Severe generalized edema in a premature neonate: A case report and literature review

• Published in: Clinical case reports 2024-09, Vol.12 (9), p.e9341-n/a
• Main Authors: Zong, Haifeng, Huang, Yingsui, Xiong, Ying, Gong, Wentao, Lin, Bingchun, Yang, Chuanzhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amniotic fluid; Babies; Blood; Cardiomyopathy; Cardiovascular disease; Case Report; Case reports; Child development; Congenital diseases; Cryptorchidism; Edema; Fetuses; Genes; Genetic disorders; Genotype & phenotype; Heart failure; Herpes viruses; hydrops; Kinases; Lymphedema; MAPK; Mutation; newborn; Newborn babies; Noonan syndrome; Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine; Parents & parenting; Perinatal Medicine; Pleural effusion; Proteins; PTPN11; Radiology & Imaging
• ISSN: 2050-0904; 2050-0904
• DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.9341

Key Clinical Message With no family history, and an atypical phenotype, the clinical diagnosing of Noonan syndrome (NS) can be very difficult. The present case emphasized that generalized edema in neonates may be the potential first symptom of NS. Severe generalized edema is a rare pathological condition with high mortality in newborns, in particular the premature infants. It is characterized by the extensive subcutaneous tissue edema and the accumulation of fluid in neonatal body fluid compartments. The etiology and pathogenesis of hydrops in neonates are quite complex. Generally speaking, hydrops can be divided into immune hydrops and non‐immune hydrops according to the etiology. It is still challenging in treating severe neonatal edema. In this study, we presented a preterm newborn with severe generalized edema after birth, which was finally diagnosed with Noonan syndrome (NS). The infant clinically manifested as severe generalized edema alone, without the involvement of multiple organ malformation. Generalized edema in neonates was probably the first symptom of NS. Therefore, differential diagnosis of NS is necessary for infants developing generalized edema.