Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is a condition that is quite variable. People are often diagnosed when they have easy and frequent bruising that is not explained by other causes, a spontaneous bowel, or arterial tears, or because other family members are affected. Some people have characteristic facial features, thin skin, and tissue fragility, while in others the diagnosis is only made after the identification of an alteration in the type III collagen gene, COL3A1. Many people have a difficult time getting diagnosed and getting appropriate management. Dr. Peter Byers, Professor of Pathology and Medicine, UW Medical Center and a member of The Marfan Foundation’s Professional Advisory Board, who is one of the leading experts on vEDS, provided an overview at The Marfan Foundation’s 35th Annual Conference in Houston, TX, July 13, 2019.