Progressive laryngotracheal stenosis with short stature and arthropathy

Abstract

Laryngotracheal stenosis is rare in adults, especially in the absence of a malignancy. It is most commonly caused by fibrosis following endotracheal intubation or tracheal trauma. Other conditions causing progressive airway narrowing include the mucopolysaccharidoses and autoimmune disorders. With the exception of storage diseases, there are no well-defined genetic disorders with progressive airway narrowing as a common complication. We have evaluated three unrelated individuals with this potentially life-threatening finding, all of whom have a previously unrecognized condition. Each patient had short stature and joint stiffness with no evidence for infectious, inflammatory, or metabolic diseases as a cause of their condition. None of our patients had clinical findings indicative of known skeletal dysplasias or storage diseases. They had minor facial anomalies which included deeply set eyes, bushy eyebrows, and flat midface. Given the unique findings of our patients including adult onset critical tracheal stenosis, short stature, progressive joint limitation, and distinct facial anomalies, we conclude that they have a previously undescribed condition.