M arfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder, with variable pathologic features and symptoms from different organ systems. MFS is diagnosed on the basis of the Ghent criteria, 1 defining "involved organ systems" and "major criteria fulfilled." To be given the diagnosis, a person has to fulfill a major criterion in two different organ systems and have a third organ system involved. Approximately 30% of the cases are the first in their family to have MFS, interpreted as caused by new mutations.The impact of MFS on the individual patient may vary considerably both between families and within a family. As aortic disease may result in early death, some patients will have to cope with an impending life-threatening condition. Lens dislocation can give reduced visual acuity, and lens dislocation increases the risk for retinal detachment that can result in blindness. The consequences of dural ectasia are still unclear 2 ; orthostatic headache due to cerebrospinal hypotension has been found 3,4 ; problems with spinal and epidural anesthesia have been reported. 5 Skeletal abnormalities may include a long, slender body shape, chest deformities, scoliosis, and joint hypermobility and may result in a peculiar appearance that invites unwanted attention. Children with MFS often look older than their chronological age and are often treated in accordance with their appearance, rather than their actual age. Individuals with MFS have been bullied and stigmatized at school, in the local environment, and in their occupational life. 6 Moreover, persons with MFS often report musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and reduced physical endurance. 7,8 In the clinic, persons with MFS usually report few, if any, physical limitations deriving from their cardiovascular system. On the other hand, physicians often advise abstinence from strenuous exercise and prescribe beta-blockers to reduce the aortic dP/dt, heart rate, blood pressure, and left ventricular afterload, with the intention to delay aortic dilatation and lower the risk of aortic dissection. Some patients undergo prophylactic elective graft operations for enlarged aortas. Through such measures, the median life expectancy of persons with MFS has been prolonged considerably. 9 To reduce the risk of aortic dissection, lens dislocation, and retinal detachment, the patients are advised not to participate in contact sports and to wear glasses during sports with small balls. It is our clinical experience that the advised restrictions have often resulted in passivity; a sedentary life with an increasing body size.Given the broad range of symptoms and characteristics among individuals with MFS, as mentioned earlier, one would expect a reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Judging from the MFS literature, where the main focus is on aortic pathology, the severity of aortic disease could potentially be the most important predictor for the degree of reduction. There are, however, few studies of HRQOL in the literature on MFS. In a study of 174 adults with MFS, Pe...

This study aims to investigate how fatigue affects adults with verified Marfan syndrome (MFS) in their daily lives, by examining fatigue levels and prevalence of severe fatigue compared to the general Norwegian population and individuals with other comparable chronic conditions. We investigated associations between socio-demographic characteristics, Marfan-related health problems, pain and fatigue. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using a postal questionnaire including the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and questions on socio-demographic characteristics, Marfan-related health problems and pain. One hundred seventeen persons with MFS were invited to participate, 73 answered (62%). Participants reported significantly higher FSS scores and prevalence of severe fatigue compared to the general Norwegian population and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but lower than for other chronic conditions. Participants with chronic pain reported higher fatigue scores than those without chronic pain. Participants on disability benefits reported higher fatigue scores than participants who were working or enrolled in higher education. Marfan-related health problems like aortic dissection and use of blood pressure medication were not significantly associated with fatigue. In multivariable regression analyses chronic pain and employment status were significantly associated with fatigue. The final multivariable model explained 24% of the variance in fatigue scores. Our results show that fatigue is common in MFS patients and that it interferes with their daily lives. Chronic pain and employment status show significant associations to fatigue. This implies that fatigue is important to address when meeting MFS patients in clinical practice. There is need for more research on fatigue in Marfan syndrome.

ABSTRACT.Purpose: To study ocular characteristics in 87 patients with verified Marfan syndrome (MFS) based on the Ghent criteria from 1996 (Ghent-1). Methods: The position of the lens was noted by observing the eye in different gaze directions in maximal mydriasis during slit lamp examination. Ectopia lentis (EL) was classified as subluxated (dislocation slightly backwards) or luxated (vertical or horizontal displacement). Corneal curvature, axial length (AL), corneal diameter, central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, condition of the iris, intraocular pressure, spherical equivalent and visual acuity were also investigated. Results: EL was found in 108 eyes (62.1%). Of the 68 phakic eyes with EL, 43 (63.2%) had subluxation. Mean AL was 24.80 AE 2.57 mm, and the AL was above 23.5 mm in 65.3%. Mean keratometry (K) in phakic eyes was 41.79 AE 1.70 diopters (D), and the K value was <41.5D in 46.8%. Iris hypoplasia was found in 3.4%. Myopia above 3D occurred in 38.4% of the phakic eyes. Mean binocular logMAR was 0.10 AE 0.32. Only five patients (5.7%) had a logMAR more than 0.5. These 5 patients had EL, and 4 of them were amblyopic. Conclusion: In this strictly defined MFS group fulfilling the Ghent-1 criteria, the prevalence of EL was 62.1%. In many cases, the dislocation of the lens was subtle. On average, the corneas were flattened and the globe length was increased. Only a few patients were visually impaired. Children with MFS should have a thorough follow up to avoid amblyopia.