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Disease Profile

X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita

Prevalence
Prevalence estimates on Rare Medical Network websites are calculated based on data available from numerous sources, including US and European government statistics, the NIH, Orphanet, and published epidemiologic studies. Rare disease population data is recognized to be highly variable, and based on a wide variety of source data and methodologies, so the prevalence data on this site should be assumed to be estimated and cannot be considered to be absolutely correct.

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US Estimated

Europe Estimated

Age of onset

Infancy

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ICD-10

E27.1

Inheritance

Autosomal dominant A pathogenic variant in only one gene copy in each cell is sufficient to cause an autosomal dominant disease.

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Autosomal recessive Pathogenic variants in both copies of each gene of the chromosome are needed to cause an autosomal recessive disease and observe the mutant phenotype.

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X-linked
dominant X-linked dominant inheritance, sometimes referred to as X-linked dominance, is a mode of genetic inheritance by which a dominant gene is carried on the X chromosome.

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X-linked
recessive Pathogenic variants in both copies of a gene on the X chromosome cause an X-linked recessive disorder.

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Mitochondrial or multigenic Mitochondrial genetic disorders can be caused by changes (mutations) in either the mitochondrial DNA or nuclear DNA that lead to dysfunction of the mitochondria and inadequate production of energy.

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Multigenic or multifactor Inheritance involving many factors, of which at least one is genetic but none is of overwhelming importance, as in the causation of a disease by multiple genetic and environmental factors.

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Not applicable

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Other names (AKA)

X-linked congenital adrenal hypoplasia; X-linked AHC; Adrenal hypoplasia congenita;

Categories

Congenital and Genetic Diseases; Endocrine Diseases; Female Reproductive Diseases;

Summary

X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita is an inherited disorder that mainly affects males. It involves many hormone-producing (endocrine) tissues in the body, particularly a pair of small glands on top of each kidney called the adrenal glands. These glands produce a variety of hormones that regulate many essential functions in the body. Congenital adrenal hypoplasia is characterized by adrenal insufficiency, which may be life threatening, and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Congenital adrenal hypoplasia is caused by mutations in the NR0B1 gene. It is inherited in an X-linked recessive pattern.[1]

Symptoms

X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita is a disorder that mainly affects males. One of the main signs of this disorder is adrenal insufficiency, which occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones. Adrenal insufficiency typically begins in infancy or childhood and can cause vomiting, difficulty with feeding, dehydration, extremely low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and shock. If untreated, these complications may be life-threatening.[1]

Affected males may also have a shortage of male sex hormones, which leads to underdeveloped reproductive tissues, undescended testicles, delayed puberty, and an inability to father children. Together, these characteristics are known as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.[1]

The onset and severity of these signs and symptoms can vary, even among affected members of the same family.[1]

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Absence of pubertal development
0008197
Adrenal hypoplasia
Small adrenal glands
0000835
Azoospermia
Absent sperm in semen
0000027
Cryptorchidism
Undescended testes
Undescended testis

[ more ]

0000028
Decreased circulating aldosterone level
Low blood aldosterone level
0004319
Decreased circulating cortisol level
Low blood cortisol level
0008163
Dehydration
0001944
Delayed puberty
Delayed pubertal development
Delayed pubertal growth
Pubertal delay

[ more ]

0000823
Failure to thrive
Faltering weight
Weight faltering

[ more ]

0001508
Hyperpigmentation of the skin
Patchy darkened skin
0000953
Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
0000044
Hyponatremia
Low blood sodium levels
0002902
Muscular dystrophy
0003560
Oligospermia
Low sperm count
0000798
Precocious puberty
Early onset of puberty
Early puberty

[ more ]

0000826
Renal salt wasting
Loss of salt in urine
0000127
X-linked recessive inheritance
0001419

Cause

X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita is caused by mutations in the NR0B1 gene. The NR0B1 gene provides instructions to make a protein called DAX1. This protein plays an important role in the development and function of several hormone-producing tissues including the adrenal glands, two hormone-secreting glands in the brain (the hypothalamus and pituitary), and the gonads (ovaries in females and testes in males). The hormones produced by these glands control many important body functions.[1]

Some NR0B1 mutations result in the production of an inactive version of the DAX1 protein, while other mutations delete the entire gene. The resulting shortage of DAX1 disrupts the normal development and function of hormone-producing tissues in the body. The signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism occur when endocrine glands do not produce the right amounts of certain hormones.[1]

Learn more

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.

In-Depth Information

  • GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Selected Full-Text Journal Articles

References

  1. X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita. Genetics Home Reference (GHR). 2008; https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/x-linked-adrenal-hypoplasia-congenita. Accessed 8/15/2012.

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