Synonyms

• WMS
• congenital mesodermal dysmorphodystrophy
• mesodermal dysmorphodystrophy, congenital
• spherophakia-brachymorphia syndrome
• WM syndrome

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Weill Marchesani syndrome is a rare genetic disorder of connective tissue characterized by abnormalities of the lens of the eye, short stature, an unusually short, broad head (brachycephaly) and joint stiffness. The eye (ocular) abnormalities can include small round lenses (microspherophakia), abnormal position of the lens (ectopia lentis) nearsightedness (myopia) resulting from the abnormal shape of the eye and lens and eye disease that damages the optic nerve (glaucoma) that can lead to blindness. Heart defects are present in some affected individuals. Weill Marchesani syndrome follows autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant inheritance.

Resources

Human Growth Foundation

997 Glen Cove Avenue

Suite 5

Glen Head, NY 11545

Tel: (516)671-4041

Fax: (516)671-4055

Tel: (800)451-6434

Email: hgf1@hgfound.org

Internet: http://www.hgfound.org/



MAGIC Foundation

6645 W. North Avenue

Oak Park, IL 60302

Tel: (708)383-0808

Fax: (708)383-0899

Tel: (800)362-4423

Email: mary@magicfoundation.org

Internet: http://www.magicfoundation.org



March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation

1275 Mamaroneck Avenue

White Plains, NY 10605

Tel: (914)997-4488

Fax: (914)997-4763

Tel: (888)663-4637

Email: Askus@marchofdimes.com

Internet: http://www.marchofdimes.com



Lighthouse International

111 E 59th St

New York, NY 10022-1202

Tel: (800)829-0500

Email: info@lighthouse.org

Internet: http://www.lighthouse.org



Little People of America, Inc.

250 El Camino Real

Suite 201

Tustin, CA 92780

Tel: (714)368-3689

Fax: (714)368-3367

Tel: (888)572-2001

Email: info@lpaonline.org



Glaucoma Research Foundation

490 Post Street

Suite 830

San Francisco, CA 94102

Tel: (415)986-3162

Fax: (415)986-3763

Tel: (800)826-6693

Email: info@glaucoma.org

Internet: http://www.glaucoma.org



NIH/National Eye Institute

31 Center Dr

MSC 2510

Bethesda, MD 20892-2510

United States

Tel: (301)496-5248

Fax: (301)402-1065

Email: 2020@nei.nih.gov

Internet: http://www.nei.nih.gov/



Coalition for Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue (CHDCT)

4301 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 404

Washington, DC 20008

Tel: (202)362-9599

Fax: (202)966-8553

Tel: (800)778-7171

Email: chdct@pxe.org

Internet: http://www.chdct.org



International Glaucoma Association

Woodcote House

15A Highpoint Business Village

Henwood

Ashford

Kent, Intl TN24 8DH

United Kingdom

Tel: 00 (44) 1233 64 81 64

Fax: 01233 64 81 79

Email: info@iga.org.uk

Internet: http://www.iga.org.uk



Children's Glaucoma Foundation

2 Longfellow Place

Suite 201

Boston, MA 02114

Tel: (617)277-3011

Fax: (617)227-9538

Email: info@childrensglaucoma.com

Internet: http://www.childrensglaucoma.com



MUMS National Parent-to-Parent Network

150 Custer Court

Green Bay, WI 54301-1243

USA

Tel: (920)336-5333

Fax: (920)339-0995

Tel: (877)336-5333

Email: mums@netnet.net

Internet: http://www.netnet.net/mums/



Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

PO Box 8126

Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126

Tel: (301)251-4925

Fax: (301)251-4911

Tel: (888)205-2311

TDD: (888)205-3223

Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be downloaded free from the NORD website for registered users. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational therapies (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, go to MyD-H, the Dartmouth-Hitchcock patient portal. You must be a registered MyD-H user for the Lebanon, Manchester, or Nashua locations to access this site.

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  1/13/2009

Copyright  1992, 2000, 2003, 2009 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.