Early diagnosis and management of patients with gender formation disorders
https://doi.org/10.22627/2072-8107-2025-24-1-43-50
Abstract
Disorders of sex formation are congenital conditions characterized by a mismatch between chromosomal, gonadal and anatomical sex. Currently, genetic factors affecting the development of sex during gonad differentiation, biosynthesis and the action of sex hormones have been identified. The incidence of the disease is 1 case per 4,500—5,000 newborns, for this reason, every pediatrician will face the problem of managing a newborn with atypical genitalia. The improvement of prenatal diagnostic methods, in particular, the use of non-invasive prenatal testing, allows the identification of genetic mutations of the Y chromosome as early as 7 weeks of pregnancy. This work reflects the etiological structure of disorders of sex formation — genetic mutations, diagnostic and therapeutic features of the management of patients with impaired sex formation are noted.
The aim of the work is to collect and summarize modern scientific data on gender formation disorders with the identification of the main causes of development, methods of diagnosis and therapy of the disease in different countries.
Materials and methods: the analysis of modern domestic and foreign literature on the topic of gender formation disorders in the period from 2016 to 2024 was carried out.
Results: the modern classification of disorders of sex formation, the main syndromes and diseases, clinical symptoms, and current diagnostic methods are presented. Approaches to therapy vary from country to country, which will allow domestic specialists to apply the most appropriate treatment.
About the Authors
A P. SelyaninaRussian Federation
Moscow
V. I. Kozodaeva
Russian Federation
Moscow
H. A. Sarkisyan
Russian Federation
Moscow
A. P. Khokhlova
Russian Federation
Moscow
A. A. Komarova
Russian Federation
Moscow
A. A. Nifatova
Russian Federation
Moscow
P. V. Shumilov
Russian Federation
Moscow
References
1. Draft clinical guidelines for the management and treatment of newborns with disorders of sexual development. 2016. (in Russ.)
2. Nikitina I.L., E.K. Kudryashova, A.M. Todieva et al. On the issue of timely diagnosis of gender formation disorders. Attending Рhysician. 2020; 3:17—21. DOI 10.26295/OS.2020.83.45.002. (in Russ.)
3. Oparina N.V., N.Yu. Raigorodskaya, O.Yu. Latyshev et al. Tissue gonosomal mosaicism in patients with disorders of sex formation associated with anomalies of gonadal differentiation. Genetics. 2021. 57(11):1306—1317. DOI: 10.31857/S0016675821110102 (in Russ.)
4. Lissauer T., A.A. Fanaroff, L. Mayall, J. Fanaroff; translated by I.I. Ryumina. Visual Neonatology. M.: GEOTAR-Media, 2019:304. (in Russ.)
5. Volodin N.N., D.N. Degtyarev et al. Neonatology: National guidelines: in 2 vols. Vol.2. 2nd ed., reprint. and additional. Moscow: GЕOTAR-Media, 2023:752. DOI: 10.33029/9704-7828-8-NGC-2023-1-752 (in Russ.)
6. Gardner, R.J.M. and Amor, D.J. Gardner and Sutherland’s Chromosome Abnormalities and Genetic Counseling. 5th Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford. 2018. DOI: 10.1093/med/9780199329007.001.0001.
7. Mokrysheva N.G., Melnichenko GA, Adamyan LV, Troshina EA, Molashenko NV, Sazonova AI et al. Russian clinical practice guidelines «congenital adrenal hyperplasia». Obesity and Мetabolism. 2021; 18(3):345—382. DOI: 10.14341/omet12787. (in Russ.)
8. Christine A. Gleason Avery’s Diseases of the Newborn, 11th Edition. Elsilver Copyright. 2024:1215-1237.
9. De Mello Santos T, Hinton BT. We, the developing rete testis, efferent ducts, and Wolffian duct, all hereby agree that we need to connect. Andrology. 2019 Sep; 7(5):581—587. DOI: 10.1111/andr.12631.
10. Ferrari MTM, Silva ESDN, Nishi MY, Batista RL, Mendonca BB, Domenice S. Testicular differentiation in 46,XX DSD: an overview of genetic causes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Apr 24; 15:1385901. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1385901.
11. Jia S, Zhao F. Single-cell transcriptomic profiling of the neonatal oviduct and uterus reveals new insights into upper Müllerian duct regionalization. FASEB J. 2024 May 15; 38(9):e23632. DOI: 10.1096/fj.202400303R.
12. Herlin MK. Genetics of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome: advancements and implications. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024 Apr 18; 15:1368990. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1368990.
13. Baetens D, Verdin H, De Baere E, Cools M. Update on the genetics of differences of sex development (DSD). Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019 Jun; 33(3):101271. DOI: 10.1016/j.beem.2019.04.005.
14. Mäkelä JA, Koskenniemi JJ, Virtanen HE, Toppari J. Testis Development. Endocr Rev. 2019 Aug 1; 40(4):857—905. DOI: 10.1210/er.2018-00140.
15. Rey RA. Clinical tools in the diagnosis of disorders of sex development: a switch from the hormonal to the genetics laboratory? Adv Lab Med. 2021 Nov 3; 2(4):463—467. DOI: 10.1515/almed-2021-0072.
16. Josso N, Rey RA. What Does AMH Tell Us in Pediatric Disorders of Sex Development? Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Sep 8; 11:619. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00619.
17. Harrison SM, Bush NC, Wang Y, Mucher ZR, Lorenzo AJ, Grimsby GM et al. Insulin-Like Peptide 3 (INSL3) Serum Concentration During Human Male Fetal Life. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019 Sep 4; 10:596. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00596
18. Grinspon RP, Bergadá I, Rey RA. Male Hypogonadism and Disorders of Sex Development. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Apr 15; 11:211. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00211.
19. Auer MK, Nordenström A, Lajic S, Reisch N. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Lancet. 2023 Jan 21; 401(10372):227—244. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01330-7.
20. Dedov I.I., G.A. Melnichenko. Endocrinology: national guidelines. 2nd ed., reprint. and add. Moscow: GEOTAR-Media, 2021:1112. (in Russ.)
21. McElreavey K, Bashamboo A. Monogenic Forms of DSD: An Update. Horm Res Paediatr. 2023; 96(2):144—168. DOI: 10.1159/000521381
22. Van den Bergen JA, Robevska G, Eggers S, Riedl S, Grover SR, Bergman PBet al. Analysis of variants in GATA4 and FOG2/ZFPM2 demonstrates benign contribution to 46,XY disorders of sex development. Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2020 Mar; 8(3):e1095. DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1095.
23. Mazen I, Mekkawy M, Kamel A, Essawi M, Hassan H, Abdel-Hamid M et al. Advances in genomic diagnosis of a large cohort of Egyptian patients with disorders of sex development. Am J Med Genet A. 2021 Jun; 185(6):1666—1677. DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62129
24. Guerrero-Fernández J, Azcona San Julián C, Barreiro Conde J, Bermúdez de la Vega JA, Carcavilla Urquí A, Castaño González LA et al. Guía de actuación en las anomalías de la diferenciación sexual (ADS) / desarrollo sexual diferente (DSD) [Management guidelines for disorders / different sex development (DSD)]. An Pediatr (Engl Ed). 2018 Nov; 89(5):315.e1— 315.e19. Spanish. DOI: 10.1016/j.anpedi.2018.06.009.
25. Liang Y, Wu H, He X, He X. Case Report: Aarskog-scott syndrome caused by FGD1 gene variation: A family study. Front Genet. 2022 Aug 16; 13:932073. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.932073.
26. Kline AD, Moss JF, Selicorni A, Bisgaard AM, Deardorff MA et al. Diagnosis and management of Cornelia de Lange syndrome: first international consensus statement. Nat Rev Genet. 2018 Oct; 19(10):649—666. DOI: 10.1038/s41576-018-0031-0.
27. Smith CM, Guinon K, Bachir S, Tise CG. Fetal phenotype and diagnosis of autosomal dominant Robinow syndrome due to novel DVL1 variant. Prenat Diagn. 2024 Jul 9. DOI: 10.1002/pd.6632.
28. Sanghera AS, Zeppieri M. Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome. 2024 Jan 11. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan.
29. Becker D, Wain LM, Chong YH, et al. Topical dihydrotestosterone to treat micropenis secondary to partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) before, during, and after puberty — A case series. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2016; 29:173—7. DOI:10.1515/jpem-2015-0175.
30. Simpson H, Hughes I. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Med (United Kingdom) 2021; 49:507—11. DOI:10.1016/jmpmed.2021.05.012.
31. Ciocca G, Limoncin E, Carosa E, Di Sante S, Gravina GL, Mollaioli D et al. Is Testosterone a Food for the Brain? Sex Med Rev. 2016 Jan; 4(1):15—25. DOI: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2015.10.007.
32. Cools M, Nordenström A, Robeva R, Hall J, Westerveld P, Flück C, et al.; COST Action BM1303 working group 1. Caring for individuals with a difference of sex development (DSD): a Consensus Statement. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2018 Jul; 14(7):415—429. DOI: 10.1038/s41574-018-0010-8.
33. Profeta G, Micangeli G, Tarani F, Paparella R, Ferraguti G, Spaziani M et al. Sexual Developmental Disorders in Pediatrics. Clin Ter. 2022 Sep-Oct; 173(5):475—488. DOI: 10.7417/CT.2022.2466.
34. Van Der Straaten S, Springer A, Zecic A, et al. The External Genitalia Score (EGS): A European Multicenter Validation Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020; 105. DOI:10.1210/clinem/dgz142.
35. Saprina T.V., M.A. Podporina, Y.S. Rafikova, E.V. Gorbatenko; edited by T.V. Saprino. Neonatal endocrinology. Aspects of clinic, diagnosis, treatment: textbook 2nd ed., reprint. and add. Tomsk: Publishing House of SibSMU, 2024:236. (in Russ.)
36. Lee PA, Fuqua JS, Houk CP, Kogan BA, Mazur T, Caldamone A. Individualized care for patients with intersex (disorders/differences of sex development): part I. J Pediatr Urol. 2020 Apr; 16(2):230—237. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2020.02.013.
37. GarcíaAcero M, Moreno O, Suárez F, Rojas A. Disorders of Sexual Development: Current Status and Progress in the Diagnostic Approach. Curr Urol. 2020 Jan; 13(4):169—178. DOI: 10.1159/000499274.
38. Yankulov K (2015) Book review: Epigenetics (second edition, eds. Allis, Caparros, Jenuwein, Reinberg). Front. Genet. 6:315. DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2015.00315.
39. Fisher AD, Ristori J, Fanni E, Castellini G, Forti G, Maggi M. Gender identity, gender assignment and reassignment in individuals with disorders of sex development: a major of dilemma. J Endocrinol Invest. 2016 Nov; 39(11):1207—1224. DOI: 10.1007/s40618-016-0482-0.
40. Adamyan L.V., Sibirskaya EV, Pivazyan LG, Matevosyan TA, Badakhova AB, Sokolov AD. Reproductive function in patients with disorders of sex development (literature review). Russian Journal of Human Reproduction. 2022; 28(2):3339. DOI: 10.17116/repro2022280213 (in Russ.)
41. Wisniewski AB, Batista RL, Costa EMF, Finlayson C, Sircili MHP, Dénes FT et al. Management of 46,XY Differences/Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) Throughout Life. Endocr Rev. 2019 Dec 1; 40(6):1547—1572. DOI: 10.1210/er.2019-00049.
42. Vora KA, Srinivasan S. A guide to differences/disorders of sex development/intersex in children and adolescents. Aust J Gen Pract. 2020 Jul; 49(7):417—422. DOI: 10.31128/AJGP-03-20-5266.
43. Raza J, Zaidi SZ, Warne GL. Management of disorders of sex development — With a focus on development of the child and adolescent through the pubertal years. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019 Jun; 33(3):101297. DOI: 10.1016/j.beem.2019.101297.
44. Hemesath TP, de Paula LCP, Carvalho CG, Leite JCL, Guaragna-Filho G, Costa EC. Controversies on Timing of Sex Assignment and Surgery in Individuals With Disorders of Sex Development: A Perspective. Front Pediatr. 2019 Jan 10; 6:419. DOI: 10.3389/fped.2018.00419.
45. Cañete Estrada R, Gil Campos M, Cañete Vázquez MD. Pubertad retrasada. Hipogonadismos. Protoc diagn ter pediatr. 2019;1:253-66.
Review
For citations:
Selyanina A.P., Kozodaeva V.I., Sarkisyan H.A., Khokhlova A.P., Komarova A.A., Nifatova A.A., Shumilov P.V. Early diagnosis and management of patients with gender formation disorders. CHILDREN INFECTIONS. 2025;24(1):43-50. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22627/2072-8107-2025-24-1-43-50