Prenatal features of Costello syndrome: ultrasonographic findings and atrial tachycardia.
OBJECTIVE
Delineate prenatal features of Costello syndrome (caused by HRAS mutations), which consists of mental retardation, facial, cardiovascular, skin, and musculoskeletal anomalies, and tumor predisposition.


METHODS
Literature and new cases classified as Group I (pre-HRAS), Group II (HRAS confirmed), and Group III (HRAS confirmed in natural history study, plus three contributed cases).


RESULTS
Polyhydramnios occurred in most (mean 79%) pregnancies of cases in Groups I (98), II (107), and III (17); advanced paternal age and prematurity were noted in approximately half. Less frequent were nuchal thickening, ascites, shortened long bones, abnormal hand posture, ventriculomegaly, macrosomia, and macrocephaly. Fetal arrhythmia occurred in nine cases (six supraventricular or unspecified tachycardia, one unspecified arrhythmia, and two premature atrial contractions, PACs); excluding three new cases and two with PACs, the estimated prenatal frequency is 4/222 (2%).


CONCLUSIONS
Costello syndrome can be suspected prenatally when polyhydramnios is accompanied by nuchal thickening, hydrops, shortened long bones, abnormal hand posture, ventriculomegaly, large size, and macrocephaly, and especially fetal atrial tachycardia. Consideration should be given for timely prenatal diagnostic studies for confirmative HRAS gene mutations and for maternal treatment of serious fetal arrhythmia.
Lin
Angela E
AE
Genetics Unit, Department of Pediatrics, MassGeneral Hospital for Children, 185 Cambridge Street, Simches 2222, Boston, MA, USA. lin.angela@mgh.harvard.edu
O'Brien
Barbara
B
Demmer
Laurie A
LA
Almeda
Kristina K
KK
Blanco
Cynthia L
CL
Glasow
Patrick F
PF
Berul
Charles I
CI
Hamilton
Robert
R
Micheil Innes
A
A
Lauzon
Julie L
JL
Sol-Church
Katia
K
Gripp
Karen W
KW
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D006831:Polyhydramnios / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D013577:Syndrome; D013612:Tachycardia, Ectopic Atrial / Q000151:congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal