Disease or Syndrome
Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome
Subclass of:
Congenital chromosomal disease;
Multiple congenital anomalies
Definitions related to beckwith-wiedemann syndrome:
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A complex syndrome resulting from various genetic and epigenetic anomalies of the 11p15.5 chromosomal region, leading to dysregulated expression of imprinted genes. Specific genes involved include CDKN1C, H19, IGF2, and KCNQ1OT1. One of the key genetic anomalies is an imbalance between the paternally expressed IGF2 growth enhancer gene and the maternally expressed H19 growth suppressor gene, leading to fetal and postnatal overgrowth. The condition is typically characterized by macrosomia, macroglossia, umbilical hernia or more severe abdominal wall anomalies such as omphalocele, ear lobe indentations, and hypoglycemia associated with hyperinsulinemia due to pancreatic islet cell hyperplasia. Patients with this syndrome have an increased risk for development of embryonal tumors (particularly Wilms tumor and hepatoblastoma) and adrenal cortex carcinoma.NICHD Pediatric TerminologyU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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A genetic syndrome caused by abnormalities in chromosome 11. It is characterized by large birth weight, macroglossia, umbilical hernia, ear abnormalities, and hypoglycemia. Patients with this syndrome have an increased risk of developing embryonal tumors (gonadoblastoma, hepatoblastoma, Wilms tumor, Rhabdomyosarcoma) and adrenal cortex carcinomas.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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A rare, overgrowth disorder in which babies are large at birth and may develop low blood sugar. Other common symptoms are a large tongue, large internal organs, and defects of the abdominal wall near the navel. Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome increases the risk of developing certain cancers, especially Wilms tumor.NCI Dictionary of Cancer TermsU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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A syndrome of multiple defects characterized primarily by umbilical hernia (HERNIA, UMBILICAL); MACROGLOSSIA; and GIGANTISM; and secondarily by visceromegaly; HYPOGLYCEMIA; and ear abnormalities.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a growth disorder variably characterized by neonatal hypoglycemia, macrosomia, macroglossia, hemihyperplasia, omphalocele, embryonal tumors (e.g., Wilms tumor, hepatoblastoma, neuroblastoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma), visceromegaly, adrenocortical cytomegaly, renal abnormalities (e.g., medullary dysplasia, nephrocalcinosis, medullary sponge kidney, and nephromegaly), and ear creases/pits. BWS is considered a clinical spectrum, in which affected individuals may have many of these features or may have only one or two clinical features. Early death may occur from complications of prematurity, hypoglycemia, cardiomyopathy, macroglossia, or tumors. However, the previously reported mortality of 20% is likely an overestimate given better recognition of the disorder along with enhanced treatment options. Macroglossia and macrosomia are generally present at birth but may have postnatal onset. Growth rate slows around age seven to eight years. Hemihyperplasia may affect segmental regions of the body or selected organs and tissues.GeneReviewsUniversity of Washington, 2021
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In 1964, Hans-Rudolf Wiedemann reported a familial form of omphalocele with macroglossia in Germany. In 1969, J.WebMD, 2019
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Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a growth disorder that can affect several parts of the body. Babies and children are larger than normal usually until age 8, when growth slows down, resulting in an average height in adults. Symptoms may include one side or area of the body growing more than the other side (asymmetric growth or...National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
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