Recurrent pneumothorax and intrapulmonary cavitary lesions in a male patient with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and a novel missense mutation in the COL3A1 gene: a case report

BACKGROUND: Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is a rare autosomal dominant hereditary collagen disease caused by a defect or deficiency in the pro-α1 chain of type III procollagen encoded by the COL3A1 gene. Patients with vEDS rarely present with multiple pneumothoraces. The clinical features of this disease are not familiar to clinicians and are easily missed. We report a patient with a novel missense mutation in the COL3A1 gene (NM_000090.3: c.2977G > A) and hope to provide clinicians with valuable information. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported the case of a young man presenting with frequent episodes of pneumothorax and intrapulmonary cavities and nodular lesions without arterial or visceral complications. His skin was thin and transparent, and the joints were slightly hypermobile. Whole-exome sequencing (chip capture high-throughput sequencing) revealed a heterozygous missense mutation in exon 41 of the COL3A1 gene (NM_000090.3: c.2977G > A), confirming the diagnosis of vEDS. vEDS remains a very rare and difficult diagnosis to determine. CONCLUSION: When a patient presents with recurrent pneumothorax, intrapulmonary cavities and nodular lesions, thin and transparent skin, and hypermobile joints, clinicians should consider the diagnosis of vEDS.