[Werner syndrome-like disease in 3 brothers. Differential diagnosis of progeria syndrome].

A report is given on a progeroid disease affecting three brothers, 11, 13, and 14 years old. The difficult differential diagnosis of such progeroid syndromes is discussed. The clinical signs were mostly consistent with Werner's syndrome. Since some of the symptoms of this disease were not present, probably because of the young age of the patients, this progeroid syndrome was classified as Werner syndrome-like. Electronmicroscopic findings of the patients skin showed changes of the blood vessels and nerves, which were until now not described in Werner's syndrome or other progerias. The latter findings may give some hints with regard to the pathogenesis of this disease.