This is an X-linked condition affecting males more than females and is characterized by postnatal growth failure with developmental delays and dysmorphic features characterized by wrinkled forehead, anterior and posterior fontanels, prominent eyes, large down-slanting palpebral fissures, thickened or hooded eyelids, large ears, flared nares, hypoplastic alae nasi, short columella, protruding upper lip, and microretrognathia. There is also delayed closing of fontanelle, and the boys also have broad great toes. Skin is characterized by redundancy or laxity with minimal subcutaneous fat, cutaneous capillary malformations, and very fine hair and eyebrows. Death resulted from cardiogenic shock following arrhythmia, which was noted in all affected individuals. The boys had heart rhythm abnormalities and craniofacial abnormalities, which accounted for their similar appearance. The boys were never able to sit up on their own, and none learned how to talk. They all had a characteristically aged appearance, earning them the family nickname of “little old men.” Several of the boys had structural anomalies of their hearts including ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, and pulmonary artery stenosis. Events recorded on electrocardiogram before death included torsades de pointes, premature ventricular contraction (PVC), premature atrial contraction (PAC), supraventricular tachycardia (SVtach), and ventricular tachycardia (Vtach). Most of the children had inguinal hernias, and the majority had, at least, unilateral cryptorchidism. All had neonatal hypotonia progressing to hypertonia, and cerebral atrophy on MRI; several, but not all, had neurogenic scoliosis. Death occurred prior to 2 years in all cases and prior to 1 year in the majority. There are extensive clinical details for each child reported in the original publication
Ogden syndrome
Cowden syndrome
Gillespie syndrome
Ehlers–Danlos syndromes
Marfan syndrome
Pogosta disease
Ruijs-Aalfs syndrome
Van Den Bosch syndrome