Metabolic Phenotyping in vEDS

This research study will investigate whether people with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS), a rare inherited condition, have problems with the way their body stores and uses fat (adipose tissue). vEDS is caused by changes in a gene called COL3A1, which makes a protein important for the structure of many tissues. While vEDS is best known for making blood vessels fragile, there is some early evidence that it may also affect fat tissue and increase the risk of problems such as insulin resistance (where the body does not respond properly to insulin) and diabetes. Fat tissue is important for keeping the body healthy. It stores extra energy, but it also sends signals to other organs. If fat tissue cannot expand or work properly, fat can build up in the liver or muscles instead, leading to high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and greater risk of diabetes and heart disease. In this study,