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Published on: October 21, 2014
Microvillous inclusion disease: report of a case with atypical features
G W Mierau1, E J Wills, J Wyatt-Ashmead
1Department of Pathology, The Children's Hospital, Denver, Colorado 80218, USA. mierau.gary@tchden.org
Abstract:
Microvillous inclusion disease is a rare lethal disorder characterized by intractable, severe, watery diarrhea beginning in early infancy. The underlying defect is thought to be an autosomal recessive genetic abnormality resulting in defective brush-border assembly and differentiation. Normally, this diagnosis is easily established through the electron microscopic demonstration of characteristic microvilli-lined inclusions lying within the apical cytoplasm of surface enterocytes. In a small number of patients appearing to have microvillous inclusion disease it has not proven possible to demonstrate the typical inclusions. The existence of another entity, termed intestinal microvillous dystrophy, has been proposed to account for such occurrences. This assertion was founded in large part upon the observation that the few subjects studied all displayed a slightly atypical clinical presentation. The case now being presented exhibited the morphologic features ascribed to intestinal microvillous dystrophy but had a clinical presentation that was entirely typical of microvillous inclusion disease. It serves thus to conceptually unite intestinal microvillous dystrophy with microvillous inclusion disease.
Insights
Microvillous inclusion disease (MID) is a severe infant diarrhea disorder. This study unites intestinal microvillous dystrophy with MID, suggesting they may be the same condition.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Pathology
- Genetics
Background:
- Microvillous inclusion disease (MID) is a rare, lethal genetic disorder causing severe infantile diarrhea.
- Diagnosis typically relies on electron microscopy showing specific enterocyte inclusions.
- An autosomal recessive defect in brush-border assembly is implicated.
Observation:
- Some patients with suspected MID lack characteristic microvilli-lined inclusions.
- Intestinal microvillous dystrophy (IMD) was proposed for these cases, based on atypical clinical features.
- A presented case showed IMD morphology but typical MID clinical presentation.
Findings:
- The presented case challenges the distinction between MID and IMD.
- Morphological features of IMD were observed in a patient with classic MID symptoms.
Implications:
- This finding suggests intestinal microvillous dystrophy may not be a distinct entity from microvillous inclusion disease.
- Re-evaluation of diagnostic criteria and classification of these conditions is warranted.
- Further research is needed to clarify the genetic and pathological spectrum of infantile diarrhea disorders.
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