Original Article
Volume: 3 | Issue: 2 | Published: Sep 28, 2020 | Pages: 54 - 59 | DOI: 10.24911/JBCGenetics/183-1594283408
Genetic and clinical approach to macrocephaly: a 5-year single-center study
Authors: Muhsin Elmas , Umit Can Yildirim
Article Info
Authors
Muhsin Elmas
Department of Medical Genetics, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
Umit Can Yildirim
Department of Medical Genetics, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
Publication History
Received: July 09, 2020
Revised: August 22, 2020
Accepted: September 09, 2020
Published: September 28, 2020
Abstract
Background: Macrocephaly is a condition where the head circumference is larger than the 97th percentile or 2 standard deviations. It can be a harmless trait in benign familial macrocephaly or can be seen as a component of some pathologic condition. In this article, we aimed to uncover the genetic background and clinical presentation of macrocephaly. Methods: In this retrospective study, we selected macrocephaly patients with a definitive genetic diagnosis, among 2,000 patients who were admitted to our clinic between 2014 and 2019. The data were accessed from archive. Results: The genetic testing results showed that the most common genetic causes of macrocephaly in the patients were achondroplasia (25%), neurofibromatosis type 1 (12.5%), Sotos syndrome type 1 (12.5%), and Cowden syndrome (12.5%). Conclusion: Several congenital conditions, chromosomal anomalies, and molecular mutations may cause macrocephaly. A combination of good clinical history, physical examination, and genetic testing plays a vital role in the diagnosis process.
Keywords: Chromosomal microarray analysis, copy number variants, macrocephaly, mutation, whole exome sequencing