Nosheen Akhtar and Babu Paturi
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital (RCSI group), Ireland
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Nurs Care
49XXXXY is a rare genetic disorder. It is estimated to occur in one in 85,000 live male births. Boys with 49XXXXY
have an additional three X chromosomes, giving them a total of 49 chromosomes. The most common features
of 49XXXXY syndrome include intellectual disability, speech difficulties, hypotonia, underdeveloped sex organs,
recurrent infections (Autoimmune disease) and infertility. The diagnosis can be made by karyotyping in cell samples
taken from placental tissue by chorionic villus sampling or from amniocentesis. CGH array is another method for
diagnosis of 49XXXXY.
Case Summary: T.O. is an 11 months old male infant born at 36 weeks' gestation by elective C/S for severe IUGR,
prematurity and breech. His mother is a 26 years old Irish lady and she had no antenatal issues. His birth weight was
2.28 Kg. He was admitted to NICU after delivery for mild respiratory distress. On examination he was hypotonic
and had micropenis. On day of life (DOL) 2 his sodium level was found to be 147 and continued to be raised until
DOL 3 with high serum osmolality. He had a cranial USS on DOL 3 which showed several sub-ependymal cysts in
the frontal lobe suspicious for a congenital cyst formation. He also had a renal USS which was normal. At 4 weeks of
age he had an MRI Brain which showed connatal cysts adjacent to the frontal horns of both lateral ventricles. He was
discharged on DOL 16 from the NICU. He had 4 monthly pediatric outpatients follow up as well as physiotherapy
follow up. T.O. had recurrent chest infections requiring four admissions. On his admission at 8 months of age he had
genetic and metabolic work up and a diagnosis of 49XXXXY was reached. An early intervention referral was made
for his persistent central/peripheral hypotonia and his developmental delay.
Conclusion: Rare diagnosis like 49XXXXY can often be missed or diagnosed late due to lack of sufficient features.
Features such as underdeveloped genitalia and hypotonia should always raise concerns of underlying cause.
E-mail: dr.nosheenakhtar@gmail.com
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