Clinical Description
CTDP1-related congenital cataracts, facial dysmorphism, and neuropathy (CTDP1-CCFDN) is a complex disorder whose major manifestations involve the anterior segment of the eye, the skull and face, the nervous system, and the endocrine system [Tournev et al 1999a, Tournev et al 1999b, Tournev et al 2001, Merlini et al 2002, Lassuthova et al 2014, Walter et al 2014]. To date, 190 individuals have been identified with a pathogenic variant in CTDP1 [Tournev et al 1999a, Merlini et al 2002, Müllner-Eidenböck et al 2004, Cordelli et al 2010, Lassuthova et al 2014, Walter et al 2014, Chamova et al 2015, Hudec et al 2022]. The following description of the phenotypic features associated with CTDP1-CCFDN is based on these reports.
Ocular Manifestations
Congenital cataracts are the invariable first manifestation of CTDP1-CCFDN [Tournev et al 1999a, Tournev et al 2001]. The cataracts are bilateral and can appear as anterior or posterior subcapsular opacities with clouding of the adjacent part of the lens nucleus or as total cataracts involving the entire lens [Müllner-Eidenböck et al 2004].
Other ocular manifestations include microcornea, microphthalmia (documented by axial length measurements), and micropupils with fibrotic margins, showing sluggish constriction to light and dilation to mydriatics [Müllner-Eidenböck et al 2004].
Horizontal pendular nystagmus is very common [Tournev et al 1999a, Tournev et al 2001, Müllner-Eidenböck et al 2004] and unrelated to the visual defect caused by the cataracts.
No fundus abnormalities are present.
Facial Features
Dysmorphic facial features become apparent in late childhood and are particularly evident in adult males. They include a prominent midface with a well-developed nose, thickening of the perioral tissues, forwardly directed anterior dentition, and micrognathia [Tournev et al 1999a].
Nervous System
Hypomyelinating peripheral neuropathy is symmetric and distally accentuated, with predominantly motor involvement progressing to severe disability by the third decade of life. In a study of 28 affected children ages four months to 16 years, Kalaydjieva et al [2005] observed an invariable delay in early motor development, with all starting to walk between ages two and three years, often with an unsteady gait. Clinical signs of lower-limb motor peripheral neuropathy (diminished or absent tendon reflexes, distal lower-limb weakness, and foot deformities) become apparent after age four years and are soon followed by involvement of the upper limbs [Tournev et al 1999a, Merlini et al 2002, Kalaydjieva et al 2005, Walter et al 2014].
Skeletal deformities, especially of the feet and hands (pes cavus, pes equinovarus, flexion contractures in the interphalangeal joints), develop in the course of the disease as a result of the peripheral neuropathy and are present in all affected adults. As muscle weakness progresses, spine deformities (e.g., scoliosis, kyphosis) may also develop and lead to reduction in respiratory capacity [Merlini et al 2002].
Sensory abnormalities (numbness) in the lower limbs develop in persons older than age ten years.
Nerve conduction velocity is normal in infancy at the onset of myelination and subsequently (age >18 months) begins to decline, stabilizing at approximately 20 m/s at around age four to ten years [Kalaydjieva et al 2005, Walter et al 2014]. Distal motor latencies are increased.
Sensory nerve action potentials are of normal amplitude, suggesting a relatively uniform degree of slowing of nerve conduction across nerve fibers, consistent with congenital hypomyelination. As disease progresses, reduction in amplitudes is seen in sensory and motor nerves; some (e.g., in sural nerve) can become unobtainable after age ten years, indicating secondary axonal loss [Walter et al 2014].
In distal muscles of the upper and lower extremities, neurogenic changes compatible with the underlying neuropathy are seen in all tested individuals [Tournev et al 1999b, Tournev et al 2001, Walter et al 2014]. Electromyography, performed in six individuals with proximal weakness during the rhabdomyolysis weakness episodes, showed myogenic changes in proximal muscles that were not found after recovery [Walter et al 2014].
Neuropathologic studies of sural nerve biopsies provide evidence of primary hypomyelination in the absence of morphologic abnormalities in the Schwann cell or axon [Tournev et al 1999b, Tournev et al 2001].
Central Nervous System Manifestations
Development and cognition. In addition to the delayed motor milestones (attributed partly to the peripheral neuropathy), early intellectual development is slow, with most affected children starting to talk around age three years [Tournev et al 1999b, Chamova et al 2015].
Formal assessment of cognitive ability reveals variable results, the interpretation of which should take into account visual impairment, poor educational status, and language barriers (i.e., cognitive testing performed in a language other than the individual's primary language). According to available test results, around 10% of affected individuals have normal or borderline cognitive performance, and the rest have mild nonprogressive intellectual deficit. Verbal memory, executive functions, and language skills are similarly affected [Chamova et al 2015].
Cerebellar involvement of variable severity with ataxia, nystagmus, intention tremor, and dysmetria is common [Tournev et al 1999a, Merlini et al 2002, Müllner-Eidenböck et al 2004, Lassuthova et al 2014, Walter et al 2014, Chamova et al 2015]. Ataxia scores remain stable or improve slightly during the course of the disease [Walter et al 2014].
Other neurologic manifestations
Individuals with
CTDP1-CCFDN are at increased risk of developing severe and potentially life-threatening complications related to anesthesia, such as pulmonary edema, inspiratory stridor, malignant hyperthermia, and epileptic seizures [
Müllner-Eidenböck et al 2004,
Masters et al 2017].
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the brain and spinal cord vary among affected individuals and with age. Reported findings include the following:
Diffusion tensor MRI results suggestive of axonal loss in the vermis and medulla oblongata [
Kalaydjieva et al 2005]
Other
Growth. Intrauterine growth restriction is suggested by a study of 22 infants with CTDP1-CCFDN, born at term with significantly lower weight and length than in the general population [Chamova 2012]:
Males. Birth weight 3.22 ± 0.48 kg (reference value 3.9 ± 0.5 kg); length 47.88 ± 3.91 cm (reference 53.1 ± 2.1 cm)
Females. Birth weight 3.06 ± 0.53 kg (reference 3.8 ± 0.6 kg); length 46.75 ± 4.19 cm (reference 52.5 ± 2.1 cm)
Affected aduIts are of small stature and most are also of subnormal weight [Tournev et al 1999a]:
Endocrine system. Growth hormone levels in CTDP1-CCFDN are in the low-normal range with a pronounced rise after insulin-induced hypoglycemia, suggesting mild regulatory deficiency [Tournev et al 1999a].
Sexual development appears unimpaired, with normal secondary characteristics after puberty and normal menarche. However, most adult females report irregular menstrual cycles and early secondary amenorrhea at ages 25-35 years.
More than half of affected adults of both sexes show evidence of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, with low testosterone and subnormal follicle stimulating hormone levels in males and low estradiol and subnormal luteinizing hormone levels in females [Tournev et al 1999a, Tournev et al 2001, Walter et al 2014]. The impact of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism on fertility in individuals with CTDP1-CCFDN has not been assessed.
Bone mineral density is decreased, possibly as a result of both hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and low physical activity as a result of the peripheral neuropathy [Tournev et al 1999a, Tournev et al 2001].
Parainfectious rhabdomyolysis, a potentially life-threatening complication that leads to acute kidney failure, may in fact be an integral part of the phenotype. Rhabdomyolysis refers to disintegration of striated muscles and the release of intracellular content into the extracellular compartment, presenting clinically as profound muscle weakness, myoglobinuria, and excessively elevated serum concentration of creatine kinase. Rhabdomyolysis in CTDP1-CCFDN usually develops after febrile illness (mostly viral infections) and is characterized by acute severe proximal weakness and myalgia [Walter et al 2014]. Proximal muscle weakness is not otherwise typical for CTDP1-CCFDN [Walter et al 2014]. The episodes are usually recurrent, acute, and dramatic, but resolve spontaneously without progressing to acute renal failure [Merlini et al 2002, Mastroyianni et al 2007, Lassuthova et al 2014, Walter et al 2014]. Oral corticosteroid treatment for two to three weeks can result in a full recovery within two to six months [Walter et al 2014]. However, recovery of muscle function may take up to one year. The long-term outcome depends on the recurrence of rhabdomyolysis episodes, and such episodes can lead to deterioration in the clinical course of the peripheral neuropathy [Walter et al 2014].
Muscle biopsies have shown mild myopathic features with scattered necrotic fibers, normal histochemical reactions for myophosphorylase and phosphofructokinase, and no evidence of mitochondrial pathology [Merlini et al 2002].