Symptoms
Werner syndrome may begin in adolescence, but most often it begins in the mid-30s. Up until symptoms begin, the individual has healthy normal development. Once the disease process begins, the individual's body begins to age faster than normal. This produces symptoms such as:
- Wrinkling and sagging of the face
- Decreasing muscle mass
- Thin skin and loss of fat under the skin
- Graying hair and hair loss
- A high-pitched voice
- Cataracts (cloudy spots on the lens of the eye)
- Osteoporosis (weakened bones)
- Diabetes (type 2)
- Rare cancers such as thyroid cancer, lymphoma, and sarcoma
- Heart and artery disease
- Premature menopause in females.
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis of Werner syndrome is based on physical examination. The most striking symptom is that the individual appears to be much older than he/she really is. There are no specific laboratory tests for Werner syndrome. However, since diabetes may occur, the blood sugar level should be checked, and since artery disease may develop, cholesterol levels should be monitored, and treated if necessary. There is no cure or specific treatment for Werner syndrome.
Future research
Scientists have developed a strain of mice which have all the symptoms of Werner syndrome. They plan to use the mice in research to look at the relationship between aging and cancer, as well as gaining insight into the mechanisms at work in Werner syndrome.
Information for this article was taken from:
- Wozniacka, A. (2002). Progeria (Werner syndrome). eMedicine, accessed at http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic697.htm
- Press release, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, August 20, 2004.
