Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome: Introduction

Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman syndrome are two rare chromosome disorders, with very different symptoms, but caused by the same area of DNA. They are important to genetic research because they are caused by imprinting.

Symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome

• Mental retardation
• Obesity
• Hypotonia
• Hypogonadism
• Short stature
• more symptoms...»

See full list of 43 symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome: Complications

Review possible medical complications related to Prader-Willi syndrome:

• Reduced life expectancy #usually obesity related
• more complications...»

Medical Textbooks Online about Prader-Willi syndrome

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Less Common Symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome

• Poor fine motor coordination
• Poor gross motor coordination
• Upswept frontal scalp hair
• Small head
• Seizures
• more symptoms...»

See full list of 14 occasional symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome

Wrongly Diagnosed with Prader-Willi syndrome?

• Misdiagnosis of Prader-Willi syndrome
• Failure to diagnose Prader-Willi syndrome
• Undiagnosed: Prader-Willi syndrome

Misdiagnosis and Prader-Willi syndrome

Various reasons for obesity: Various studies have shown that approximately 10% of prepubertal and 15% of adolescent age groups are obese. Parents often blame obesity in children on their diet but endocrine or metabolic causes must be readily differentiated from exogenous obesity by a simple physical examination and an assessment of the linear growth. Children with exogenous obesity tend to have an accelarated linear growth whereas children with secondary causes are usually short. Some congenital or inherited disorders associated with obesity which must be kept in mind include Prader- Willi syndrome, Laurence Moon Biedl syndrome and Beckwith Wiedemann syndrome. Endocrine disorders in children taht rarely cause obesity include hypothyoidism, Cushing's syndrome, insulinomas and Frohlich's syndrome....read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Prader-Willi syndrome

Causes of Prader-Willi syndrome

Read more about causes of Prader-Willi syndrome.

News Archives for Prader-Willi syndrome

Medical news articles related to Prader-Willi syndrome include:

• Making Obese Mice Slim, Without Diet or Exercise
• Weight-Loss Surgery Options Compared in Super-Obese
• Obese People Seem to Do Better With Heart Disease
• Health Tip: Keep Your Feet Safe in Flip-Flops
• Small Drug Promo Items May Influence Young Doctors
• more health news...»

Source: HealthDay News

Evidence Based Medicine Research for Prader-Willi syndrome

Medical research articles related to Prader-Willi syndrome include:

• Intragastric balloons for the temporary management of morbid obesity
• Is there any evidence as to why adults with learning disabilities have higher risks of obesity?
• Prader-Willi syndrome
• Guidelines on male infertility
• Feasibility assessment of telephone-administered behavioral treatment for adolescent migraine
• Infertility
• Are there special energy requirements for patients with prader willi syndrome? If so how do we calculate these?
• more research...»

Click here to find more evidence-based articles on the TRIP Database

Videos for Prader-Willi syndrome

Patient Surveys for Prader-Willi syndrome

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Prader-Willi syndrome
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Reseach about Prader-Willi syndrome

Visit our research pages for current research about Prader-Willi syndrome treatments.

Clinical Trials for Prader-Willi syndrome

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Prader-Willi syndrome include:

• Study of Phenotype and Genotype Correlations in Patients With Contiguous Gene Deletion Syndromes - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Treatment of Self-Injurious Behavior in Individuals With Prader-Willi Syndrome - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Topiramate
• Nordic Study on the Effects of Growth Hormone (Norditropin SimpleXx) Treatment in Adults With Prader-Willi Syndrome - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Norditropin SimpleXx
• Investigation of the Developmental, Nutritional and Hormonal Regulation of Ghrelin in Children With Prader-Willi Syndrome - This study is not yet open for patient recruitment (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Octreotide
• Characteristics of Prader-Willi Syndrome and Early-Onset Morbid Obesity - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• more trials...»

See full list of 6 Clinical Trials for Prader-Willi syndrome

Statistics for Prader-Willi syndrome

• Medical statistics for Prader-Willi syndrome
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Prader-Willi syndrome
• Death and Mortality statistics for Prader-Willi syndrome
• Society statistics for Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome: Broader Related Topics

• Chromosome conditions
• Imprinted chromosome conditions
• more types...»

Types of Prader-Willi syndrome

Stories from Users Related to Prader-Willi syndrome

• I have a mental illness but no doctor will tell me what it is!!
• unexplained pain in groin,leg, hands, feet after having sex
• Undiagnosed Muscular Disorder?
• Low bloodpressure,cold feet and hands,calf swelling help
• Losing Wife to mental something
• feet adiction
• im done im putting it in God's hand..please read
• Excessive HOT FEET and Hands
• am i havin a Mental breakdown???
• Bad feet Odour - need help???
• 6 month old needs your help-hypotonia
• im done im putting it in God's hand..please read
• Aching pains in hands, feet, and knees. Genetic. Please help!
• Severe pain in hands and feet!!
• Chest pain, cold hand/feet, loss of consciousness, hypotension...
• help any mental health suggestions
• Cold Hands/Feet/..other
• feet
• itchy mostly on hands and feet
• burning hands and feet

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Prader-Willi syndrome, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Article Excerpts about Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is an uncommon inherited disorder characterized by mental retardation, decreased muscle tone, short stature, emotional lability and an insatiable appetite which can lead to life-threatening obesity. The syndrome was first described in 1956 by Drs. Prader, Labhart, and Willi. (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)

Definitions of Prader-Willi syndrome:

A syndrome characterized at birth by the lack of spontaneous movements and protective reflexes, thus giving an appearance of severe brain damage. Profound hypotonia may cause asphyxia. Sucking and swallowing reflexes are absent or decreased. Deficient thermoregulation, amyotonia, and hypogonadism are usually associated. After a few weeks or months, the affected infants become more responsive and more alert. Areflexia disappears gradually but hypotonia may persist longer. This phase is marked mainly by mental subnormality, delayed growth and motor development, speech defect, lack of emotional control, voracious appetite leading to obesity, hypotonia, hyperlaxity, delayed bone maturation, and multiple orofacial and other disoders. There is a tendency to develop diabetes mellitus and cardiac failure in some patients. Pain insensitivity is common. Prader-Willi habitus associated with osteopenia and camptodactyly is known as the Urban-Rogers-Meyer syndrome. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Prader-Willi syndrome is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Prader-Willi syndrome, or a subtype of Prader-Willi syndrome, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Prader-Willi syndrome as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet