Familial occurrence of gastroschisis. Four new cases and review of the literature
C. F. Salinas, L. Bartoshesky, H. B. Othersen Jr, L. Leape, M. Feingold and R. J. Jorgenson
In two unrelated families, there was familial occurrence of gastroschisis.
In one family, a boy and girl were affected and there was a family history
of stillbirth, abortion, prematurity, and esophageal obstruction. In the
second family, two boys were affected and there was a family history of
spontaneous abortion, inguinal hernia, and umbilical hernia. The recurrence
of gastroschisis, generally considered a sporadic congenital effect,
suggests that the condition may be genetic in nature. Furthermore, the
pedigree of one of the families suggests that gastroschisis may be a severe
expression of umbilical hernia or other abdominal wall defects. Autosomal
dominant inheritance with variable expressivity or multifactorial
inheritance may explain the occurrence of gastroschisis in the two
families. Thus, a family history of abdominal wall defects may increase the
risk for gastroschisis.
