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Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD or PIGD) is a technique used to identify genetically normal embryos and is useful for couples who have a family history of genetic disorders. This is an option for people choosing to procreate through IVF. PGD is considered difficult due to it being both time consuming and having success rates only comparable to routine IVF.
Blastomere biopsy is a technique in which blastomeres are removed from the zona pellucida. It is commonly used to detect aneuploidy. Genetic analysis is conducted once the procedure is complete. Additional studies are needed to assess the risk associated with the procedure.
About 10% of Klinefelter cases are found by prenatal diagnosis. The first clinical features may appear in early childhood or, more frequently, during puberty, such as lack of secondary sexual characteristics and aspermatogenesis. Despite the presence of small testes, only a quarter of the affected males are recognized as having Klinefelter syndrome at puberty. Another quarter receive their diagnosis in late adulthood. About 64% of affected individuals are never recognized. Often the diagnosis is made incidentally as a result of examinations and medical visits for reasons not linked to the condition.
The standard diagnostic method is the analysis of the chromosomes' karyotype on lymphocytes. In the past, the observation of the Barr body was common practice as well. To confirm mosaicism, it is also possible to analyze the karyotype using dermal fibroblasts or testicular tissue.
Other methods may be: research of high serum levels of gonadotropins (follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone), presence of azoospermia, determination of the sex chromatin, and prenatally via chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis. A 2002 literature review of elective abortion rates found that approximately 58% of pregnancies in the United States with a diagnosis of Klinefelter syndrome were terminated.
The symptoms of Klinefelter syndrome are often variable; therefore, a karyotype analysis should be ordered when small testes, infertility, gynecomastia, long legs/arms, developmental delay, speech/language deficits, learning disabilities/academic issues and/or behavioral issues are present in an individual. The differential diagnosis for the Klinefelter syndrome can include the following conditions: fragile X syndrome, Kallmann syndrome and Marfan syndrome. The cause of hypogonadism can be attributed to many other different medical conditions.
There have been some reports of individuals with Klinefelter syndrome who also have other chromosome abnormalities, such as Down syndrome.
Diagnosis of 48, XXXY is usually done by a standard karyotype. A karyotype is a chromosomal analysis in which a full set of chromosomes can be seen for an individual. The presence of the additional 2 X chromosomes on the karyotype are indicative of XXXY syndrome.
Another way to diagnosis 48, XXXY is by chromosomal microarray showing the presence of extra X chromosomes. Chromosomal microarray (CMA) is used to detect extra or missing chromosomal segments or whole chromosomes. CMA uses microchip-based testing to analyze many pieces of DNA. Males with 48, XXXY are diagnosed anywhere from before birth to adulthood as a result of the range in the severity of symptoms. The age range at diagnosis is likely due to the fact that XXXY is a rare syndrome, and does not cause as extreme phenotypes as other variants of Klinefelter syndrome (such as XXXXY).
Diagnostic testing could also be done via blood samples. Elevated levels of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and low levels of testosterone can be indicative of this syndrome.
Patients have an essentially normal life expectancy but require regular medical follow-up.
Identification of 45,X/46,XY karyotype has significant clinical implications due to known effects on growth, hormonal balance, gonadal development and histology. 45,X/46,XY is diagnosed by examining the chromosomes in a blood sample.
The age of diagnosis varies depending on manifestations of disease prompting reason for cytogenetic testing. Many patients are diagnosed prenatally due to fetal factors (increased nuchal fold, or abnormal levels of serum), maternal age or abnormal ultrasounds, while others will be diagnosed postnatal due to external genital malformation. It is not uncommon for patients to be diagnosed later in life due to short stature or delayed puberty, or a combination of both.
45,X/46,XY mosaicism can be detected prenatally through amniocentesis however, it was determined that the proportion of 45,X cells in the amniotic fluid cannot predict any phenotypic outcomes, often making prenatal genetic counselling difficult.
In general, idic(15) occurs de novo but the parents must be karyotyped to make sure it is not inherited, mostly because this will affect the course of genetic counseling given to the family. If the abnormality is found prenatally and one of the parents harbour the marker, the child has a chance of not carrying the mutation. Further tests should however be done to prove the marker has not been rearranged while being inherited. This information is also necessary for counseling of future pregnancies. Each family is unique and should therefore be handled individually.
A karyotype is done to diagnose XXYY syndrome. Treatment consists of medications, behavioral therapies and intensive community support.
The diagnosis of Wilson–Turner syndrome is based upon a clinical evaluation, a detailed patient history, and identification of characteristic features. Molecular genetic testing for mutations in the HDAC8 gene is now available to confirm the diagnosis.
Detection usually begins with a routine doctor visit when the fundal height is being measured or during an ultrasound examination. When large for gestational age fetuses (LGA) are identified, there are two common causes: maternal diabetes or incorrect dates. However, if these two causes can be ruled out, an ultrasound is performed to detect for overgrowth and other abnormalities. At this point, it becomes essential for a clinical geneticist to assist in the correct selection of tests and possible diagnosis.
First signs of SGBS may be observed as early as 16 weeks of gestation. Aids to diagnosing might include the presence of macrosomia, polyhydramnios, elevated maternal serum-α-fetoprotein, cystic hygroma, hydrops fetalis, increased nuchal translucency, craniofacial abnormalities, visceromegaly, renal abnormalities, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, polydactyly, and a single umbilical artery.
If there is a known mutation in the family, prenatal testing is available. Prenatal testing is also possible by looking for evidence of the mild SGBS phenotype in the mother and the positive SGBS phenotype in male family members. Family members who are positive of SGBS may undergo mutational analysis of genes GCP3, GCP4, and CXORF5. Genomic balance in Xp22 and Xq26 may also be analyzed through array comparative genomic hybridization.
Due to the high percentage of male deaths during the neonatal period, early detection of tumors is crucial. In order to detect the presence of tumors, screening in SGBS patients should include abdominal ultrasound, urinalysis, and biochemical markers that screen for embryonic tumors.
Once the infant is born, possibility of hypoglycemia must be assessed along with cardiac, genitalia, liver, and adrenal evaluations. Such tests include chest radiographs, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, renal sonography, and abdominal sonography to test for possible abnormalities.
The Wilson–Turner syndrome is characterized by mild to moderate range of intellectual disability, obesity, tapered fingers, and mood swings. Males also suffer from gynecomastia and hypogonadism. In order to be diagnosed with Wilson-Turner Syndrome, male patients must suffer from intellectual disability, obesity, and gynecomastia. Females do not necessarily have to have noticeable phenotype but can be diagnosed with this disorder by studying her family history and identifying others with the disorder. It has been noted that children with Wilson-Turner Syndrome will display speech development delay and excessive drooling. Males can be confirmed by testing androgen levels. Female carriers will show silencing of the gene a complex X inactivation.
The extra chromosome in people with idic(15) can be easily detected through chromosome analysis (karyotyping). Additional tests are usually required. FISH (Fluorescent in situ hybridization) is used to confirm the diagnosis by distinguishing idic(15) from other supernumerary marker chromosomes. Array CGH can be used to determine the gene content and magnitude of copy number variation so that the clinical picture can be foreseen.
Interstitial duplications of chromosome 15 can be more difficult to detect on a routine chromosome analysis but are clearly identifiable using a 15q FISH study. Families should always discuss the results of chromosome and FISH studies with a genetic counselor or other genetics professionals to ensure accurate interpretation.
Since the syndrome is caused by a genetic mutation in the individual's DNA, a cure is not available. Treatment of the symptoms and management of the syndrome, however, is possible.
Depending on the manifestation, surgery, increased intake of glucose, special education, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physical therapy are some methods of managing the syndrome and associated symptoms.
A prenatal diagnostic is possible and very reliable when mother is carrier of the syndrome. First, it's necessary to determine the fetus' sex and then study X-chromosomes. In both cases, the probability to transfer the X-chromosome affected to the descendants is 50%. Male descendants who inherit the affected chromosome will express the symptoms of the syndrome, but females who do will be carriers.
The diagnosis of this syndrome can be made on clinical examination and perinatal autopsy.
Koenig and Spranger (1986) noted that eye lesions are apparently nonobligatory components of the syndrome. The diagnosis of Fraser syndrome should be entertained in patients with a combination of acrofacial and urogenital malformations with or without cryptophthalmos. Thomas et al. (1986) also emphasized the occurrence of the cryptophthalmos syndrome without cryptophthalmos and proposed diagnostic criteria for Fraser syndrome. Major criteria consisted of cryptophthalmos, syndactyly, abnormal genitalia, and positive family history. Minor criteria were congenital malformation of the nose, ears, or larynx, cleft lip and/or palate, skeletal defects, umbilical hernia, renal agenesis, and mental retardation. Diagnosis was based on the presence of at least 2 major and 1 minor criteria, or 1 major and 4 minor criteria.
Boyd et al. (1988) suggested that prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound examination of eyes, digits, and kidneys should detect the severe form of the syndrome. Serville et al. (1989) demonstrated the feasibility of ultrasonographic diagnosis of the Fraser syndrome at 18 weeks' gestation. They suggested that the diagnosis could be made if 2 of the following signs are present: obstructive uropathy, microphthalmia, syndactyly, and oligohydramnios. Schauer et al. (1990) made the diagnosis at 18.5 weeks' gestation on the basis of sonography. Both the female fetus and the phenotypically normal father had a chromosome anomaly: inv(9)(p11q21). An earlier born infant had Fraser syndrome and the same chromosome 9 inversion.
Van Haelst et al. (2007) provided a revision of the diagnostic criteria for Fraser syndrome according to Thomas et al. (1986) through the addition of airway tract and urinary tract anomalies to the major criteria and removal of mental retardation and clefting as criteria. Major criteria included syndactyly, cryptophthalmos spectrum, urinary tract abnormalities, ambiguous genitalia, laryngeal and tracheal anomalies, and positive family history. Minor criteria included anorectal defects, dysplastic ears, skull ossification defects, umbilical abnormalities, and nasal anomalies. Cleft lip and/or palate, cardiac malformations, musculoskeletal anomalies, and mental retardation were considered uncommon. Van Haelst et al. (2007) suggested that the diagnosis of Fraser syndrome can be made if either 3 major criteria, or 2 major and 2 minor criteria, or 1 major and 3 minor criteria are present in a patient.
Although LFS is usually suspected when intellectual disability and marfanoid habitus are observed together in a patient, the diagnosis of LFS can be confirmed by the presence of the p.N1007S missense mutation in the "MED12" gene.
Cytogenetic analysis for fragile X syndrome was first available in the late 1970s when diagnosis of the syndrome and carrier status could be determined by culturing cells in a folate deficient medium and then assessing for "fragile sites" (discontinuity of staining in the region of the trinucleotide repeat) on the long arm of the X chromosome. This technique proved unreliable, however, as the fragile site was often seen in less than 40% of an individual's cells. This was not as much of a problem in males, but in female carriers, where the fragile site could generally only be seen in 10% of cells, the mutation often could not be visualised.
Since the 1990s, more sensitive molecular techniques have been used to determine carrier status. The fragile X abnormality is now directly determined by analysis of the number of CGG repeats using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and methylation status using Southern blot analysis. By determining the number of CGG repeats on the X chromosome, this method allows for more accurate assessment of risk for premutation carriers in terms of their own risk of fragile X associated syndromes, as well as their risk of having affected children. Because this method only tests for expansion of the CGG repeat, individuals with FXS due to missense mutations or deletions involving "FMR1" will not be diagnosed using this test and should therefore undergo sequencing of the FMR1 gene if there is clinical suspicion of FXS.
Prenatal testing with chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis allows diagnosis of FMR1 mutation while the fetus is in utero and appears to be reliable.
Early diagnosis of fragile X syndrome or carrier status is important for providing early intervention in children or fetuses with the syndrome, and allowing genetic counselling with regards to the potential for a couple's future children to be affected. Most parents notice delays in speech and language skills, difficulties in social and emotional domains as well as sensitivity levels in certain situations with their children.
47,XYY syndrome is not usually diagnosed until learning issues are present. The syndrome is diagnosed in an increasing number of children prenatally by amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling in order to obtain a chromosome karyotype, where the abnormality can be observed.
It is estimated that only 15–20% of children with 47,XYY syndrome are diagnosed within their lifetime. Of these, approximately 30% are diagnosed prenatally. For the rest of those diagnosed after childbirth, around half are diagnosed during childhood or adolescence due to developmental delays or learning difficulties. The rest are diagnosed for a variety of reasons including a small percentage due to fertility problems (5%).
In the differential diagnosis of LFS, another disorder that exhibits some features and symptoms of LFS and is also associated with a missense mutation of "MED12" is Opitz-Kaveggia syndrome (FGS). Common features shared by both LFS and FGS include X-linked intellectual disability, hyperactivity, macrocephaly, corpus callosum agenesis and hypotonia. Notable features of FGS that have not been reported with LFS include excessive talkativness, consistent strength in socialization skills, imperforate anus (occlusion of the anus) and ocular hypertelorism (extremely wide-set eyes).
Whereas LFS is associated with missense mutation p.N1007S, FGS is associated with missense mutation p.R961W. As both disorders originate from an identical type of mutation in the same gene, while exhibiting similar, yet distinct characteristics; LFS and FGS are considered to be allelic. In the context of "MED12", this suggests that the phenotype of each disorder is related to the way in which their respective mutations alter the "MED12" sequence and its function.
Suspicion of a chromosome abnormality is typically raised due to the presence of developmental delays or birth defects. Diagnosis of ring 18 is usually made via a blood sample. A routine chromosome analysis, or karyotype, is usually used to make the initial diagnosis, although it may also be made by microarray analysis. Increasingly, microarray analysis is also being used to clarify breakpoints. Prenatal diagnosis is possible via amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.
The duplication involved in PTLS is usually large enough to be detected through G-banding alone, though there is a high false negative rate. To ascertain the diagnosis when karyotyping results are unclear or negative, more sophisticated techniques such as subtelomeric fluorescent in-situ hybridization analysis and array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) may be used.
In cases where the individual is being evaluated for ambiguous genitalia, such as a small phallus, hypospadias, or labioscrotal folds, exploratory surgery may be used to determine if male and/or female internal genitalia is present.
A standard karyotype can be completed to cytogenetically determine that an individual with a partial or complete male phenotype has a XX genotype.
FISH analysis determines the presence or absence of the SRY gene.
Localization of the SRY gene can by determined using fluorescent "in situ" hybridization.
Indicators include two testes which have not descended the inguinal canal, although this is seen in a minority of XX males, and the absence of Müllerian tissue.
A diagnosis can be made on the combination of clinical features. This can then be confirmed by gene sequencing.
It is suggested that the diagnostic criteria for Malpuech syndrome should include cleft lip and/or palate, typical associated facial features, and at least two of the following: urogenital anomalies, caudal appendage, and growth or developmental delay.
Due to the relatively high rate of hearing impairment found with the disorder, it too may be considered in the diagnosis. Another congenital disorder, Wolf-Hirschhorn (Pitt-Rogers-Danks) syndrome, shares Malpuech features in its diagnostic criteria. Because of this lacking differentiation, karyotyping (microscopic analysis of the chromosomes of an individual) can be employed to distinguish the two. Whereas deletions in the short arm of chromosome 4 would be revealed with Wolf-Hirschhorn, a karyotype without this aberration present would favor a Malpuech syndrome diagnosis. Also, the karyotype of an individual with Malpuech syndrome alone will be normal.