[The complex phenotype of ARC syndrome: A new case]

ARC syndrome (arthrogryposis - renal dysfunction - cholestasis) is a rare lethal multisystemic autosomal recessive disease. A newborn of consanguineous parents of Algerian descent presented cholestatic jaundice, dehydration, and Fanconi syndrome at 10 days of life. The blood smear showed a very characteristic gray appearance of platelets. A homozygous mutation was evidenced in the VPS33B gene. This gene codes for a protein involved in trafficking of intracellular vesicles. The mutation (c.604-2A>G) present in the heterozygous state in the parents affects an invariant base of the splice acceptor site and to our knowledge has not been reported yet. This child died at the age of 3 months. Prenatal diagnosis was offered to the family; another pregnancy was carried to completion and a girl was born without the disease. The combination of cholestasis and proximal tubulopathy should suggest the diagnosis in a newborn with orthopedic problems. A blood smear greatly facilitates diagnosis.