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Ency. home > Disease > K > Klinefelter syndrome

Klinefelter syndrome   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment

Alternative names:

47 X-X-Y syndrome

Definition:

A chromosome abnormality that affects only men and causes hypogonadism.

Causes and Risks

Klinefelter syndrome is caused by an extra X chromosome and affects only males. An infant appears normal at birth, but the defect usually becomes apparent in puberty when secondary sexual characteristics fail or are late to develop, and testicular changes occur that eventually result in infertility in the majority of those affected. Some mild cases may go undetected with no abnormalities present except infertility. Increased maternal age is a risk factor. It is usually a sporadic event, not inherited, that leads to the extra X chromosome.

Ency. home > Disease > K > Klinefelter syndrome

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