What Are the Characteristics of Marfan Syndrome?
Marfan syndrome affects different people in different ways. Some people have only mild symptoms, while others are more severely affected. In most cases, the disorder progresses as the person ages. The body systems most often affected by Marfan syndrome are: • Skeleton–People with Marfan syndrome are typically very tall, slender, and loose jointed. Since Marfan syndrome affects the long bones of the skeleton, arms, legs, fingers, and toes may be disproportionately long in relation to the rest of the body. A person with Marfan syndrome often has a long, narrow face, and the roof of the mouth may be arched, causing the teeth to be crowded. Other skeletal abnormalities include a sternum (breastbone) that is either protruding or indented, curvature of the spine (scoliosis), and flat feet. • Eyes–More than half of all people with Marfan syndrome experience dislocation of one or both lenses of the eye. The lens may be slightly higher or lower than normal and may be shifted off to one side.
