Marta Figueiredo, PhD, science writer —

Evidence-based, at-home exercise programs may ease shoulder instability in women with hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and those with hypermobile spectrum disorder (HSD), a small study suggests. Two six-month programs — one based on the latest hEDS/HSD research and another on shoulder instability research — led to comparable, clinically…

Diagnosing and treating a very rare type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) early would help prevent further complications and potentially improve quality of life for patients with the condition, called arthrochalasia EDS (aEDS), a review study reports. However, the similarities between aEDS and other health conditions make it…

Immune dysfunction — including abnormal activation of mast cells and antibody deficiency — is common among people with hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and those with hypermobile spectrum disorder (HSD), according to a U.S. study. These findings suggest that hEDS and its associated tissue fragility may increase the susceptibility…

A new mutation in the COL3A1 gene has been linked to vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) in a woman in Japan, scientists report. This genetic variant — which was not found among more than 8,000 healthy Japanese people nor in worldwide databases of disease-associated variants — adds to the increasing number…

Some people diagnosed with periodontal Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (pEDS) may also have vascular abnormalities, a case series highlights. Although rare, these cases add to previous reports of vascular complications in pEDS patients and support the need for comprehensive vascular assessment in this patient population. This information will likely help to…

People with rare disorders have a worse healthcare experience than those affected by chronic diseases, according to the results of an international survey conducted by Eurordis-Rare Diseases Europe. Indeed, rare disease patients overall give their healthcare experience a medium-low rating, of 2.5 on a scale of 1 to 5,…

The first wave of COVID-19 in Europe severely disrupted access to care and raised stress and anxiety in people with rare diseases, negatively affecting their health and well-being, according to a survey conducted by Eurordis-Rare Diseases Europe. “People living with rare diseases in Europe have found themselves caught as collateral…

People with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) have significantly greater stiffness of their blood arteries — a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease — than their healthy peers, a Swiss study shows. While vascular EDS (vEDS) was associated with the highest arterial stiffness among the different EDS types, these differences did not…

Pain in people with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) likely is the result of an impaired pain suppression system that may lead to widespread pain, a study shows. The data, which also contradict a previous theory that EDS-related pain was caused by damage in nerve fibers, may help in the development…

Lack of the protein tenascin X (TNX) associated with classical-like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) promotes higher pain sensitivity to tactile and chemical stimuli and aggravates inflammatory pain, a study in mice shows. These findings add knowledge to the mechanisms behind chronic pain in classical-like EDS and may help to identify other…