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The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases is accepting applications for a scholarship program that aims to help adults with a rare disease pursue personal goals through training and education. For a second year, the #RAREis Scholarship Fund — supported by Horizon Therapeutics – will award 35 one-time scholarships, each…

A young girl diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) exhibited a rare case of so-called odontogenic keratocysts — benign cystic lesions characterized by aggressive growth — in her jaw, according to a case report. The report highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach for diagnosis and treatment of such complex…

Genes involved in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) appear to play a role in keratoconus (KC) — a thinning of the eye’s cornea. This finding, from a recent study, is the first to demonstrate shared genetic variations between the two disorders although their association has been suggested. The study, “…

As anyone affected by a rare disease knows, treating the illness while trying to go about everyday life is an expensive undertaking.  But exactly how expensive — in terms of direct and indirect costs across rare disease populations — might still come as a surprise: almost…

Note: This story was updated April 1, 2021, to note that the patient’s medical history included an inflammation of the peritoneum, not the perineum. Physicians should determine a patient’s specific type of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) by identifying the underlying genetic mutations, as this is needed to best manage possible…

Joint hypermobility syndrome, including hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (hEDS), is present in a large proportion of people with functional dyspepsia — a common gastrointestinal disorder also known as indigestion without an underlying cause, a study showed. The presence of joint hypermobility, however, does not significantly prevent the digestive system from working…

A new mutation causing classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) has been identified in a child whose parents did not carry the mutation. The mutation is of a type known to cause more severe symptoms. The case report, “Glycine substitution mutation of COL5A1 in classic Ehlers–Danlos syndrome: a case report…

Many diseases have their own awareness color — breast cancer is pink, muscular dystrophy is green, and AIDS is red, for example — but what’s the significance of pink, green, blue, and purple lights side-by-side? These are the colors most often used to represent Rare Disease Day. This…

Note: This story was updated March 10, 2021, to provide an updated definition of autism spectrum disorder.  A higher frequency of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder was found in children with hypermobile EDS (hEDS) or hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD), a Swedish study shows. These findings support the…

Hospitalized patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) experience more gastrointestinal (GI), cardiovascular, nervous, and allergic conditions than those without EDS, a recent study has found. The findings suggest physicians should consider the possibility of EDS and exercise appropriate precautions when examining patients in whom these conditions have no other apparent…