Novel compound heterozygous P4HTM variants in a girl with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy: First case report of P4HTM variant-associated epileptic encephalopathy

Background

HIDEA syndrome (MIM: #618493) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by hypotonia, hypoventilation, intellectual disability, dysautonomia, epilepsy, and eye anomalies. We present the case of a Turkish female with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, highlighting a novel compound heterozygous variation in the P4HTM gene.

Case Presentation

A 6-year and 11-month-old girl with early infantile epileptic encephalopathy and abnormal eye movements since the neonatal period has been presented to our clinic. Despite severe developmental delays and a happy demeanor, she showed significant hypotonia and autistic behaviors. Genetic testing revealed a novel heterozygous splice-site variant (c.436+1G>T) in intron 2 and a previously reported missense variant (c.934G>A; p.E312 K) in exon 6 of the P4HTM gene. Imaging showed cortical atrophy and thin corpus callosum, but no dystonia was observed. The patient's phenotype aligns with most reported cases of HIDEA syndrome, yet developmental epileptic encephalopathy had not been documented previously in such patients, emphasizing the uniqueness of this case.

Conclusion

This case is the first to associate P4HTM gene variants with epileptic encephalopathy, expanding the phenotypic spectrum of HIDEA syndrome. It underscores the importance of genetic testing and reanalysis in undiagnosed developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. The novel genetic variations identified in this study underscore the necessity for continuous genetic exploration and personalized clinical management to improve outcomes for patients with this rare but impactful syndrome. Finally, the association between developmental epileptic encephalopathy, the patient's clinical presentation, and EEG findings suggests a compelling link to the P4HTM gene.