Related Experiment Videos
A clinical and echocardiographic study of patients with the hypermobility syndrome
Insights
Hypermobility syndrome may indicate a mild form of hereditary connective tissue disorders. Hypermobile patients showed higher rates of mitral valve prolapse and other collagen disorder signs compared to controls.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Cardiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Hypermobility syndrome is often considered a benign locomotor condition.
- There is a need to investigate potential underlying systemic connective tissue abnormalities in hypermobile individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate clinical and echocardiographic signs of mitral valve prolapse and other stigmata of collagen disorders in patients with varying degrees of hypermobility.
- To determine if hypermobility syndrome is associated with a hereditary disorder of connective tissue.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of three age- and symptom-matched groups based on hypermobility scores (high, moderate, low/controls).
- Clinical examination for stigmata of collagen disorders.
- Echocardiographic assessment for mitral valve prolapse and related measurements.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher prevalence of mitral valve prolapse in hypermobile patients compared to controls.
- Increased incidence of reduced upper segment/lower segment mitral ratio, reduced skin thickness, spinal anomalies, and fracture history in hypermobile groups.
- These findings were dose-dependent with the degree of hypermobility.
Conclusions:
- The hypermobility syndrome may represent a forme fruste (mild or incomplete form) of a hereditary connective tissue disorder.
- Hypermobility syndrome is not merely a benign locomotor disorder but may signal underlying systemic connective tissue abnormalities.
Abstract:
Three age- and symptom-matched groups of patients with a hypermobility score of 5-9, 3-4, and 0-2 (controls), respectively, were examined for clinical and echocardiographic evidence of mitral valve prolapse and other stigmata of a collagen disorder. Mitral valve prolapse, a reduced upper segment/lower segment mitral ratio, reduced skin thickness, spinal anomalies, and a history of fracture were found to be significantly commoner among the hypermobile patients than the controls. The data suggest that the so-called hypermobility syndrome, far from being a benign locomotor disorder of healthy persons, may be a forme fruste of a hereditary disorder of connective tissue.