What athletes have Marfan syndrome?

Isaiah Austin, a star basketball player from Baylor University, was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome in the weeks prior to the 2014 NBA draft (Figure 1). How did this happen? Isaiah was at the National Basketball Association (NBA) Combine in Chicago, Illinois, in preparation for the upcoming draft.

What happen to Isaiah Austin?

Isaiah Austin has levelled up in his remarkable fight to continue playing elite basketball after being diagnosed with a condition that almost ended his career. The former Baylor big man found out he had Marfan syndrome in 2014, a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue.

Why is Isaiah Austin banned from the NBA?

The condition enlarges the aorta, the artery that carries blood from the heart. The more an aorta expands, the more likely it is to fatally tear. Especially considering that blood pressure increases with physical activity, NBA doctors declared Austin ineligible to play.

Can you still play sports with Marfan syndrome?

The general guidelines for people with Marfan syndrome are to avoid competitive and contact sports that would put added stress on the aorta, cause chest or eye trauma, or be potentially damaging to loose ligaments and joints.

Can you play football with Marfan syndrome?

For people with Marfan syndrome active sports such as track, basketball, baseball, volleyball, football, and strenuous activities such as heavy lifting should be avoided because they cause additional heart strain.

What is the life expectancy of someone with Marfan syndrome?

The leading cause of death in Marfan syndrome is heart disease. One in 10 patients may have a high risk of death with this syndrome due to heart problems. Despite the high risk for Marfan related cardiovascular problems, the average life expectancy of those with Marfan syndrome is nearly 70 years.

Is there a cure coming soon for Marfan syndrome?

There’s currently no cure for Marfan syndrome. Treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and reducing the risk of complications. As Marfan syndrome affects several different parts of the body, your treatment programme will involve a number of healthcare professionals.

What can you not eat with Marfan syndrome?

To help prevent complications from Marfan syndrome, your doctor may recommend you avoid the following: Certain physical activities, such as contact sports, intense physical activity, and weightlifting, that can put strain on the heart or joints or make it more likely for your eye lens to move out of place.

Can a short person have Marfan syndrome?

The Marfan Foundation Not everyone with Marfan syndrome is tall (some are tall for their family and some are, in fact, short!),but this blog may resonate with many of you.

Who gets Marfan syndrome?

Marfan syndrome is inherited from a parent, but 1 in 4 cases occurs in people with no known family history of the disease.Men and women get it an equal amount, who have a 50% chance of passing on the gene to their children. Marfan syndrome is present at birth, but may not be diagnosed until adolescence or later.

Is Marfan syndrome physically limiting?

This depends on the specifics of your marfans (i.e. Degree of heart disease, skeletal issues, eye issues) and how you define “limit”. Many people with marfan can perform highly without specific limits while others have significant limitations if they have significant heart or other disease.

Does Marfan syndrome cause death?

Life Expectancy and Causes of Death in the Marfan Syndrome. The cardiac complications, particularly aortic dilatation, dissection and rupture and involvement of the aortic and mitral valves, lead to a greatly reduced life expectancy. This poor survival was demonstrated in a series of 257 patients with the Marfan syndrome.