Clinical and Genetic Studies on Holoprosencephaly

NCT00088426 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 04009304-HG-0093
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 256
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will examine how holoprosencephaly (HPE) affects people, how they change over time, and what genes may be involved in the cause of the disorder. HPE is a defect of brain development in utero in which the forebrain fails to sufficiently divide into two hemispheres, resulting in a single-lobed brain and skull and facial malformations. In most cases, the defects are so severe that babies die before birth. There are three classifications of HPE. In alobar HPE the brain does not divide at all; this form is usually associated with severe facial deformities. In semilobar HPE the hemispheres divide somewhat, causing an intermediate form of the disorder. In lobar HPE, the mildest form, separation of hemispheres is nearly normal. Patients with HPE and their direct blood relatives may participate in this study. Patients are seen by a team of medical specialists at the NIH Clinical Center for the following procedures:

• Physical and neurological examination
• Eye examination
• Imaging studies, such as echocardiogram, abdominal ultrasound, brain MRI
• Electroencephalogram (EEG)
• Hearing evaluation
• Blood and urine samples for genetic and endocrine studies, routine blood chemistries, urinalysis, and urine electrolytes
• Other consultations as needed
• Possibly photographs, including front and side views of the face and other body parts that may be involved in HPE, such as the eyes, teeth, hands, and feet Parents will be asked questions about the child's prenatal, birth, newborn, and past medical history, growth, behavior and development, and therapy and medication. Because HPE is a genetic disorder and gene changes can be passed on in a family, parents will also be asked to undergo the following procedures:
• Completion of a medical and family history form
• Physical and neurological examination
• Blood and urine samples (for mothers only)
• Specialty consultations as indicated
• Possibly photographs, including front and side views of the face and other body parts that may be involved in HPE, such as the eyes, teeth, hands, and feet
• Psychosocial study. Some parents will be asked to participate in a telephone interview or complete a questionnaire, or both, about their attitudes, beliefs, and concerns about how they and their family cope with their child's condition. Some questionnaires may include questions about aspects of their marriage and personal feelings and experiences. Parents will meet with a doctor and a genetics nurse to discuss the results of the tests and answer questions. Parents may be asked to bring their child back to the NIH after 2 years for follow-up examination and possible additional or repeat testing. ...

Conditions

Holoprosencephaly; HPE; Developmental Delay Disorders; Brain Disorders

Keywords

GENETIC DISEASE; Multiple Abnormalies; Birth Defects; Holoprosencephaly; HPE

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• To characterize the physical, developmental, neurologic, endocrinologic and radiologic phenotype of HPE through this comprehensive natural history study.

  To characterize the physical, developmental, neurologic, endocrinologic and radiologic phenotype of HPE through this comprehensive natural history study.

  Once with possible followup at Year 2

• To examine the spectrum of clinical characteristics of HPE and facilitate early clinical recognition, diagnostic confirmation, anticipatory management, prognostication, and proper genetic counseling.

  (a) To compare gene mutations (with known or suspected abnormal functional effects) with the phenotypes observed in patients (i.e genotype-phenotype correlations) as documented in the study. (b) To determine the spectrum of brain malformations caused by genetic changes in HPE candidate genes that are known or suspected to cause human disease. (c) To correlate neurodevelopmental status/clinical outcome with neuroradiologic findings and genetic changes in HPE candidate genes. (d) To verify recurrence risks /inheritance patterns of HPE for each of the HPE candidate genes.

  Once with possible followup at Year 2

• To determine the spectrum of non-neurologic anomalies resulting from mutations in HPE-associated genes /pathways both in individuals with HPE and individuals without HPE.

  (a) To determine the association between mutations in HPE-associated genes/pathways and the non- neurologic finding of fatty liver in individuals with HPE. (b) To determine the presence of other, previously unknown clinical manifestations in individuals with HPE.

  Once with possible followup at Year 2

• To assess the psychosocial impact of HPE on the family system.

  (a) To describe characteristics of stress and coping in families of children affected by HPE. (b) To examine the relationships between specific child characteristics (e.g., chronological age, severity of disorder), family coping styles and family variables (e.g., stress, coping, marital satisfaction, parental anxiety and depression).(c) To examine the similarities and/or differences between mothers and fathers experiences of stress and coping in families of children with HPE. (d) To generate data for the development of a new instrument to quantify stress, coping and resilience in HPE families.

  Once with possible followup at Year 2

Study Arms (3)

Control

Control group of Williams-Beuren (also known as Williams) syndrome

Family

Direct blood relatives (typically parents, and occasionally siblings of affected individuals) ofpatients with HPE are also eligible to participate.

HPE

Patients with HPE

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 1 Month+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with known or suspected holoprosencephaly (HPE). To conserve resources and meet study objectives, subjects with known mutations will be given priority in selection for extensive clinical studies. Direct blood relatives (typically parents, and occasionally siblings of affected individuals) of patients with HPE are also eligible to participate.@@@

You may qualify if:

• Depending on their willingness to participate, subjects may enroll in DNA laboratory-only (98-HG-0249), psychosocial-only, or clinical-only. However, to conserve resources and meet study objectives, subjects with known mutations will be given priority in selection for extensive clinical studies. All races and genders are known to be at risk for HPE, anywhere in the world. Nationality or place of origin is not specific barrier to participation.
• Direct blood relatives (typically parents, and occasionally siblings of affected individuals) of patients with HPE are also eligible to participate.

You may not qualify if:

• Anyone unwilling to provide informed consent (for themselves as adults, or on behalf of their children as minors) or assent.
• We generally review a brief clinical description from the referring physician about a potential research subject to determine that the subject is appropriate to enter into the study. We reserve the right to exclude cases that are clearly not HPE or related to our direct research interests (e.g. HPE cases that are syndromic like Smith Lemli Opitz syndrome, Trisomy 13, Trisomy 18, drug-related, or teratogen-related). This almost never happens, and we would attempt to make referrals to a more appropriate investigator.
• It is our intention to try to remove as many economic, cultural, geographic, racial, and gender barriers as we reasonably can to promote participation of HPE cases for research purposes.
• Participants must have a confirmed diagnosis of Williams syndrome caused by deletions in chromosome 7q11 involving the Williams-Beuren Syndrome Critical Region (WBSCR). Children should be less than 6 years of age to allow for improved maternal recall of prenatal
• environmental exposures. The Williams syndrome cohort (PI: Dr. Beth Kozel; National Heart Lung Blood Institute) was chosen to allow for inherent biases in mothers who have children with multiple anomaly syndromes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Golden JA. Holoprosencephaly: a defect in brain patterning. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1998 Nov;57(11):991-9. doi: 10.1097/00005072-199811000-00001. No abstract available.

  PMID: 9825935 BACKGROUND

• Matsunaga E, Shiota K. Holoprosencephaly in human embryos: epidemiologic studies of 150 cases. Teratology. 1977 Dec;16(3):261-72. doi: 10.1002/tera.1420160304.

  PMID: 594909 BACKGROUND

• Roach E, Demyer W, Conneally PM, Palmer C, Merritt AD. Holoprosencephaly: birth data, benetic and demographic analyses of 30 families. Birth Defects Orig Artic Ser. 1975;11(2):294-313.

  PMID: 1227533 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• NIH Clinical Center Detailed Web Page

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Holoprosencephaly; Developmental Disabilities; Brain Diseases; Genetic Diseases, Inborn; Congenital Abnormalities

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Craniofacial Abnormalities; Musculoskeletal Abnormalities; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Agenesis of Corpus Callosum; Nervous System Malformations; Nervous System Diseases; Abnormalities, Multiple; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities; Chromosome Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders; Central Nervous System Diseases

Study Officials

• Paul S Kruszka, M.D.

  National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE CONTROL
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: NIH
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 23, 2004
• First Posted: July 26, 2004
• Study Start: January 23, 2004
• Primary Completion: March 16, 2020
• Study Completion: April 16, 2020
• Last Updated: April 20, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-04

Locations

US (1)