Werner syndrome, also known as 'adult progeria' is a very rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder of accelerated aging with incidence ranging from 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 1,000,000 cases. It is related to a mutation of the WRN gene, which encodes DNA helicase-like protein. A variety of diseases associated with aging, including preterm atherosclerosis with concomitant circulation disorders, venosclero-sis, type 2 diabetes, cataract, skin ulcerations (especially at the ankles and tarsal joints) and sclerodermal skin lesions, are characteristic of Werner syndrome. Moreover, the patient's appearance is characteristic: they possess a short stature, small face with large unusually prominent eyes, small jaw, frequently with tooth loss, alopecia, prominent veins, particularly on the scalp, short and broad nails, short and pointed distal phalanges (acroostyleosis), and stiffness of the lower limbs with contractured knees. The initial clinical symptoms of premature aging appear during puberty, when no pubescent acceleration of growth occurs (1). The average life expectancy for patients with Werner's syndrome is around 45 years. Due to under-development of the genital organs, pregnancy in Werner syndrome patients is extremely rare. Even rarer are cases of pregnancy where living, healthy newborns are delivered.
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