Clinical Description
G6PC3 deficiency is highly variable in its severity and associated clinical features. Individuals with "nonsyndromic" disease have only severe congenital neutropenia. The majority of persons with G6PC3 deficiency have cardiovascular and/or urogenital features (so-called classic G6PC3 deficiency). Of those with classic disease, a subset are more severely affected (so-called Dursun syndrome) because of the additional involvement of myeloid cells, primary pulmonary hypertension developing in the newborn period, and minor dysmorphic features.
While it is estimated that nearly 10% of G6CP3 deficiency is the nonsyndromic form, this could be an underestimate due to ascertainment bias (i.e., selection of more severe phenotypes for testing of G6PC3 in previous studies) [Banka & Newman 2013]. It is also possible that some individuals who initially present with the nonsyndromic form may develop features of the classic form in later life [Notarangelo et al 2014].
G6PC3 deficiency usually presents in the first few months of life with recurrent bacterial infections. A range of bacterial infections have been reported [Desplantes et al 2014]; respiratory tract infections, otitis media, stomatitis, urinary tract infections, pyelonephritis, skin abscesses, cellulitis, and sepsis are particularly common. The first serious infection can occur at any age, ranging from immediately after birth to adulthood.
Hematologic. Persistent severe neutropenia is present in all affected individuals and is the core phenotype of the condition.
Intermittent thrombocytopenia is seen frequently but usually does not cause symptoms.
Lymphopenia associated with hypoplasia of the thymus can be seen in more severely affected individuals [Dursun et al 2009, Banka et al 2010, Ozgül et al 2014].
Cardiovascular. Congenital heart defects are common. In their recent review, Banka & Newman [2013] found that 44 (77%) of 57 of individuals with G6PC3 deficiency described in the literature had congenital cardiac defects. By far the most common anomaly was atrial septal defect. Other rare heart anomalies include patent foramen ovale; cor triatriatum; patent ductus arteriosus; critical pulmonary stenosis and hypoplastic left ventricle; mitral valve prolapse, insufficiency, and/ or regurgitation; tricuspid insufficiency; and bicuspid aortic and pulmonary valves.
A prominent superficial venous pattern begins to emerge between late infancy and early childhood in most affected children [Banka et al 2011a]. This pattern can be seen on the trunk, extremities, and sometimes on the head. Experience with adults is limited but older individuals have a tendency to develop varicose veins and venous ulcers.
In Dursun syndrome early-onset primary pulmonary hypertension can be difficult to control [Dursun et al 2009]. In a few individuals primary pulmonary hypertension may be detected later in life [McDermott et al 2010, Fernandez et al 2012].
Urogenital anomalies are more common in males than females [Banka & Newman 2013]. In males the most common feature is cryptorchidism.
Hydronephrosis, poor renal cortico-medullary differentiation, small kidneys, and vesico-uretric reflux are observed in some affected individuals. Other features include inguinal hernia, ambiguous genitalia in undervirilized males, and urachal fistula.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) resembling Crohn disease has been described in a few individuals [Cullinane et al 2011, Fernandez et al 2012, Smith et al 2012, Bégin et al 2013, Desplantes et al 2014, Kaya et al 2014]. Treatment that improves neutrophil counts can also help resolve the bowel disease [Kaya et al 2014].
Endocrine. Growth hormone deficiency has been described in two affected individuals [Boztug et al 2012].
Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and delayed puberty have been reported in both males and females [Germeshausen et al 2010, Banka et al 2011a, Boztug et al 2012, Aytekin et al 2013]. One male, who had no detectable gonadal structures in the scrotum, inguinal canals, or abdomen, had a low testosterone level (unresponsive to HCG stimulation) and extremely high LH and FSH levels [Yeshayahu et al 2014].
Hypothyroidism has been reported in three individuals [Banka et al 2011a, Desplantes et al 2014].
Growth. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), failure to thrive (FTT), and poor postnatal growth are common. The basis of growth problems is not known. It could be secondary to repeated infections or part of the primary phenotype of G6PC3 deficiency.
Other findings
Rarer features (some of which could be coincidental associations)
Myelodysplasia followed by acute myelogeneous leukemia with translocation (18, 21) (with no exposure to G-CSF) reported in one affected individual age 14 years [
Desplantes et al 2014]
Low HDL serum levels and persistently increased amylase activity described in one individual [
Banka et al 2011a]
Disease course. When neutropenia is treated (see Management), most affected individuals have a good prognosis with reduced rate and severity of infections.
If neutropenia is untreated, G6PC3 deficiency can lead to death in early childhood from infections [Alizadeh et al 2011] or severe respiratory distress [Dursun et al 2009]. One adult who was noncompliant with treatment died at age 37 years of bacterial endocarditis [Fernandez et al 2012].
Four deaths in the 14 individuals in the French Severe Congenital Neutropenia Registry were reported: one at age five years with sepsis, one at age 19 years from pulmonary insufficiency, and two from sudden death of unknown cause during sleep at age 30 years.