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Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD)

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Marfan syndrome

Other Names for this Disease
  • Contractural arachnodactyly
  • Marfan syndrome type 1
More Names
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Overview


Marfan syndrome is a disorder of the connective tissue. Connective tissue provides strength and flexibility to structures throughout the body such as bones, ligaments, muscles, walls of blood vessels, and heart valves. Marfan syndrome affects most organs and tissues, especially the skeleton, lungs, eyes, heart, and the large blood vessel that distributes blood from the heart to the rest of the body (the aorta).[1]


References

  1. Marfan Syndrome. Genetics Home Reference Web site. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition%3Dmarfansyndrome. Accessed September 29, 2009.
Your Questions Answered
by the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center

3 question(s) from the public on Marfan syndrome have been answered. See questions and answers. You can also submit a new question.
On this page

General Information

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Marfan syndrome. Click on the link to go to GHR and review the information.
  • MedlinePlus, a Web site designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, provides more information about this topic. Click on the link to view this information.
  • The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides leadership for a national program in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lung, and blood; blood resources; and sleep disorders. Since October 1997, the NHLBI has also had administrative responsibility for the NIH Woman's Health Initiative. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • The National Human Genome Research Institute's (NHGRI) mission encompasses a broad range of studies aimed at understanding the structure and function of the human genome and its role in health and disease. Click on the link to view the information page on this topic.
  • The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs.  Access to this database is free of charge.  Click on the link to read information on this topic.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Marfan syndrome. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
  • The The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database contains genetics resources that discuss Marfan syndrome. Click on the link to go to OMIM and review these resources.