Autosomal dominant cutis laxa and critical stenosis of the left main coronary artery in a 21-year-old female with an intronic mutation in the elastin gene

Am J Med Genet A. 2023 Apr;191(4):1059-1064. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63095. Epub 2022 Dec 21.

Abstract

Cutis laxa (CL) is a rare, inherited or acquired connective tissue disorder characterized by abnormal elastic fibers causing loose and redundant skin and a prematurely aged appearance. The syndrome has been associated with hypertension, but cases with early-onset ischemic heart disease have never been described. Here, we report a 21-year-old Danish female with activity-related shortness of breath and oedema of the lower extremities. The patient had a clinical diagnosis of autosomal dominant CL, but no genotyping had been performed prior to the index admission. The patient was diagnosed with ischemic heart disease, based on results of non-invasive cardiovascular imaging (including MRI and PET-CT) followed by invasive treatment of a critical left main coronary artery stenosis. Subsequent referral to genetic testing revealed a likely pathogenic intronic variant in ELN. This case report includes the clinical findings and relates these to known molecular mechanisms of CL.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Coronary Stenosis* / diagnosis
  • Coronary Stenosis* / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronary Stenosis* / genetics
  • Cutis Laxa* / diagnosis
  • Cutis Laxa* / genetics
  • Elastin* / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Introns / genetics
  • Mutation
  • Pedigree
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Elastin

Supplementary concepts

  • Cutis Laxa, Autosomal Dominant