CLASSIFICATION OF CONGENITAL ANORECTAL MALFORMATIONS (ARMS)In this issue if EJHG, Belanger Deloge et al. [1] present the diagnostic yield of exome analysis among individuals with anorectal malformations (ARM). ARM comprise congenital malformations of the hindgut and represent the most common malformations of the lower digestive tract. The overall prevalence ranges from two to five per 10,000 births [2]. Mild phenotypes as cutaneous perineal fistula may easily be missed, especially among affected females, which may partly explain male/female ratios being 1.2-1.6 [2]. In 2005, the Krickenbeck Conference on ARM developed standards for an "International Classification system" describing up to 10 distinct subtypes ranging from anal stenosis to severe and complex cloacal malformations [3]. All of these ARMs may occur isolated (non-syndromic ARMs), in combination with one or more co-occurring anomalies, or as part of a genetic syndrome (syndromic ARMs). Previous studies found up to 75% of individuals to present with additional anomalies [4]. Most of these co-occurring anomalies belong to the congenital anomaly spectrum of the VATER/VACTERL association. The VATER/VACTERL association refers to the nonrandom co-occurrence of at least three of the following component features: vertebral defects (V), ARMs (A), cardiac defects (C), tracheoesophageal fistula with or without esophageal atresia (TE), renal malformations (R), and limb defects (L) [5]. In accordance with the case classification guidelines for the National Birth Defects Prevention Study [6], individuals with ARM with a chromosomal or single gene disorder, a defined clinical syndrome, mental retardation, and/or dysmorphisms have syndromic ARM. While about 10% of syndromic ARM might be explained by chromosomal disorders, the overall contribution of single gene disorders remains elusive [4]. Until today about 30 known monogenic syndromes have been described with ARM as an inherent phenotypic feature e.g., Baller-Gerold syndrome (#218600, RECQL4), Kabuki syndrome (#147920, KMT2D), Opitz-Kaveggia syndrome (#305450, MED12), Townes-Brocks syndrome 1 (#107480, SALL1).