Distal Arthrogryposis Type 2B

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the difference in diagnosis accuracy, treatment outcomes, patient perspectives, facial function and walking ability, emotional and social health, and respiratory complications between Freeman-Burian syndrome (formerly, Freeman-Sheldon or whistling face syndrome), Sheldon-Hall syndrome, and distal arthrogryposis types 3, and 1.
The approximate cumulative total time for study-related activities will be 3 hours, including email communication, survey completion, and a medical interview.
The study will involve completing 6 short ½ to 1-page surveys and participating in a medical interview. Participants may be asked to provide medical records for review. All study-related activities will take place remotely, and no travel is required.

The hypotheses of the present study of Freeman-Sheldon syndrome (FSS) and related conditions are: (1) that exercise capacity is lower in FSS patients versus normal controls, and the lower exercise capacity is due to changes in the muscles' normal structure and an inability of sufficient quantity of the energy molecule to bind to muscle; (2) this muscle problem reduces amount of air that can get in the lung and amount of oxygen carried in the blood, which then has the effect of increasing heart and respiration rates, blood pressure, and deep body temperature, and produces muscle rigidity; (3) the events noted above, when they occur during cardiac stress testing, are related to a problem similar to malignant hyperthermia (MH) reported in some muscle disorders without use of drugs known to cause MH. MH (a life-threatening metabolic reaction that classically is triggered when susceptible persons receive certain drugs used in anaesthesia.

Freeman-Sheldon syndrome (FSS) is a rare muscle disorder present before birth, involving primarily problems of the face and skull and the hands and feet.
This is a study of problems, experiences, helpful treatments, and quality of life focusing on patients with FSS but including patients with Sheldon-Hall syndrome (SHS), distal arthrogryposis type 1 (DA1), and distal arthrogryposis type 3 (DA3), also called Gorden syndrome. These and related disorders are very challenging to treat, partly because the big differences in individual patients and lack of information on previous clinical experience with treatment options. It is hoped the study will identify areas for further research in physiology and therapy.
This study will cover all types of treatment [medical (non-surgical), including psychiatric, and surgical treatments], even unconventional. It also includes questions about effects on the patient's thoughts, feelings, quality of life, and relationship with siblings, family, and parents' and if any intervention was required or advised. This study will also look for similarities and differences in patients who meet the head and face part of the diagnostic criteria but do not meet all other parts and patients who met the full diagnostic criteria. There will be questions about problems or experiences to investigate if both groups of patients may have the same syndrome. Treatment success depends on getting a correct diagnosis.