Bilateral proliferative retinopathy associated with Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome, a severe form of dyskeratosis congenita

Abstract

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is the prototypical member of a family of diseases caused by defective telomere maintenance. These "telomeropathies" also include Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome (HH) and Revesz syndrome, which are severe forms of dyskeratosis congenita, as well as a subset of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, aplastic anemia, and Coats' plus syndrome. Retinopathy has only rarely been reported in DC and HH, but is universally present in Coats' plus and Revesz syndromes. The care of these patients is typically a multidisciplinary effort, and this should include monitoring by an ophthalmologist.