The size of the deletion is variable, but this does not correlate with the variability of the clinical findings seen in WS individuals. The vast majority of cases are sporadic, but some examples of autosomal dominant inheritance have been described. Patients with significant supravalve aortic stenosis or coronary arterial stenosis are at risk of sudden death and complications related to their specific cardiac lesion. Since many other organ systems are involved in WS, there are a number of other potential sources of morbidity. Mental retardation, developmental delay, severe dental disease, strabismus, progressive joint contractures, and bowel and bladder diverticula may lead to potential long-term complications.
WS occurs in all ethnic groups.
Males and females are affected equally. The history obtained from caregivers of WS patients is variable and reflects the wide phenotypic spectrum seen in the syndrome. Children with WS are described as gregarious, hyperactive, and inattentive. Children with WS typically have mild to moderate mental retardation with impairment of daily living skills correlating to the retardation. Some studies dispute the relative language strength, and instead attribute it to a more evenly distributed intellectual profile that is not as impaired as previously believed.