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Romeo DM, Pironi V, Velli C, Sforza E, Rigante D, Giorgio V, Leoni C, De Rose C, Kuczynska EM, Limongelli D, Ruiz R, Agazzi C, Mercuri E, Zampino G, Onesimo R. Ligamentous laxity in children with achondroplasia: Prevalence, joint involvement, and implications for early intervention strategies. Eur J Med Genet 2024; 68:104930. [PMID: 38428804 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2024.104930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Achondroplasia (ACH), the most common form of skeletal dysplasia, is characterized by severe disproportionate short stature, rhizomelia, exaggerated lumbar lordosis, brachydactyly, macrocephaly with frontal bossing and midface hypoplasia. Ligamentous laxity has been reported as a striking feature of ACH, but its prevalence and characteristics have not been systematically evaluated yet. There is growing evidence that ligamentous laxity can be associated with chronic musculoskeletal problems and may affect motor development leading to abnormal developmental trajectories. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of ligamentous laxity in children with ACH through standardized tools, the Beighton scale and its modified version for preschool-age children. A total of 33 children (mean age 6.4 ± 3.2 years; age range 1-12.5 years) diagnosed with ACH by the demonstration of a pathogenic variant in the FGFR3 gene and 33 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Both ligamentous laxity assessment and neurological examinations were performed; medical history was also collected from caregivers. Children with ACH showed a 2 times higher risk of ligamentous laxity than the group without skeletal dysplasia (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.0 to 4.7), with 55% of children meeting the diagnostic criteria for hypermobility. No significant difference in ligamentous laxity was observed between males and females. Joint involvement analysis revealed characteristic patterns, with knee hypermobility observed in 67% of patients, while rare was elbow hypermobility. Longitudinal assessments indicated a decreasing trend in ligamentous laxity scores over time, suggesting a potential decrease in hypermobility issues during adulthood. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the prevalence and characteristics of ligamentous laxity in ACH. Implementation of standardized ligamentous laxity assessments might guide patients' follow-up and facilitate early interventions, helping to prevent pain and improve outcomes and quality of life for such patients. Further prospective studies are needed to explore the natural history of ligamentous laxity in ACH and investigate the potential impact of emerging pharmacological treatments upon hypermobility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Marco Romeo
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - Virginia Pironi
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, AUSL della Romagna, Ospedale Infermi, Rimini, Italy; Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Roma, Italy.
| | - Chiara Velli
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Donato Rigante
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - Valentina Giorgio
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - Chiara Leoni
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Roma, Italy.
| | - Cristina De Rose
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Roma, Italy.
| | - Eliza Maria Kuczynska
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Roma, Italy.
| | | | - Roberta Ruiz
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Eugenio Mercuri
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy; Centro Clinico Nemo, Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Zampino
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy.
| | - Roberta Onesimo
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A, Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Roma, Italy.
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Pironi V, Ciccone O, Beghi E, Paragua-Zuellig H, Patel AA, Giussani G, Bianchi E, Venegas V, Vigevano F. Survey on the worldwide availability and affordability of antiseizure medications: Report of the ILAE Task Force on Access to Treatment. Epilepsia 2022; 63:335-351. [PMID: 34981508 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Health systems worldwide are challenged in the provision of basic medical services and access to treatments for chronic conditions. Epilepsy, the most common severe chronic neurological disorder, does not receive sufficient attention despite being officially declared a public health priority by the World Health Organization. More than 80% of people with epilepsy live in middle- and low-income countries (MICs and LICs, respectively), where most of the population lacks reliable access to antiseizure medications (ASMs), contributing significantly to the large epilepsy treatment gap in these regions. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Task Force on Access to Treatment administered a global survey to report on the current access to ASMs worldwide. The survey was developed and distributed online through the ILAE and International Bureau of Epilepsy (IBE) secretariats to the chapter representatives. The survey was completed by one representative per country. Response rate was 73.2% (101 countries of the 138 represented in ILAE and/or IBE organizations). Availability and access of ASMs, including distribution problems and costs, reimbursement procedures, general barriers to access to care, and presence of projects targeted toward improving care access, were studied, and descriptive statistics on available responses were performed. Among the 15 first-generation ASMs surveyed, carbamazepine was reported as the most widely available globally. At least one first-generation ASM is widely available in most countries, but their number differs dramatically across income levels. Second- and third-generation ASMs are even more limited in MICs and LICs. Additionally, average retail prices for ASMs were not significantly different across countries despite the differences in per capita income from high-income countries to LICs. This survey provides a worrisome picture of availability and accessibility of ASMs across the world, with wide disparities according to socioeconomic status. Recommendations for direct action on improving access to care will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Pironi
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health, Institute of Pediatrics, A. Gemelli University Polyclinic Foundation, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Catholic University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, AUSL della Romagna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Ornella Ciccone
- University Teaching Hospitals, Children's Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.,Istituto Serafico di Assisi, Assisi, Italy
| | - Ettore Beghi
- Department of Neuroscience, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Milan, Italy
| | - Hazel Paragua-Zuellig
- University of the Philippines Manila College of Public Health, Manila, Philippines.,Brain Institute, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Manila, Philippines.,San Beda University College of Medicine, Manila, Philippines
| | - Archana A Patel
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Giorgia Giussani
- Department of Neuroscience, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Bianchi
- Department of Neuroscience, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Milan, Italy
| | - Viviana Venegas
- Unit of Pediatric Neurology, Advanced Center of Epilepsy, Clinica Alemana de Santiago, Vitacura, Chile.,Unit of Neurophysiology, Istituto de Neurocirugia Asenjo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Federico Vigevano
- Neuroscience Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Scientific Institute for Research and Health Care, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, Rome, Italy
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De Liso P, Pironi V, Mastrangelo M, Battaglia D, Craiu D, Trivisano M, Specchio N, Nabbout R, Vigevano F. Reply to Dravet, C. Different Outcomes of Acute Encephalopathy after Status Epilepticus in Patients with Dravet Syndrome. How to Avoid Them? Comment on "De Liso et al. Fatal Status Epilepticus in Dravet Syndrome. Brain Sci. 2020, 10, 889". Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11060811. [PMID: 34207311 PMCID: PMC8234181 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11060811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Paola De Liso
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
| | - Virginia Pironi
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health, Institute of Pediatrics, Policlinico Universitario Gemelli Foundation, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Domenica Battaglia
- Department of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Policlinico Universitario Gemelli Foundation, Catholic University of Rome, 00153 Rome, Italy;
| | - Dana Craiu
- Department of Neurology, Paediatric Neurology, Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine of Bucharest, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 050474 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Marina Trivisano
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
| | - Nicola Specchio
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
| | - Rima Nabbout
- Centre for Rare Epilepsies, Department of Paediatric Neurology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Imagine Institute, INSERMU1163, Paris Descartes University, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 75006 Paris, France;
| | - Federico Vigevano
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
- Correspondence:
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De Liso P, Pironi V, Mastrangelo M, Battaglia D, Craiu D, Trivisano M, Specchio N, Nabbout R, Vigevano F. Fatal Status Epilepticus in Dravet Syndrome. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10110889. [PMID: 33238377 PMCID: PMC7700506 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Dravet Syndrome (DS) is burdened by high epilepsy-related premature mortality due to status epilepticus (SE). We surveyed centres within Europe through the Dravet Italia Onlus and EpiCARE network (European Reference Network for Rare and Complex Epilepsies). We collated responses on seven DS SCN1A+ patients who died following refractory SE (mean age 6.9 year, range 1.3–23.4 year); six were on valproate, clobazam, and stiripentol. All patients had previous SE. Fatal SE was always triggered by fever: either respiratory infection or one case of hexavalent vaccination. SE lasted between 80 min and 9 h and all patients received IV benzodiazepines. Four patients died during or within hours of SE; in three patients, SE was followed by coma with death occurring after 13–60 days. Our survey supports the hypothesis that unresponsive fever is a core characteristic feature of acute encephalopathy. We highlight the need for management protocols for prolonged seizures and SE in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola De Liso
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
| | - Virginia Pironi
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health, Institute of Pediatrics, Policlinico Universitario Gemelli Foundation, Catholic University of Rome, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Domenica Battaglia
- Department of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Policlinico Universitario Gemelli Foundation, Catholic University of Rome, 00153 Rome, Italy;
| | - Dana Craiu
- Department of Neurology, Paediatric Neurology, Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine of Bucharest, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 050474 Bucharest, Romania;
| | - Marina Trivisano
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
| | - Nicola Specchio
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
| | - Rima Nabbout
- Centre for Rare Epilepsies, Department of Paediatric Neurology, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Imagine Institute, INSERMU1163, Paris Descartes University, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 75006 Paris, France;
| | - Federico Vigevano
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network EpiCARE, 00165 Rome, Italy; (P.D.L.); (V.P.); (M.T.); (N.S.)
- Correspondence:
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5
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Sbardella D, Tundo GR, Cunsolo V, Grasso G, Cascella R, Caputo V, Santoro AM, Milardi D, Pecorelli A, Ciaccio C, Di Pierro D, Leoncini S, Campagnolo L, Pironi V, Oddone F, Manni P, Foti S, Giardina E, De Felice C, Hayek J, Curatolo P, Galasso C, Valacchi G, Coletta M, Graziani G, Marini S. Defective proteasome biogenesis into skin fibroblasts isolated from Rett syndrome subjects with MeCP2 non-sense mutations. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165793. [PMID: 32275946 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a rare X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder which affects about 1: 10000 live births. In >95% of subjects RTT is caused by a mutation in Methyl-CpG binding protein-2 (MECP2) gene, which encodes for a transcription regulator with pleiotropic genetic/epigenetic activities. The molecular mechanisms underscoring the phenotypic alteration of RTT are largely unknown and this has impaired the development of therapeutic approaches to alleviate signs and symptoms during disease progression. A defective proteasome biogenesis into two skin primary fibroblasts isolated from RTT subjects harbouring non-sense (early-truncating) MeCP2 mutations (i.e., R190fs and R255X) is herewith reported. Proteasome is the proteolytic machinery of Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS), a pathway of overwhelming relevance for post-mitotic cells metabolism. Molecular, transcription and proteomic analyses indicate that MeCP2 mutations down-regulate the expression of one proteasome subunit, α7, and of two chaperones, PAC1 and PAC2, which bind each other in the earliest step of proteasome biogenesis. Furthermore, this molecular alteration recapitulates in neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells upon silencing of MeCP2 expression, envisaging a general significance of this transcription regulator in proteasome biogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Sbardella
- IRCSS-Fondazione GB Bietti, Via Livenza, 3, 00198 Rome, Italy
| | - Grazia Raffaella Tundo
- Dept of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Grasso
- Department of Chemistry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Raffaella Cascella
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy; Molecular Genetics Laboratory UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Caputo
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy; Molecular Genetics Laboratory UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Danilo Milardi
- Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council, Catania, Italy
| | - Alessandra Pecorelli
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; Plant for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC, USA
| | - Chiara Ciaccio
- Dept of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Donato Di Pierro
- Dept of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Leoncini
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese (AOUS), Siena, Italy; Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese (AOUS), Siena, Italy
| | - Luisa Campagnolo
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Virginia Pironi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | | | - Priscilla Manni
- Ophthalmology Unit, St. Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, NESMOS Department, University of Rome "Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Foti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Emiliano Giardina
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy; Molecular Genetics Laboratory UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio De Felice
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese (AOUS), Siena, Italy
| | - Joussef Hayek
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese (AOUS), Siena, Italy; "Isola di Bau", Multi-Specialist Centre, Certaldo (Florence), Italy
| | - Paolo Curatolo
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Cinzia Galasso
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Valacchi
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; Plant for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, NC, USA
| | - Massimiliano Coletta
- Dept of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Grazia Graziani
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Marini
- Dept of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
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