A REVIEW ON MARFAN SYNDROME

Sruthy S. A.*, Sreelekshmi R. S. and Prashob G. R.

ABSTRACT

Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects connective tissue, which is the material between cells of the body that gives the tissues form and strength. Connective tissue is found all over the body and multiple organ systems may be affected in individuals with Marfan syndrome. The heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular), skeletal, and eye (ocular) systems are most often affected. Major symptoms include overgrowth of the long bones of the arms and legs, abnormal side-to-side curvature of the spine (scoliosis), indentation or protrusion of the chest wall (pectus deformity), dislocation of the lenses of the eyes (ectopia lentis), nearsightedness (myopia), widening (aneurysm) and tear (dissection) of the main artery that carries blood away from the heart (aorta), floppiness of the mitral valve (mitral valve prolapse) and backward flow of blood through the aortic and mitral valves (aortic and mitral regurgitation). The specific symptoms and the severity of Marfan syndrome vary greatly from person to person. Marfan syndrome is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, meaning that only one abnormal copy of the Marfan gene inherited from one parent is sufficient to have the condition. Defects or disruptions (mutations) of the fibrillin-1 (FBN1) gene have been linked to Marfan syndrome and related disorders.

Keywords: Marfan Syndome, FBN1, Connective tissue.