Familial dilated cardiomyopathy is a genetic form of heart disease. It occurs when heart (cardiac) muscle becomes thin and weakened in at least one chamber of the heart, causing the open area of the chamber to become enlarged (dilated). As a result, the heart is unable to pump blood as efficiently as usual. To compensate, the heart attempts to increase the amount of blood being pumped through the heart, leading to further thinning and weakening of the cardiac muscle. Over time, this condition results in heart failure.\n\nIt usually takes many years for symptoms of familial dilated cardiomyopathy to cause health problems. They typically begin in mid-adulthood, but can occur at any time from infancy to late adulthood. Signs and symptoms of familial dilated cardiomyopathy can include an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), shortness of breath (dyspnea), extreme tiredness (fatigue), fainting episodes (syncope), and swelling of the legs and feet. In some cases, the first sign of the disorder is sudden cardiac death. The severity of the condition varies among affected individuals, even in members of the same family.

Increased size of the heart, clinically defined as an increased transverse diameter of the cardiac silhouette that is greater than or equal to 50% of the transverse diameter of the chest (increased cardiothoracic ratio) on a posterior-anterior projection of a chest radiograph or a computed tomography.

The presence of an abnormality of cardiac function that is responsible for the failure of the heart to pump blood at a rate that is commensurate with the needs of the tissues or a state in which abnormally elevated filling pressures are required for the heart to do so. Heart failure is frequently related to a defect in myocardial contraction.

A hole between the two bottom chambers (ventricles) of the heart. The defect is centered around the most superior aspect of the ventricular septum.

A kind of atrial septum defect arising from an enlarged foramen ovale, inadequate growth of the septum secundum, or excessive absorption of the septum primum.

A large reduction in the fraction of blood pumped from the left ventricle with each cardiac cycle. The normal range in adults is at over 50 percent, and a severe reduction is defined as less than 30 percent.

Failure to thrive (FTT) refers to a child whose physical growth is substantially below the norm.

Impaired ability to eat related to problems gathering food and getting ready to suck, chew, or swallow it.

Upper insertion of the ear to the scalp below an imaginary horizontal line drawn between the inner canthi of the eye and extending posteriorly to the ear.

Polymicrogyria is a congenital malformation of the cerebral cortex characterized by abnormal cortical layering (lamination) and an excessive number of small gyri (folds).

Pachygyria is a malformation of cortical development with abnormally wide gyri with sulci 1,5-3 cm apart and abnormally thick cortex measuring more than 5 mm (radiological definition). See also neuropathological definitions for 2-, 3-, and 4-layered lissencephaly.

Cerebral cysts, usually located in the wall of the caudate nucleus or in the caudothalamic groove. They are found in up to 5.2% of all neonates, using transfontanellar ultrasound in the first days of life.

If the two laminae of the septum pellucidum are not fused then a fluid-filled space or cavum is present. The cavum septum pellucidum is present at birth but usually obliterates by the age of 3 to 6 months. It is up to 1cm in width and the walls are parallel. It is an enclosed space and is not part of the ventricular system or connected with the subarachnoid space.

Occipitofrontal (head) circumference greater than 97th centile compared to appropriate, age matched, sex-matched normal standards. Alternatively, a apparently increased size of the cranium.

A decreased concentration of glucose in the blood.

The concentration of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the blood circulation is above the upper limit of normal.

An abnormally high concentration in the circulation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Abnormally increased level of blood lactate (2-hydroxypropanoic acid). Lactate is produced from pyruvate by lactate dehydrogenase during normal metabolism. The terms lactate and lactic acid are often used interchangeably but lactate (the component measured in blood) is strictly a weak base whereas lactic acid is the corresponding acid. Lactic acidosis is often used clinically to describe elevated lactate but should be reserved for cases where there is a corresponding acidosis (pH below 7.35).

An increased concentration of ammonia in the blood.

The palpebral fissure inclination is more than two standard deviations below the mean.

Forward prominence of the entire forehead, due to protrusion of the frontal bone.

Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) is a condition which occurs in pregnancy when the amniotic sac ruptures more than an hour before the onset of labor.

Hydrops fetalis is a descriptive term for generalized edema of the fetus, with fluid accumulation in extravascular components and body cavities. It is not a diagnosis in itself, but a symptom and end-stage result of a wide variety of disorders. In the case of immune hydrops fetalis, a frequent cause is maternofetal incompatibility as in that related to a number of genetic anemias and metabolic disorders expressed in the fetus; in other instances, it remains idiopathic and likely multifactorial (summary by Bellini et al., 2009). Nonimmune hydrops fetalis accounts for 76 to 87% of all described cases of hydrops fetalis (Bellini et al., 2009). Genetic Heterogeneity of Hydrops Fetalis In southeast Asia, alpha-thalassemia (604131) is the most common cause of hydrops fetalis, accounting for 60 to 90% of cases. Almost all of these cases result from homozygous deletion of the HBA1 (141800) and HBA2 (141850) genes. A few cases have been reported that had 1 apparently normal alpha-globin gene, termed the hemoglobin H (613978) hydrops fetalis syndrome (summary by Chui and Waye, 1998). Other genetic disorders predisposing to NIHF include other congenital anemias, such as erythropoietic porphyria (e.g., 606938.0013), and many metabolic disorders, such as one form of Gaucher disease (e.g., 606463.0009), infantile sialic acid storage disease (269920), mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (253220), glycogen storage disease IV (232500), congenital disorder of glycosylation type Ia (212065), and disorders of lymphatic malformation (see, e.g., LMPHM1, 153100).

Although hypertelorism means an excessive distance between any paired organs (e.g., the nipples), the use of the word has come to be confined to ocular hypertelorism. Hypertelorism occurs as an isolated feature and is also a feature of many syndromes, e.g., Opitz G syndrome (see 300000), Greig cephalopolysyndactyly (175700), and Noonan syndrome (163950) (summary by Cohen et al., 1995).

A cataract is an opacity or clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its capsule.

Underdevelopment of the optic nerve.

Microspherophakia (MSP) is a rare disease characterized by smaller and more spherical lenses than normal bilaterally, an increased anteroposterior thickness of the lens, and highly myopic eyes. Lens dislocation or subluxation may occur, leading to defective accommodation (summary by Ben Yahia et al., 2009). Microspherophakia may occur in association with ectopia lentis and glaucoma, Marfan syndrome (MFS; 154700), and Weill-Marchesani syndrome (WMS; 277600).