WS-SAVE Study (Williams Syndrome Skin and Vessel Elasticity Study)

Overview

Background: Williams Syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder. People with WS have less of a protein that allows parts of the body to stretch than other individuals. Researchers are interested in the stretchiness of the skin of people with WS and how it may relate to cardiovascular problems some people with WS develop. They are also interested in identifying exposures such as medications that may change the elasticity of the skin and vessels. Objective: To learn more about the skin and blood vessels in individuals with WS and how those tissues change over time. Eligibility: People ages 5-70 with WS. People ages 1-70 with a medical condition that affects connective tissue. Design: Participants will be screened with a review of their medical records. Participants will have 1 visit. Participants with WS may do so at a Williams Syndrome Association family meeting or camp, or at NIH. Other participants will be seen at NIH. During the visit, participants will have height, weight, and blood pressure measured. Researchers will listen to the participant s chest and abdomen. Participants skin will be examined. It may be photographed. Participants will have photos of their eyes and face taken. Researchers will use a DermaLab Suction Cup Probe. A small suction cup will be placed on the arm with a sticker. It will pull lightly on the skin. This allows a computer to measure skin flexibility. Researchers will use a SphygmoCor. A probe that looks like a dull pencil will be placed on the wrist, neck, and groin area. A computer will measure how fast the pulse is moving and will estimate blood vessel flexibility. Participants may be invited to have these procedures repeated at a later date (2 years from now or more).

Williams syndrome (WS) is a multisystem developmental disorder caused by deletion of 26-28 genes, including the elastin gene, located on chromosome 7q11.23. Cardiovascular disease in WS, including obstructive vascular disease and hypertension, and relatively mild skin changes are caused by the elastin gene deletion. Even though all WS subjects are missing one copy of this gene, the expression of cardiovascular problems is highly variable, ranging from no significant disease to severe generalized arteriopathy leading to infant death. The causes of vascular variability are currently unknown, and male gender is the only disease modifier described to date. Clinically, skin is described as abnormally soft, smooth and easily mobilized , while ultrastructurally the elastic fibers are abnormal with reduced amorphous elastin. The overall objective of this study is to establish quantitative norms that can be used to determine the severity of vascular disease in elastin insufficiency and then to identify risk factors that contribute to that variability. It is also important to determine how stable/variable these findings are over time.