The Klinefelter syndrome is a pressing concern among men, also known as XXY syndrome; it is a chromosomal condition that tends to affect a man’s hormonal and intellectual growth. The inception of this term dates back to 1942 when it was first coined by Dr. Harry Klinefelter. Close to 3% of the infertile male population suffers from this syndrome.
How does this Syndrome Develop?
This syndrome is genetic and not hereditary, out of 46 chromosomes that humans have, two are sex chromosomes and the rest regulate other factors. In the reproduction process if the father and mother both pass on X chromosome it will be a girl, whereas, if the father passes a Y chromosome it will be a boy. Men affected by this syndrome tend to have two X chromosomes in their cells instead of the usual one. This error is usually attributed to the fertilization process within the eggs or during the cell division when the child develops. The diagnosis of this syndrome happens over several levels like genital examination, blood tests confirm the hormone levels and the semen examination checks for fertility. The karyotype test specifically checks for the structure and number of the chromosome cells.
Analyzing the Symptoms
The possible symptoms may be noticed in toddlers through signs like- late crawling, talking, or learning to sit up. In childhood years it is characterized by poor energy level, spelling, reading, and writing error, and mild dyslexia. Teenage boys, on the other hand, tend to have broad hips, unusual tallness, and poor muscle tone. Nearly 1 out of 500 men tend to have this syndrome; the symptoms vary depending upon the number of XXY cells present in his body. Usually, the symptoms of this syndrome only surface in adulthood and are characterized by symptoms like –
- Enlargement of breast tissues
- Reduced muscle mass
- Reduced body and hair growth
- Small testicles resulting in poor testosterone production
- Poor sex drive
Most men suffering from this syndrome, tend to have low sperm production, however, ancillary and assisted reproduction processes carried out by ICSI in Bangalore helps curb this problem. This syndrome is typically associated with diseases and adverse conditions like- osteoporosis, Diabetes Mellitus, sleep apnoea, varicose veins, depression, leukemia among others. As per Danish report men with this syndrome have high chances of dying 2.1 years prior to the ones not suffering from this syndrome.
Corrective Treatment for Klinefelter syndrome
Ideally, there is no direct cure for the condition, however alternate reproduction-boosting therapies such as ICSI in Bangalore aim at improving the associated aspects through correctional treatments like-
- Replacement of testosterone therapy
- Speech development therapy during childhood
- Curbing Dyspraxia through occupational therapy
- Treatment of infertility through-artificial insemination or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection.
- Excessive breast tissue removal through breast reduction therapy
- Physiotherapy to accelerate muscle growth
- Improving mental wellness through mental support.
People suffering from the Klinefelter syndrome go on to lead normal lives, the only problem they do face is a reproduction. Early diagnosis backed by proper medical interventions and strong social and mental support can help battle this problem.