Lathosterolosis is an inborn error of
cholesterol biosynthesis due to deficiency of the
enzyme 3-beta-hydroxysteroid-delta-5-desaturase (or
sterol-C5-desaturase or
SC5D). This leads to a block in conversion of
lathosterol into
7-dehydrocholesterol. Only three patients with
lathosterolosis have been reported in literature, of which one survived. We report a patient with dysmorphism, multiple congenital anomalies, and developmental delay, initially suspected to have
Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, who was later found to have elevated levels of
lathosterol in both plasma and fibroblasts. Genetic study confirmed a compound heterozygous mutation in the sterol-C5-desaturase-like (SC5DL) gene on chromosome 11q23.
Simvastatin was started as a treatment
therapy and it resulted in normalization of blood
lathosterol level and improvement in the neurodevelopmental profile. However, additional patients are needed for better delineation of the clinical spectrum, genotype-phenotype correlation, and potential efficacy of
simvastatin treatment in this rare disorder. If the presence of distinctive facial features and limb anomalies raise the suspicion of a
cholesterol biosynthesis defect, testing of full
sterol profile is warranted as normal
cholesterol or
7-dehydrocholesterol levels cannot rule out the diagnosis of
cholesterol synthesis defect like
lathosterolosis.