Triple A syndrome is an inherited condition characterized by three specific features: achalasia, Addison disease, and alacrima. Achalasia is a disorder that affects the ability to move food through the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach. It can lead to severe feeding difficulties and low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). Addison disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, is caused by abnormal function of the small hormone-producing glands on top of each kidney (adrenal glands). The main features of Addison disease include fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, low blood pressure, and darkening of the skin. The third major feature of triple A syndrome is a reduced or absent ability to secrete tears (alacrima). Most people with triple A syndrome have all three of these features, although some have only two.\n\nMany of the features of triple A syndrome are caused by dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. This part of the nervous system controls involuntary body processes such as digestion, blood pressure, and body temperature. People with triple A syndrome often experience abnormal sweating, difficulty regulating blood pressure, unequal pupil size (anisocoria), and other signs and symptoms of autonomic nervous system dysfunction (dysautonomia).\n\nPeople with this condition may have other neurological abnormalities, such as developmental delay, intellectual disability, speech problems (dysarthria), and a small head size (microcephaly). In addition, affected individuals commonly experience muscle weakness, movement problems, and nerve abnormalities in their extremities (peripheral neuropathy). Some develop optic atrophy, which is the degeneration (atrophy) of the nerves that carry information from the eyes to the brain. Many of the neurological symptoms of triple A syndrome worsen over time.\n\nPeople with triple A syndrome frequently develop a thickening of the outer layer of skin (hyperkeratosis) on the palms of their hands and the soles of their feet. Other skin abnormalities may also be present in people with this condition.\n\nAlacrima is usually the first noticeable sign of triple A syndrome, as it becomes apparent early in life that affected children produce little or no tears while crying. They develop Addison disease and achalasia during childhood or adolescence, and most of the neurologic features of triple A syndrome begin during adulthood. The signs and symptoms of this condition vary among affected individuals, even among members of the same family.

Retinopathy-sensory neuropathy syndrome (RETSNS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by progressive visual impairment due to retinopathy (usually retinitis pigmentosa) and progressive sensory neuropathy resulting in distal sensory loss of various modalities (vibration, proprioception, pain). Affected individuals have noncerebellar gait ataxia, presumably due to degeneration of dorsal root ganglia in the posterior column of the spinal cord. The phenotypic manifestations and severity of the disorder are highly variable, and the age at onset can range from infancy to young adulthood. Individuals can present with either visual problems or sensory impairment with gait ataxia, but most patients eventually develop both. More severely affected individuals have congenital insensitivity to pain presenting in infancy, resulting in chronic ulceration and osteomyelitis. Autonomic abnormalities may also be apparent, consistent with hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN; see, e.g., 162400). Developmental delay or impaired intellectual development is sometimes observed (Higgins et al., 1997; Grudzinska Pechhacker et al., 2020; Calame et al., 2025).

Deafness-vitiligo-achalasia syndrome is characterized by the association of deafness, short stature, vitiligo, muscle wasting, and achalasia.

An extremely rare genetic syndrome, reported in a few families to date with characteristics of the association of microcephaly, intellectual deficit and achalasia. Symptoms of achalasia include coughing, dysphagia, vomiting, failure to thrive and aspiration appearing in infancy/early-childhood.

Achalasia is a primary motor disorder of the esophagus. It is characterized by aperistalsis and a failure of the lower esophageal sphincter to relax due to a loss of inhibitory nitrinergic neurons in the esophageal myenteric plexus. Patients typically present with dysphagia, regurgitation, retrosternal pain, and substantial weight loss (summary by Farrokhi and Vaezi, 2007 and Gockel et al., 2010).

Intellectual disability-alacrima-achalasia syndrome is a rare, genetic intellectual disability syndrome characterized by delayed motor and cognitive development, absence or severe delay in speech development, intellectual disability, and alacrima. Achalasia/dysphagia and mild autonomic dysfunction (i.e. anisocoria) have also been reported in some patients. The phenotype is similar to the one observed in autosomal recessive Triple A syndrome, but differs by the presence of intellectual disability in all affected individuals.

Moyamoya disease-6 (MYMY6) is a progressive vasculopathy characterized by occlusion of the terminal portion of the internal carotid arteries and its branches, and the formation of compensatory neovascularization and the moyamoya, or 'puff of smoke,' appearance of these vessels on angiogram. Affected individuals may present with ischemic strokes, intracerebral hemorrhage, or transient ischemic attacks. Patients with MYMY6 usually present early in life with achalasia. Hypertension and Raynaud phenomenon may be associated features (summary by Wallace et al., 2016; Herve et al., 2014). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of moyamoya disease, see MYMY1 (252350).

Infantile-onset multisystem autoimmune disease-1 is characterized by early childhood onset of a spectrum of autoimmune disorders affecting multiple organs. Common manifestations include insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and autoimmune enteropathy, or celiac disease, and autoimmune hematologic disorders. Other features include short stature and nonspecific dermatitis. More variable features include hypothyroidism, autoimmune arthritis, and delayed puberty. Some patients may show recurrent infections. The disorder results from an inborn error of cytokine signaling (summary by Flanagan et al., 2014 and Milner et al., 2015). Genetic Heterogeneity of Infantile-Onset Multisystem Autoimmune Disease See also ADMIO2 (617006), caused by mutation in the ZAP70 gene (176947) on chromosome 2q12, and ADMIO3 (620430), caused by mutation in the CBLB gene (604491) on chromosome 3q13.

CAGSSS, which comprises cataracts, growth hormone deficiency, sensory neuropathy, sensorineural hearing loss, and skeletal dysplasia, is an autosomal recessive multisystemic disorder with a highly variable phenotypic spectrum. Not all of these features are always present, and almost all the features may present at different times and/or become more apparent with age. The skeletal features are consistent with spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia (SEMD) (summary by Vona et al., 2018). One family had a distinctive presentation with infantile-onset intractable seizures and cortical abnormalities reminiscent of Leigh syndrome (see 256000). The correlation between genotype and phenotype remains unclear, but since the IARS2 gene is involved in mitochondrial function, heterogeneous manifestations can be expected (Takezawa et al., 2018).

Familial glucocorticoid deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting from resistance to the action of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) on the adrenal cortex, which stimulates glucocorticoid production. Affected individuals are deficient in cortisol and, if untreated, are likely to succumb to hypoglycemia or overwhelming infection in infancy or childhood (summary by Metherell et al., 2005). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of familial glucocorticoid deficiency, see GCCD1 (202200).

MIRAGE syndrome is an acronym for the major findings of myelodysplasia, infection, restriction of growth, adrenal hypoplasia, genital phenotypes, and enteropathy. Cytopenias are typically seen soon after birth; thrombocytopenia is the most common followed by anemia and pancytopenia. Recurrent infections from early infancy include pneumonia, urinary tract infection, gastroenteritis, meningitis, otitis media, dermatitis, subcutaneous abscess, and sepsis. Reported genital phenotypes in those with 46,XY karyotype included hypospadias, microphallus, bifid shawl scrotum, ambiguous genitalia, or complete female genitalia. Hypoplastic or dysgenetic ovaries have been reported in females. Gastrointestinal complications include chronic diarrhea and esophageal dysfunction. Moderate-to-severe developmental delay is reported in most affected individuals. Autonomic dysfunction and renal dysfunction are also reported.

Autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy-18 (LGMDR18) is characterized by childhood-onset of proximal muscle weakness resulting in gait abnormalities and scapular winging. Serum creatine kinase is increased. A subset of patients may show a hyperkinetic movement disorder with chorea, ataxia, or dystonia and global developmental delay (summary by Bogershausen et al., 2013). Additional more variable features include alacrima, achalasia, cataracts, or hepatic steatosis (Liang et al., 2015; Koehler et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, see LGMDR1 (253600).

Alacrima, achalasia, and impaired intellectual development syndrome (AAMR) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by onset of these 3 main features at birth or in early infancy. More variable features include hypotonia, gait abnormalities, anisocoria, and visual or hearing deficits. The disorder shows similarity to the triple A syndrome (231550), but patients with AAMR do not have adrenal insufficiency (summary by Koehler et al., 2013). See also 300858 for a phenotypically similar disorder that shows X-linked inheritance.

Immunodeficiency-70 (IMD70) is an autosomal dominant immunologic disorder characterized by severe cutaneous warts on the hands, feet, and face, suggesting increased susceptibility to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Affected individuals may also have recurrent bacterial infections, such as sinusitis, as well as feature of autoinflammation, such as colitis, celiac disease, and retinal vasculitis. Laboratory studies show decreased CD4+ T cells and decreased CD19+ B cells; hypogammaglobulinemia has also been observed (summary by Thaventhiran et al., 2020).

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome-2 and autonomic dysfunction (CCHS2) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by shallow breathing and apneic spells apparent in the neonatal period. Affected infants require mechanical ventilation due to impaired ventilatory response to hypercapnia, as well as tube feeding due to poor swallowing, aspiration, and gastrointestinal dysmotility. Some patients have other features of autonomic dysfunction, including bladder dysfunction, sinus bradycardia, and temperature dysregulation. Although mild global developmental delay with learning difficulties and seizures were present in the single family reported, it was unclear if these features were related to the hypoventilation phenotype (Spielmann et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of CCHS, see CCHS1 (209880).

Baraitser-Winter cerebrofrontofacial (BWCFF) syndrome is a multiple congenital anomaly syndrome characterized by typical craniofacial features and intellectual disability. Many (but not all) affected individuals have pachygyria that is predominantly frontal, wasting of the shoulder girdle muscles, and sensory impairment due to iris or retinal coloboma and/or sensorineural deafness. Intellectual disability, which is common but variable, is related to the severity of the brain malformations. Seizures, congenital heart defects, renal malformations, and gastrointestinal dysfunction are also common.