Faculty Collaboration Database

Down syndrome in diverse populations. Am J Med Genet A 2017 Jan;173(1):42-53

Date

12/20/2016

Pubmed ID

27991738

DOI

10.1002/ajmg.a.38043

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85006289191 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   66 Citations

Abstract

Down syndrome is the most common cause of cognitive impairment and presents clinically with universally recognizable signs and symptoms. In this study, we focus on exam findings and digital facial analysis technology in individuals with Down syndrome in diverse populations. Photos and clinical information were collected on 65 individuals from 13 countries, 56.9% were male and the average age was 6.6 years (range 1 month to 26 years; SD = 6.6 years). Subjective findings showed that clinical features were different across ethnicities (Africans, Asians, and Latin Americans), including brachycephaly, ear anomalies, clinodactyly, sandal gap, and abundant neck skin, which were all significantly less frequent in Africans (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.05, and P < 0.05, respectively). Evaluation using a digital facial analysis technology of a larger diverse cohort of newborns to adults (n = 129 cases; n = 132 controls) was able to diagnose Down syndrome with a sensitivity of 0.961, specificity of 0.924, and accuracy of 0.943. Only the angles at medial canthus and ala of the nose were common significant findings amongst different ethnicities (Caucasians, Africans, and Asians) when compared to ethnically matched controls. The Asian group had the least number of significant digital facial biometrics at 4, compared to Caucasians at 8 and Africans at 7. In conclusion, this study displays the wide variety of findings across different geographic populations in Down syndrome and demonstrates the accuracy and promise of digital facial analysis technology in the diagnosis of Down syndrome internationally. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Author List

Kruszka P, Porras AR, Sobering AK, Ikolo FA, La Qua S, Shotelersuk V, Chung BH, Mok GT, Uwineza A, Mutesa L, Moresco A, Obregon MG, Sokunbi OJ, Kalu N, Joseph DA, Ikebudu D, Ugwu CE, Okoromah CA, Addissie YA, Pardo KL, Brough JJ, Lee NC, Girisha KM, Patil SJ, Ng IS, Min BC, Jamuar SS, Tibrewal S, Wallang B, Ganesh S, Sirisena ND, Dissanayake VH, Paththinige CS, Prabodha LB, Richieri-Costa A, Muthukumarasamy P, Thong MK, Jones KL, Abdul-Rahman OA, Ekure EN, Adeyemo AA, Summar M, Linguraru MG, Muenke M

Author

Kelly Jones MD Assistant Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Adult
Biomarkers
Case-Control Studies
Child
Child, Preschool
Down Syndrome
Facies
Female
Genetic Association Studies
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Phenotype
Population Groups
Population Surveillance
Sensitivity and Specificity
Young Adult