Reed Pyeritz | University of Pennsylvania (original) (raw)

Papers by Reed Pyeritz

Research paper thumbnail of Self-Surveillance by Adolescents and Young Adults Transitioning to Self-Management of a Chronic Genetic Disorder

Health Education & Behavior, 2010

Adolescents and young adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS) use information from self-surveillance to... more Adolescents and young adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS) use information from self-surveillance to manage their disorder. Thirty-seven male and female adolescents with MFS aged 14 to 21 years were interviewed. They identified 58 distinct self-surveillance behaviors that fell into four categories and multiple subcategories (SCs): tracking phenotype (SCs: physical appearance, physical fitness, medical problems, and other observations); tracking medical care

Research paper thumbnail of CHRONOBIOLOGICAL PATTERNS OF ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION IN MARFAN SYNDROME PATIENTS: DATA FROM THE INTERNATIONAL REGISTRY OF ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION (IRAD)

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of WHICH PATIENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE ADVERSE CHANGES ON IMAGING FOLLOWING ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION?

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of COL3A1 Gene Mutation Predicts Arterial Involvement and Prognosis in Vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of The question of heterogeneity in Marfan syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of Aortic Disease Presentation and Outcome Associated with ACTA2 Mutations

Circulation. Cardiovascular genetics, Jan 10, 2015

-ACTA2 mutations are the major cause of familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. We so... more -ACTA2 mutations are the major cause of familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. We sought to characterize these aortic diseases in a large case series of individuals with ACTA2 mutations. -Aortic disease, management, and outcome associated with the first aortic event (aortic dissection or aneurysm repair) were abstracted from the medical records of 277 individuals with 41 various ACTA2 mutations. Aortic events occurred in 48% of these individuals, with the vast majority presenting with thoracic aortic dissections (88%) associated with 25% mortality. Type A dissections were more common than type B dissections (54% versus 21%), but the median age of onset of type B dissections was significantly younger than type A dissections (27 years, IQR 18-41 versus 36 years, IQR 26-45). Only 12% of aortic events were repair of ascending aortic aneurysms, which variably involved the aortic root, ascending aorta and aortic arch. Overall cumulative risk of an aortic event at age 85 years was 0.76 (95% CI 0.64, 0.86). After adjustment for intra-familial correlation, gender and race, mutations disrupting p.R179 and p.R258 were associated with significantly increased risk for aortic events, whereas p.R185Q and p.R118Q mutations showed significantly lower risk of aortic events compared to other mutations. -ACTA2 mutations are associated with high risk of presentation with an acute aortic dissection. The lifetime risk for an aortic event is only 76%, suggesting that additional environmental or genetic factors play a role in expression of aortic disease in individuals with ACTA2 mutations.

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic counseling for congenital heart disease: New approaches for a new decade

Current Cardiology Reports, 2002

Congenital heart disease (CHD), which occurs in about 0.7% of all live-born children, is the lead... more Congenital heart disease (CHD), which occurs in about 0.7% of all live-born children, is the leading cause of death from birth defects. Understandably, parents of patients, and increasingly patients themselves, are interested in the risk that further offspring will be affected. Advances in genetics now permit accurate estimation for many forms of CHD, especially the identification of patients and families with recurrence risks of up to 50%. The increased availability of genetic information, combined with the use of noninvasive imaging to look for subtle defects and targeted genetic testing, have demonstrated that the relevant question to ask about an individual's apparently isolated CHD is whether it is syndromic or familial. Syndromes that involve clinically important noncardiac findings may best be managed by, or in consultation with, a clinical geneticist. Other familial syndromes remain entirely within the purview of the cardiologist. The practicing cardiologist needs to continue to stay abreast of genetic discoveries in the field of CHD in order to provide proper management, including genetic counseling, to patients and their families.

Research paper thumbnail of Loeys–Dietz syndrome is a specific phenotype and not a concomitant of any mutation in a gene involved in TGF-β signaling

Genetics in Medicine, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Community pharmacists‘ attitudes towards clinical utility and ethical implications of pharmacogenetic testing

Research paper thumbnail of The question of heterogeneity in Marfan syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of Outline of a medical genetics curriculum for internal medicine residency training programs

Genetics in Medicine, 2004

To keep pace with the rapid advances in medical genetics, internal medicine residency training pr... more To keep pace with the rapid advances in medical genetics, internal medicine residency training programs need to train internists to develop new attitudes, knowledge bases, and skill sets. Currently, such programs have no medical genetics curriculum. Thus, to set a minimum standard for genetics education in the context of training in internal medicine, the Internal Medicine Residency Training Program Genetics Curriculum Committee was formed, with members representing professional organizations of medical geneticists, internists, genetic counselors, internal medicine and genetics residency program directors, and internal medicine residents. The committee's task was to develop a concise outline of a medical genetics curriculum for residents in internal medicine in accordance with requirements of the Residency Review Committee for Internal Medicine of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The curriculum outline was drafted and circulated for comment. Before publication, the final document was approved by those member organizations that had a policy of approving curricula. Key learning objectives of the curriculum include appreciation of the rapid advances in genetics, the need for lifelong learning, the need for referral, and the role of genetic counselors and medical geneticists, as well as developing the ability to construct and analyze a three-generation pedigree. A wide variety of teaching methods can be useful in these regards, including didactic lectures, multimedia CD-ROMs, and clinical experience. Teaching should be related to clinical experiences whenever possible. The curriculum developed by the committee and presented in this article will assist in teaching residents the attitudes, knowledge, and skills they will require. Genet Med 2004: 6(6):543-547.

Research paper thumbnail of The skipping of constitutive exons in vivo induced by nonsense mutations

Science, 1993

Nonsense mutations create a premature signal for the termination of translation of messenger RNA.... more Nonsense mutations create a premature signal for the termination of translation of messenger RNA. Such mutations have been observed to cause a severe reduction in the amount of mutant allele transcript or to generate a peptide truncated at the carboxyl end. Analysis of fibrillin transcript from a patient with Marfan syndrome revealed the skipping of a constitutive exon containing a nonsense mutation. Similar results were observed for two nonsense mutations in the gene encoding ornithine delta-aminotransferase from patients with gyrate atrophy. All genomic DNA sequences flanking these exons that are known to influence RNA splicing were unaltered, which suggests that nonsense mutations can alter splice site selection in vivo.

Research paper thumbnail of Replacement of the Aortic Root in Patients with Marfan's Syndrome

New England Journal of Medicine, 1999

Replacement of the aortic root with a prosthetic graft and valve in patients with Marfan&... more Replacement of the aortic root with a prosthetic graft and valve in patients with Marfan's syndrome may prevent premature death from rupture of an aneurysm or aortic dissection. We reviewed the results of this surgical procedure at 10 experienced surgical centers. A total of 675 patients with Marfan's syndrome underwent replacement of the aortic root. Survival and morbidity-free survival curves were calculated, and risk factors were determined from a multivariable regression analysis. The 30-day mortality rate was 1.5 percent among the 455 patients who underwent elective repair, 2.6 percent among the 117 patients who underwent urgent repair (within 7 days after a surgical consultation), and 11.7 percent among the 103 patients who underwent emergency repair (within 24 hours after a surgical consultation). Of the 675 patients, 202 (30 percent) had aortic dissection involving the ascending aorta. Forty-six percent of the 158 adult patients with aortic dissection and a documented aortic diameter had an aneurysm with a diameter of 6.5 cm or less. There were 114 late deaths (more than 30 days after surgery); dissection or rupture of the residual aorta (22 patients) and arrhythmia (21 patients) were the principal causes of late death. The risk of death was greatest within the first 60 days after surgery, then rapidly decreased to a constant level by the end of the first year. Elective aortic-root replacement has a low operative mortality. In contrast, emergency repair, usually for acute aortic dissection, is associated with a much higher early mortality. Because nearly half the adult patients with aortic dissection had an aortic-root diameter of 6.5 cm or less at the time of operation, it may be prudent to undertake prophylactic repair of aortic aneurysms in patients with Marfan's syndrome when the diameter of the aorta is well below that size.

Research paper thumbnail of A Molecular Approach to the Stratification of Cardiovascular Risk in Families with Marfan's Syndrome

New England Journal of Medicine, 1994

The fibrillin gene encodes a protein in the extracellular matrix, and this protein is widely dist... more The fibrillin gene encodes a protein in the extracellular matrix, and this protein is widely distributed in elastic tissues. The fibrillin gene is the site of mutations causing Marfan's syndrome. This disorder shows a high degree of clinical variability both between and within families. Each family appears to have a unique mutation in the fibrillin gene, which precludes the routine use of mutation screening for presymptomatic diagnosis of the disorder. The goal of this study was to develop a widely applicable method of molecular diagnosis. We used three newly characterized intragenic sites of normal DNA repeat-sequence variation (i.e., polymorphisms) as markers to follow the inheritance pattern of specific copies (alleles) of the fibrillin gene in multiple kindreds with various clinical features of Marfan's syndrome. The polymorphic markers allowed identification of the particular copy of the fibrillin gene that cosegregated with Marfan's syndrome in 13 of the 14 families tested. In 11 families a definite presymptomatic diagnosis of Marfan's syndrome could be made in family members who had only equivocal manifestations of the disorder. In two other families, some family members demonstrated either classic Marfan's syndrome or a milder but closely related phenotype. The copy of the fibrillin gene that cosegregated with classic Marfan's syndrome was not inherited by family members with the latter, atypical, form of the disease. These milder phenotypes, previously diagnosed as Marfan's syndrome, were not associated with aortic involvement. These results document the usefulness of novel polymorphic DNA repeat sequences in the presymptomatic diagnosis of Marfan's syndrome. Our findings also demonstrate that the various clinical phenotypes seen in selected families may be due not to single fibrillin mutations, but rather to different genetic alterations. These findings underscore the need for a modification of the current diagnostic criteria for Marfan's syndrome in order to achieve accurate risk assessment.

Research paper thumbnail of Aneurysm Syndromes Caused by Mutations in the TGF-β Receptor

New England Journal of Medicine, 2006

The Loeys-Dietz syndrome is a recently described autosomal dominant aortic-aneurysm syndrome with... more The Loeys-Dietz syndrome is a recently described autosomal dominant aortic-aneurysm syndrome with widespread systemic involvement. The disease is characterized by the triad of arterial tortuosity and aneurysms, hypertelorism, and bifid uvula or cleft palate and is caused by heterozygous mutations in the genes encoding transforming growth factor beta receptors 1 and 2 (TGFBR1 and TGFBR2, respectively). We undertook the clinical and molecular characterization of 52 affected families. Forty probands presented with typical manifestations of the Loeys-Dietz syndrome. In view of the phenotypic overlap between this syndrome and vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, we screened an additional cohort of 40 patients who had vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome without the characteristic type III collagen abnormalities or the craniofacial features of the Loeys-Dietz syndrome. We found a mutation in TGFBR1 or TGFBR2 in all probands with typical Loeys-Dietz syndrome (type I) and in 12 probands presenting with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (Loeys-Dietz syndrome type II). The natural history of both types was characterized by aggressive arterial aneurysms (mean age at death, 26.0 years) and a high incidence of pregnancy-related complications (in 6 of 12 women). Patients with Loeys-Dietz syndrome type I, as compared with those with type II, underwent cardiovascular surgery earlier (mean age, 16.9 years vs. 26.9 years) and died earlier (22.6 years vs. 31.8 years). There were 59 vascular surgeries in the cohort, with one death during the procedure. This low rate of intraoperative mortality distinguishes the Loeys-Dietz syndrome from vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Mutations in either TGFBR1 or TGFBR2 predispose patients to aggressive and widespread vascular disease. The severity of the clinical presentation is predictive of the outcome. Genotyping of patients presenting with symptoms like those of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome may be used to guide therapy, including the use and timing of prophylactic vascular surgery.

Research paper thumbnail of Marfan syndrome caused by a recurrent de novo missense mutation in the fibrillin gene

Nature, 1991

Marfan syndrome is an inherited disorder of connective tissue manifested in the ocular, skeletal ... more Marfan syndrome is an inherited disorder of connective tissue manifested in the ocular, skeletal and cardiovascular systems. It is inherited as an autosomal dominant with high penetrance, but has great clinical variability. Linkage studies have mapped the Marfan locus to chromosome 15q15-21.3. There have been no reports of genetic heterogeneity in the syndrome. Following the identification of fibrillin (a glycoprotein component of the extracellular microfibril), immunohistopathological quantification of the protein in skin and fibroblast culture, and examination of fibrillin synthesis, extracellular transport, and incorporation into the extracellular matrix (D. M. Milewicz, R.E.P., E. S. Crawford and P. H. Byers, manuscript in preparation) have demonstrated abnormalities of fibrillin metabolism in most patients. A portion of the complementary DNA encoding fibrillin has been cloned and mapped by in situ hybridization to chromosome 15. Here we report that the fibrillin gene is linked to the Marfan phenotype (theta = 0.00; logarithm of the odds (lod) = 3.9) and describe a de novo missense mutation in the fibrillin gene in two patients with sporadic disease. We thus implicate fibrillin as the protein defective in patients with the Marfan syndrome.

Research paper thumbnail of Aortic root replacement

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 1995

patients underwent aortic root replacement at our institution. Two hundred fifty-two patients und... more patients underwent aortic root replacement at our institution. Two hundred fifty-two patients underwent a Bentall composite graft repair and 18 patients received a cryopreserved homograft aortic root. One hundred eighty-seven patients had a Marfan aneurysm of the ascending aorta (41 with dissection) and 53 patients had an aneurysm resulting from nonspecific medial degeneration (17 with dissection). These 240 patients were considered to have annuloaortic ectasia. Thirty patients were operated on for miscellaneous lesions of the aortic root. Thirty-day mortality for the overall series of 270 patients was 4.8% (13/270). There was no 30-day mortality among 182 patients undergoing elective root replacement for annuloaortic ectasia without dissection. Thirty-six of the 270 patients having root replacement also had mitral valve operations. There was no hospital mortality for aortic root replacement in these 36 patients, but there were seven late deaths. Twenty-two patients received a cryopreserved homograft aortic root; 18 of these were primary root replacements and four were repeat root replacements for late endocarditis. One early death and two late deaths occurred in this group. Actuarial survival for the overall group of 270 patients was 73% at 10 years. In a multivariate analysis, only poor New Year Heart Association dass (Il] and IV), non-Marfan status, preoperative dissection, and male gender emerged as significant predictors of early or late death. Endocarditis was the most common late complication (14 of 256 hospital survivors) and was optimally treated by root replacement with a cryopreserved aortic homograft. Late problems with the part of the aorta not operated on occur with moderate frequency; careful follow-up of the distal aorta is critical to long-term survival. (J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG 1995; 109:536-45)

Research paper thumbnail of Long-term implications of emergency versus elective proximal aortic surgery in patients with Marfan syndrome in the Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions Consortium Registry

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2012

Objective-Marfan syndrome patients with aortic root aneurysms undergo elective aortic root replac... more Objective-Marfan syndrome patients with aortic root aneurysms undergo elective aortic root replacement to avoid the life-threatening outcomes of aortic dissection and emergency repair. The long-term implications of failed aortic surveillance leading to acute dissection and emergency repair are poorly defined. We compared the long-term clinical courses of Marfan syndrome patients who survive emergency versus elective proximal aortic surgery.

Research paper thumbnail of “TIME IS LIFE”: EARLY MORTALITY IN TYPE A ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION: INSIGHTS FROM THE IRAD REGISTRY

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of NON-SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF TYPE A ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION: INSIGHTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL REGISTRY OF ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION (IRAD)

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2011

... and Kim A. Eagle Mark Peterson, Reed Pyeritz, Eva Kline-Rogers, Eduardo Bossone, Thomas T. Ts... more ... and Kim A. Eagle Mark Peterson, Reed Pyeritz, Eva Kline-Rogers, Eduardo Bossone, Thomas T. Tsai, Corteville, Adam Rogers, Himanshu Patel, Anna Booher, Christoph A. Nienaber, Shyamli Sinha, Santi Trimarchi, Daniel Montgomery, Elise Woznicki, David ACUTE AORTIC ...

Research paper thumbnail of Self-Surveillance by Adolescents and Young Adults Transitioning to Self-Management of a Chronic Genetic Disorder

Health Education & Behavior, 2010

Adolescents and young adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS) use information from self-surveillance to... more Adolescents and young adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS) use information from self-surveillance to manage their disorder. Thirty-seven male and female adolescents with MFS aged 14 to 21 years were interviewed. They identified 58 distinct self-surveillance behaviors that fell into four categories and multiple subcategories (SCs): tracking phenotype (SCs: physical appearance, physical fitness, medical problems, and other observations); tracking medical care

Research paper thumbnail of CHRONOBIOLOGICAL PATTERNS OF ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION IN MARFAN SYNDROME PATIENTS: DATA FROM THE INTERNATIONAL REGISTRY OF ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION (IRAD)

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of WHICH PATIENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE ADVERSE CHANGES ON IMAGING FOLLOWING ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION?

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2015

Research paper thumbnail of COL3A1 Gene Mutation Predicts Arterial Involvement and Prognosis in Vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of The question of heterogeneity in Marfan syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of Aortic Disease Presentation and Outcome Associated with ACTA2 Mutations

Circulation. Cardiovascular genetics, Jan 10, 2015

-ACTA2 mutations are the major cause of familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. We so... more -ACTA2 mutations are the major cause of familial thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. We sought to characterize these aortic diseases in a large case series of individuals with ACTA2 mutations. -Aortic disease, management, and outcome associated with the first aortic event (aortic dissection or aneurysm repair) were abstracted from the medical records of 277 individuals with 41 various ACTA2 mutations. Aortic events occurred in 48% of these individuals, with the vast majority presenting with thoracic aortic dissections (88%) associated with 25% mortality. Type A dissections were more common than type B dissections (54% versus 21%), but the median age of onset of type B dissections was significantly younger than type A dissections (27 years, IQR 18-41 versus 36 years, IQR 26-45). Only 12% of aortic events were repair of ascending aortic aneurysms, which variably involved the aortic root, ascending aorta and aortic arch. Overall cumulative risk of an aortic event at age 85 years was 0.76 (95% CI 0.64, 0.86). After adjustment for intra-familial correlation, gender and race, mutations disrupting p.R179 and p.R258 were associated with significantly increased risk for aortic events, whereas p.R185Q and p.R118Q mutations showed significantly lower risk of aortic events compared to other mutations. -ACTA2 mutations are associated with high risk of presentation with an acute aortic dissection. The lifetime risk for an aortic event is only 76%, suggesting that additional environmental or genetic factors play a role in expression of aortic disease in individuals with ACTA2 mutations.

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic counseling for congenital heart disease: New approaches for a new decade

Current Cardiology Reports, 2002

Congenital heart disease (CHD), which occurs in about 0.7% of all live-born children, is the lead... more Congenital heart disease (CHD), which occurs in about 0.7% of all live-born children, is the leading cause of death from birth defects. Understandably, parents of patients, and increasingly patients themselves, are interested in the risk that further offspring will be affected. Advances in genetics now permit accurate estimation for many forms of CHD, especially the identification of patients and families with recurrence risks of up to 50%. The increased availability of genetic information, combined with the use of noninvasive imaging to look for subtle defects and targeted genetic testing, have demonstrated that the relevant question to ask about an individual's apparently isolated CHD is whether it is syndromic or familial. Syndromes that involve clinically important noncardiac findings may best be managed by, or in consultation with, a clinical geneticist. Other familial syndromes remain entirely within the purview of the cardiologist. The practicing cardiologist needs to continue to stay abreast of genetic discoveries in the field of CHD in order to provide proper management, including genetic counseling, to patients and their families.

Research paper thumbnail of Loeys–Dietz syndrome is a specific phenotype and not a concomitant of any mutation in a gene involved in TGF-β signaling

Genetics in Medicine, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Community pharmacists‘ attitudes towards clinical utility and ethical implications of pharmacogenetic testing

Research paper thumbnail of The question of heterogeneity in Marfan syndrome

Research paper thumbnail of Outline of a medical genetics curriculum for internal medicine residency training programs

Genetics in Medicine, 2004

To keep pace with the rapid advances in medical genetics, internal medicine residency training pr... more To keep pace with the rapid advances in medical genetics, internal medicine residency training programs need to train internists to develop new attitudes, knowledge bases, and skill sets. Currently, such programs have no medical genetics curriculum. Thus, to set a minimum standard for genetics education in the context of training in internal medicine, the Internal Medicine Residency Training Program Genetics Curriculum Committee was formed, with members representing professional organizations of medical geneticists, internists, genetic counselors, internal medicine and genetics residency program directors, and internal medicine residents. The committee's task was to develop a concise outline of a medical genetics curriculum for residents in internal medicine in accordance with requirements of the Residency Review Committee for Internal Medicine of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The curriculum outline was drafted and circulated for comment. Before publication, the final document was approved by those member organizations that had a policy of approving curricula. Key learning objectives of the curriculum include appreciation of the rapid advances in genetics, the need for lifelong learning, the need for referral, and the role of genetic counselors and medical geneticists, as well as developing the ability to construct and analyze a three-generation pedigree. A wide variety of teaching methods can be useful in these regards, including didactic lectures, multimedia CD-ROMs, and clinical experience. Teaching should be related to clinical experiences whenever possible. The curriculum developed by the committee and presented in this article will assist in teaching residents the attitudes, knowledge, and skills they will require. Genet Med 2004: 6(6):543-547.

Research paper thumbnail of The skipping of constitutive exons in vivo induced by nonsense mutations

Science, 1993

Nonsense mutations create a premature signal for the termination of translation of messenger RNA.... more Nonsense mutations create a premature signal for the termination of translation of messenger RNA. Such mutations have been observed to cause a severe reduction in the amount of mutant allele transcript or to generate a peptide truncated at the carboxyl end. Analysis of fibrillin transcript from a patient with Marfan syndrome revealed the skipping of a constitutive exon containing a nonsense mutation. Similar results were observed for two nonsense mutations in the gene encoding ornithine delta-aminotransferase from patients with gyrate atrophy. All genomic DNA sequences flanking these exons that are known to influence RNA splicing were unaltered, which suggests that nonsense mutations can alter splice site selection in vivo.

Research paper thumbnail of Replacement of the Aortic Root in Patients with Marfan's Syndrome

New England Journal of Medicine, 1999

Replacement of the aortic root with a prosthetic graft and valve in patients with Marfan&... more Replacement of the aortic root with a prosthetic graft and valve in patients with Marfan's syndrome may prevent premature death from rupture of an aneurysm or aortic dissection. We reviewed the results of this surgical procedure at 10 experienced surgical centers. A total of 675 patients with Marfan's syndrome underwent replacement of the aortic root. Survival and morbidity-free survival curves were calculated, and risk factors were determined from a multivariable regression analysis. The 30-day mortality rate was 1.5 percent among the 455 patients who underwent elective repair, 2.6 percent among the 117 patients who underwent urgent repair (within 7 days after a surgical consultation), and 11.7 percent among the 103 patients who underwent emergency repair (within 24 hours after a surgical consultation). Of the 675 patients, 202 (30 percent) had aortic dissection involving the ascending aorta. Forty-six percent of the 158 adult patients with aortic dissection and a documented aortic diameter had an aneurysm with a diameter of 6.5 cm or less. There were 114 late deaths (more than 30 days after surgery); dissection or rupture of the residual aorta (22 patients) and arrhythmia (21 patients) were the principal causes of late death. The risk of death was greatest within the first 60 days after surgery, then rapidly decreased to a constant level by the end of the first year. Elective aortic-root replacement has a low operative mortality. In contrast, emergency repair, usually for acute aortic dissection, is associated with a much higher early mortality. Because nearly half the adult patients with aortic dissection had an aortic-root diameter of 6.5 cm or less at the time of operation, it may be prudent to undertake prophylactic repair of aortic aneurysms in patients with Marfan's syndrome when the diameter of the aorta is well below that size.

Research paper thumbnail of A Molecular Approach to the Stratification of Cardiovascular Risk in Families with Marfan's Syndrome

New England Journal of Medicine, 1994

The fibrillin gene encodes a protein in the extracellular matrix, and this protein is widely dist... more The fibrillin gene encodes a protein in the extracellular matrix, and this protein is widely distributed in elastic tissues. The fibrillin gene is the site of mutations causing Marfan's syndrome. This disorder shows a high degree of clinical variability both between and within families. Each family appears to have a unique mutation in the fibrillin gene, which precludes the routine use of mutation screening for presymptomatic diagnosis of the disorder. The goal of this study was to develop a widely applicable method of molecular diagnosis. We used three newly characterized intragenic sites of normal DNA repeat-sequence variation (i.e., polymorphisms) as markers to follow the inheritance pattern of specific copies (alleles) of the fibrillin gene in multiple kindreds with various clinical features of Marfan's syndrome. The polymorphic markers allowed identification of the particular copy of the fibrillin gene that cosegregated with Marfan's syndrome in 13 of the 14 families tested. In 11 families a definite presymptomatic diagnosis of Marfan's syndrome could be made in family members who had only equivocal manifestations of the disorder. In two other families, some family members demonstrated either classic Marfan's syndrome or a milder but closely related phenotype. The copy of the fibrillin gene that cosegregated with classic Marfan's syndrome was not inherited by family members with the latter, atypical, form of the disease. These milder phenotypes, previously diagnosed as Marfan's syndrome, were not associated with aortic involvement. These results document the usefulness of novel polymorphic DNA repeat sequences in the presymptomatic diagnosis of Marfan's syndrome. Our findings also demonstrate that the various clinical phenotypes seen in selected families may be due not to single fibrillin mutations, but rather to different genetic alterations. These findings underscore the need for a modification of the current diagnostic criteria for Marfan's syndrome in order to achieve accurate risk assessment.

Research paper thumbnail of Aneurysm Syndromes Caused by Mutations in the TGF-β Receptor

New England Journal of Medicine, 2006

The Loeys-Dietz syndrome is a recently described autosomal dominant aortic-aneurysm syndrome with... more The Loeys-Dietz syndrome is a recently described autosomal dominant aortic-aneurysm syndrome with widespread systemic involvement. The disease is characterized by the triad of arterial tortuosity and aneurysms, hypertelorism, and bifid uvula or cleft palate and is caused by heterozygous mutations in the genes encoding transforming growth factor beta receptors 1 and 2 (TGFBR1 and TGFBR2, respectively). We undertook the clinical and molecular characterization of 52 affected families. Forty probands presented with typical manifestations of the Loeys-Dietz syndrome. In view of the phenotypic overlap between this syndrome and vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, we screened an additional cohort of 40 patients who had vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome without the characteristic type III collagen abnormalities or the craniofacial features of the Loeys-Dietz syndrome. We found a mutation in TGFBR1 or TGFBR2 in all probands with typical Loeys-Dietz syndrome (type I) and in 12 probands presenting with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (Loeys-Dietz syndrome type II). The natural history of both types was characterized by aggressive arterial aneurysms (mean age at death, 26.0 years) and a high incidence of pregnancy-related complications (in 6 of 12 women). Patients with Loeys-Dietz syndrome type I, as compared with those with type II, underwent cardiovascular surgery earlier (mean age, 16.9 years vs. 26.9 years) and died earlier (22.6 years vs. 31.8 years). There were 59 vascular surgeries in the cohort, with one death during the procedure. This low rate of intraoperative mortality distinguishes the Loeys-Dietz syndrome from vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Mutations in either TGFBR1 or TGFBR2 predispose patients to aggressive and widespread vascular disease. The severity of the clinical presentation is predictive of the outcome. Genotyping of patients presenting with symptoms like those of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome may be used to guide therapy, including the use and timing of prophylactic vascular surgery.

Research paper thumbnail of Marfan syndrome caused by a recurrent de novo missense mutation in the fibrillin gene

Nature, 1991

Marfan syndrome is an inherited disorder of connective tissue manifested in the ocular, skeletal ... more Marfan syndrome is an inherited disorder of connective tissue manifested in the ocular, skeletal and cardiovascular systems. It is inherited as an autosomal dominant with high penetrance, but has great clinical variability. Linkage studies have mapped the Marfan locus to chromosome 15q15-21.3. There have been no reports of genetic heterogeneity in the syndrome. Following the identification of fibrillin (a glycoprotein component of the extracellular microfibril), immunohistopathological quantification of the protein in skin and fibroblast culture, and examination of fibrillin synthesis, extracellular transport, and incorporation into the extracellular matrix (D. M. Milewicz, R.E.P., E. S. Crawford and P. H. Byers, manuscript in preparation) have demonstrated abnormalities of fibrillin metabolism in most patients. A portion of the complementary DNA encoding fibrillin has been cloned and mapped by in situ hybridization to chromosome 15. Here we report that the fibrillin gene is linked to the Marfan phenotype (theta = 0.00; logarithm of the odds (lod) = 3.9) and describe a de novo missense mutation in the fibrillin gene in two patients with sporadic disease. We thus implicate fibrillin as the protein defective in patients with the Marfan syndrome.

Research paper thumbnail of Aortic root replacement

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 1995

patients underwent aortic root replacement at our institution. Two hundred fifty-two patients und... more patients underwent aortic root replacement at our institution. Two hundred fifty-two patients underwent a Bentall composite graft repair and 18 patients received a cryopreserved homograft aortic root. One hundred eighty-seven patients had a Marfan aneurysm of the ascending aorta (41 with dissection) and 53 patients had an aneurysm resulting from nonspecific medial degeneration (17 with dissection). These 240 patients were considered to have annuloaortic ectasia. Thirty patients were operated on for miscellaneous lesions of the aortic root. Thirty-day mortality for the overall series of 270 patients was 4.8% (13/270). There was no 30-day mortality among 182 patients undergoing elective root replacement for annuloaortic ectasia without dissection. Thirty-six of the 270 patients having root replacement also had mitral valve operations. There was no hospital mortality for aortic root replacement in these 36 patients, but there were seven late deaths. Twenty-two patients received a cryopreserved homograft aortic root; 18 of these were primary root replacements and four were repeat root replacements for late endocarditis. One early death and two late deaths occurred in this group. Actuarial survival for the overall group of 270 patients was 73% at 10 years. In a multivariate analysis, only poor New Year Heart Association dass (Il] and IV), non-Marfan status, preoperative dissection, and male gender emerged as significant predictors of early or late death. Endocarditis was the most common late complication (14 of 256 hospital survivors) and was optimally treated by root replacement with a cryopreserved aortic homograft. Late problems with the part of the aorta not operated on occur with moderate frequency; careful follow-up of the distal aorta is critical to long-term survival. (J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG 1995; 109:536-45)

Research paper thumbnail of Long-term implications of emergency versus elective proximal aortic surgery in patients with Marfan syndrome in the Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions Consortium Registry

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2012

Objective-Marfan syndrome patients with aortic root aneurysms undergo elective aortic root replac... more Objective-Marfan syndrome patients with aortic root aneurysms undergo elective aortic root replacement to avoid the life-threatening outcomes of aortic dissection and emergency repair. The long-term implications of failed aortic surveillance leading to acute dissection and emergency repair are poorly defined. We compared the long-term clinical courses of Marfan syndrome patients who survive emergency versus elective proximal aortic surgery.

Research paper thumbnail of “TIME IS LIFE”: EARLY MORTALITY IN TYPE A ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION: INSIGHTS FROM THE IRAD REGISTRY

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of NON-SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF TYPE A ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION: INSIGHTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL REGISTRY OF ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION (IRAD)

Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2011

... and Kim A. Eagle Mark Peterson, Reed Pyeritz, Eva Kline-Rogers, Eduardo Bossone, Thomas T. Ts... more ... and Kim A. Eagle Mark Peterson, Reed Pyeritz, Eva Kline-Rogers, Eduardo Bossone, Thomas T. Tsai, Corteville, Adam Rogers, Himanshu Patel, Anna Booher, Christoph A. Nienaber, Shyamli Sinha, Santi Trimarchi, Daniel Montgomery, Elise Woznicki, David ACUTE AORTIC ...