Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome among Arabs.

Al-Owain M, Imtiaz F, Shuaib T, Edrees A, Al-Amoudi M, Sakati N, Al-Hassnan Z, Bamashmous H, Rahbeeni Z, Al-Ameer S, Faqeih E, Meyer B, Al-Hashem A, Garout W, Al-Odaib A, Rashed M, Al-Aama JY. Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome among Arabs. Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is an autosomal recessive disorder of variable presentation caused by the deficiency of the 3 β- hydroxycholesterol Δ⁷- reductase. Over the past 10 years, our biochemical laboratory has screened 191 plasma samples for possible SLOS, measuring the plasma cholesterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The SLOS was confirmed in only five Arab patients with growth retardation, global developmental delay, dysmorphic features, and 2-3 toe syndactyly, among other findings. All cases represented moderate to severe form of SLOS. One patient had a unique cardiovascular malformation (cor triatriatum with significant obstruction of the right pulmonary veins). Two previously reported N287K (861 C>A) and R352Q (1055 G>A) and a novel R352L (1055 G>T) mutations were identified in the DHCR7 gene in these patients. The paper sheds light on this rare disease among Arabs and reviews all reported SLOS cases in the Arab population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]