Seizures as an Atypical Feature of Beal's Syndrome

Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2016 Aug;16(3):e375-8. doi: 10.18295/squmj.2016.16.03.021. Epub 2016 Aug 19.

Abstract

Congenital contractural arachnodactyly, commonly known as Beal's syndrome, is an extremely rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the fibrillin-2 (FBN2) gene located on chromosome 5q23. It is an autosomal dominant inherited connective tissue disorder characterised by a Marfan-like body habitus, contractures, abnormally shaped ears and kyphoscoliosis. We report a seven-year-old Omani male who presented to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, in 2014 with seizures. He was noted to have certain distinctive facial features and musculoskeletal manifestations; he was subsequently diagnosed with Beal's syndrome. Sequencing of the FBN2 gene revealed that the patient had a novel mutation which was also present in his mother; however, she had only a few facial features indicative of Beal's syndrome and no systemic involvement apart from a history of childhood seizures. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of Beal's syndrome with seizure symptoms as a potential feature.

Keywords: Case Report; Congenital Contractural Arachnodactyly; Fibrillin-2; Marfan Syndrome; Oman; Seizures.