormalities, and most have intracranial calcifications on brain imaging. Some may have early impaired motor development, but most have normal cognitive development (summary by Xu et al., 2018). Genetic Heterogeneity of Rajab Interstitial Lung Disease with Brain Calcifications Also see Rajab interstitial disease with brain calcifications-2 (RILDBC2; 619013), caused by mutation in the FARSA gene (602918).

Megacystis-microcolon-intestinal hypoperistalsis syndrome-5 (MMIHS5) is a form of visceral myopathy characterized by significant inter- and intrafamilial variability, with the most severely affected patients exhibiting prenatal bladder enlargement, intestinal malrotation, neonatal functional gastrointestinal obstruction, and chronic dependence on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and urinary catheterization (Wangler et al., 2014). For a general phenotypic description and discussion of genetic heterogeneity of MMIHS, see MMIHS1 (249210).

Noncirrhotic portal hypertension-2 (NCPH2) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by signs of liver dysfunction that become apparent in the first decades of life. Affected individuals have jaundice, hyperbilirubinemia, pancytopenia, including neutropenia, lymphopenia, and thrombocytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, and esophageal varices. Some patients may have recurrent infections or features suggestive of an immunodeficiency. Liver biopsy is notable for the absence of cirrhosis and the presence of nodular regeneration. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) have abnormal expression of CD34 (142230) (summary by Drzewiecki et al., 2021). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of NCPH, see 617068.

Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome-9 (AGS9) is a type I interferonopathy characterized by severe developmental delay and progressive neurologic deterioration. Patients present in infancy with irritability and spasticity. Brain imaging shows diffusely abnormal white matter, cerebral atrophy, and intracranial calcification. Premature death has been associated with renal and/or hepatic failure (Uggenti et al., 2020). For a general phenotypic description and discussion of genetic heterogeneity of Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome, see AGS1 (225750).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with hypotonia and dysmorphic facies (NEDHYDF) is characterized by global developmental delay and hypotonia apparent from birth. Affected individuals have variably impaired intellectual development, often with speech delay and delayed walking. Seizures are generally not observed, although some patients may have single seizures or late-onset epilepsy. Most patients have prominent dysmorphic facial features. Additional features may include congenital cardiac defects (without arrhythmia), nonspecific renal anomalies, joint contractures or joint hyperextensibility, dry skin, and cryptorchidism. There is significant phenotypic variability in both the neurologic and extraneurologic manifestations (summary by Tan et al., 2022).

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).

Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis-8 (PFIC8) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by cholestasis and high gamma-glutamyltransferase presenting in the infantile period (summary by Unlusoy Aksu et al., 2019). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PFIC, see PFIC1 (211600).

Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis-9 (PFIC9) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by onset of cholestasis associated with increased serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) in infancy or early childhood. Affected individuals have hepatosplenomegaly and may have portal hypertension or upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Liver biopsy shows fibrosis, cirrhosis, bile duct proliferation, and abnormal bile duct morphology. The disorder is thought to result from ciliary defects in cholangiocytes, consistent with a ciliopathy that appears to be restricted to the liver. Treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) or liver transplant is effective (Luan et al., 2021). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, see PFIC1 (211600).

Hepatorenocardiac degenerative fibrosis (HRCDF) is a primarily fibrotic disease affecting the liver, kidney, and heart, with considerable variability in disease onset and expression. Affected individuals develop degenerative hepatic fibrosis in childhood or early adulthood, with variable later onset of fibrocystic kidney disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (Devane et al., 2022).

Primordial dwarfism-immunodeficiency-lipodystrophy syndrome (PDIL) is characterized by pre- and postnatal growth restriction, with extreme microcephaly, short stature, and absence of subcutaneous fat. There is also significant hematologic/immune dysfunction, with hypo- or agammaglobulinemia, as well as lymphopenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia, and most affected individuals succumb to infection in early childhood (Parry et al., 2020).

Telomere-related pulmonary fibrosis and/or bone marrow failure syndrome-7 (PFBMFT7) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by variable manifestations associated with shortened telomeres. Features can include pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, anemia, lymphopenia, liver involvement with portal hypertension and hepatopulmonary syndrome, premature graying of the hair, nail dystrophy, and predisposition to squamous cell cancers or myelodysplasia (Stanley et al., 2016). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of telomere-related pulmonary fibrosis and/or bone marrow failure syndromes, see PFBMFT1 (614742).