Achondroplasia Health Article

Demographics

Because individuals with other forms of dwarfism are often misdiagnosed with achondroplasia, the exact incidence of achondroplasia is unknown. Estimates of the incidence of achondroplasia vary between 1/10,000 to 1/40,000 births. It is estimated that there are approximately 15,000 individuals with achondroplasia in the United States and 65,000 worldwide. Achondroplasia affects males and females in equal numbers.

Signs and symptoms

Individuals with achondroplasia have disproportionate short stature, large heads with characteristic facial features, and rhizomelic shortening of their limbs. Rhizomelic means "root limb." Rhizomelic shortening of the limbs means that those segments of a limb closest to the body (the root of the limb) are more severely affected. In individuals with achondroplasia, the upper arms are shorter than the forearms and the upper leg (thigh) is shorter than the lower leg.

In addition to shortened limbs, individuals with achondroplasia have other characteristic limb differences. People with achondroplasia have a limited ability to rotate and extend their elbows. They generally develop bowed legs and may have in-turned toes. Their hands and feet are short and broad, as are their fingers and toes. Their hands have been described as having a "trident" configuration. This term is based upon the trident fork used in Greek mythology and describes the unusual separation of their middle fingers. This unusual separation gives their hands a "three-pronged" appearance with the thumb and two small fingers on the side and the index and middle finger in the middle.

Individuals with achondroplasia have similar facial features and a large head (megalencephaly) due to the difference in the growth of the bones of the face and head. The exact reason for the increase in head size is not known, but it reflects increased brain size and can sometimes be due to hydrocephalus. People with achondroplasia have a protruding forehead (frontal bossing) and a relatively prominent chin. The prominent appearance of the chin is in part due to the relative flatness of their midface. While people with achondroplasia do resemble one another, they also resemble their family of origin.

Individuals with achondroplasia have shortening of their long bones. Women with achondroplasia have an average adult height of 48 in (122 cm). Men have an average adult height of 52 in (132 cm).