Das neonatale progeroide Syndrom (Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch-Syndrom): Kasuistik und Literaturübersicht

The neonatal progeroid syndrome represents a complex of symptoms with unknown cause and pathogenesis. At 37 weeks of uncomplicated pregnancy a boy of non-consanguineous turkish parents was delivered by sectio. The weight of 1740 g and the length of 43 cm were striking, the circumference of the head was still within normal range. Further on the patient showed the diagnostic criteria of Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome: Beside growth failure and nearly absence of subcutaneous fat, old-looking face with hydrocephalic appearance, prominent scalp veins and sparse scalp hair, large hands and feet with long fingers and toes were found. Neonatal teeth didn't exist. But neonatal teeth are not always present in this syndrome. Among 19 published cases they were also not described in 6 cases (31,6%). Cataract was not found. A skin biopsy taken at the age of four months revealed an extremely thin dermis with pronounced rarefication of elastic material by light microscopy. On the electron microscopical level, no qualitative morphological aberrations or signs of degeneration were found, but normal although very small elastic fibres. With increasing age the appearance was nearly unchanged. In spite of high-caloric nutrition the increase of weight was not sufficient. The clinical symptoms of this patients were compared with the 19 already published ca ses of Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome. This shall be a contribution to the exact description of that extremely rare syndrome. We hope to facilitate, that hereby the differential diagnosis in difficult cases will be more easy. Because of heterogeneity it has to discuss if the Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome really represents a separate genetic entity within the group of premature aging syndroms.