Early clinical signs in lysosomal diseases

Background and aim

The lysosomal storage diseases are a group of monogenic diseases with multisystemic impairment and chronic progression induced by the deficiency of lysosomal acid hydrolases involved in the breakdown of various macromolecules. The accumulation occurs in the macrophages of the reticule-endothelial system and causes enlargement and functional impairment. The mainly involved organs are the brain, liver, spleen, bones, joints, airways, lungs, and heart. The aim of this study was to evaluate early symptoms, signs and the delay in the diagnosis of different lysosomal diseases.

Methods

The medical documentation of 188 patients with lysosomal storage disorders, aged 1-70 years, were analyzed. All these patients were specifically diagnosed, by enzyme and molecular assay.

Results

The age of clinical signs onset varies in different type of lysosomal diseases, from the first months of life or early childhood in severe form, to adulthood in attenuated forms. The delay between the clinical signs onset and specific diagnosis ranged from 0.5 months to 57.91 years.

Conclusions

The lysosomal storage diseases are rare diseases with childhood onset, but these early signs and symptoms are not recognized and are often taken into account when the vital organs damage becomes manifest.

Gene variants of osteoprotegerin, estrogen-, calcitonin- and vitamin D-receptor genes and serum markers of bone metabolism in patients with Gaucher disease type 1

Purpose

Osteopathy/osteoporosis in Gaucher disease type 1 (GD1) shows variable responses to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT); the pathogenesis is incompletely understood. We aimed to investigate the effects of several gene variants on bone mineral density (BMD) and serum markers of bone metabolism in GD1.

Patients and methods

Fifty adult Caucasian patients with GD1/117 controls were genotyped for gene variants in the osteoprotegerin (TNFRSF11B; OPG), estrogen receptor alpha, calcitonin receptor (CALCR), and vitamin D receptor (VDR) genes. In patients and 50 matched healthy controls, we assessed clinical data, serum markers of bone metabolism, and subclinical inflammation. BMD was measured for the first time before/during ERT (median 6.7 years).

Results

Forty-two percent of patients were splenectomized. ERT led to variable improvements in BMD. Distribution of gene variants was comparable between patients/controls. The AA genotype (c.1024+283G>A gene variant; VDR gene) was associated with lower Z scores before ERT vs GA (P=0.033), was encountered in 82.3% of patients with osteoporosis and was more frequent in patients with pathological fractures. Z score increases during ERT were higher in patients with the CC genotype (c.9C>G variant, TNFRSF11B; OPG gene; P=0.003) compared with GC (P=0.003). The CC genotype (c.1340T>C variant, CALCR gene) was associated with higher Z scores before ERT than the TT genotype (P=0.041) and was absent in osteoporosis. Osteocalcin and OPG were lower in patients vs controls; beta crosslaps, interleukin-6, and ferritin were higher.

Conclusions

We suggest for the first time a protective role against osteoporosis in GD1 patients for the CC genotype of the c.9C>G gene variant in the TNFRSFB11 (OPG) gene and for the CC genotype of the c.1340T>C gene variant (CALCR gene), while the AA genotype of the c.1024+283G>A gene variant in the VDR gene appears as a risk factor for lower BMDs. Serum markers suggest decreased osteosynthesis, reduced inhibition of osteoclast activation, increased bone resorption, and subclinical inflammation during ERT.

Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of Romanian Patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II

BACKGROUND

Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II, Hunter syndrome) is a rare X-linked disorder caused by deficiency of iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S) enzyme, which leads to the accumulation of partially digested glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the lysosomes and induces multisystemic alteration (coarse facial features; skeletal dysplasia; hepatosplenomegaly; joint stiffness and contractures; heart, lung, vision, and hearing disability; profound neurological decline).The purpose of this study is to present the clinical and genetic characteristics of Romanian patients with Hunter syndrome and the genotype-phenotype correlation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

15 unrelated patients, with MPS II ranging from mild (4 subjects) to severe phenotype (11 subjects) aged 2 to 20 years, were evaluated clinically, cognitive development, enzyme assay and molecular analysis.

RESULTS

The molecular analysis of the 15 unrelated Romanian MPS II patients has identified 15 different mutations (2 major genetic defects (13%) and 13 minor genetic defects (87%)): microdeletions and point mutations (missense, nonsense), seven of them described for the first time-deletion encompassing 3 to exon 7; c823G>T, pD275Y; c.1600A>C (pN534H); c.102_10delAG (p.D5Cfs*11); c.448_471del (p.P150_P157del); c.421delA (p.I141Yfs*72); and c.419-1G>C. The major genetic defects were correlated with a severe course of disease.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study on the clinical and molecular characterization of the MPS II Romanian patients. This study supports the evidence of the mutational heterogeneity of the I2S gene as well as the difficulty to correlate genotype and phenotype in the patients with MPS II.

Problems in the Diagnosis of Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome in Children

The cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is an infrequent condition in pediatric practice, in which recurrent vomiting episodes are followed by asymptomatic periods. The authors report the case of an 8-year and 2-month old child who had been hospitalized on several occasions for persistent vomiting accompanied by nausea, and periumbilical and epigastric abdominal pain. The child's anamnesis and clinical examination determined the doctors to suspect aCVS, which was later confirmed due toruling out all of the differential diagnoses: infectious, drug-related or surgical causes. CVS is a severe condition, which causes nutrition disorders, social integration problems, school absenteeism and lower life quality on the whole. This condition requires early detection in order to initiate adequate supportive therapy, to identify the triggering causes and to prevent them.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the median nerve at the level of the carpal tunnel outlet and mid forearm in patients with type II Mucopolysaccharidosis

AIMS

The ultrasonographic (US) evaluation of the median nerve at the level of the carpal tunnel outlet (CTO) and mid forearm in pediatric patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) and comparison with healthy subjects.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Fifteen children with MPS II and 44 healthy children were included in the study and they were divided into three age groups. The cross-sectional area, the appearance of the nerve, and the ratio of the cross-sectional areas were evaluated by US.

RESULTS

At the level of the CTO the mean area of the nerve was increased in all MPS II groups compared with the correspondent healthy age groups and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.01). At the level of the mid forearm the differences were statistically significant only for the first age group. Other US findings at the level of the CTO in the MPS II groups were represented by hypoechogenicity (86.67 % on the right and 93.33% on the left), thickened fascicles (80% bilaterally), irregular contour (53.33% bilaterally) and the presence of the Doppler signal including the nerve (26.67 % on the right and 33.33 % on the left). The CTO/mid forearm cross-sectional area ratio was higher in all MPS II age groups and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

In patients with MPS II there are significant US changes in the size and aspect of the median nerve.

Lessons learned from closed loops in engineering: towards a multivariable approach regulating depth of anaesthesia

In this paper is presented a brief state of art regarding the multivariable formulation for controlling the depth of anaesthesia by means of two intravenously administrated drugs, i.e. propofol and remifentanil. In a feasibility study of determining a suitable variable to quantify analgesia levels in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, the bispectral index and an electromyogram-based surrogate variable are proposed as the controlled variables. The study is carried on in the context of implementing a multivariable predictive control algorithm. The simulation results show that such a paradigm is feasible, although it does not guarantee perfect knowledge of the analgesia level-in other words, the variable is not validated against typical evaluations of the pain levels (e.g. clinical scores).

Revised recommendations for the management of Gaucher disease in children

Gaucher disease is an inherited pan-ethnic disorder that commonly begins in childhood and is caused by deficient activity of the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase. Two major phenotypes are recognized: non-neuropathic (type 1) and neuropathic (types 2 and 3). Symptomatic children are severely affected and manifest growth retardation, delayed puberty, early-onset osteopenia, significant splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, thrombocytopenia, anemia, severe bone pain, acute bone crises, and fractures. Symptomatic children with types 1 or 3 should receive enzyme replacement therapy, which will prevent debilitating and often irreversible disease progression and allow those with non-neuropathic disease to lead normal healthy lives. Children should be monitored every 6 months (physical exam including growth, spleen and liver volume, neurologic exam, hematologic indices) and have one to two yearly skeletal assessments (bone density and imaging, preferably with magnetic resonance, of lumbar vertebrae and lower limbs), with specialized cardiovascular monitoring for some type 3 patients. Response to treatment will determine the frequency of monitoring and optimal dose of enzyme replacement. Treatment of children with type 2 (most severe) neuropathic Gaucher disease is supportive. Pre-symptomatic children, usually with type 1 Gaucher, increasingly are being detected because of affected siblings and screening in high-prevalence communities. In this group, annual examinations (including bone density) are recommended. However, monitoring of asymptomatic children with affected siblings should be guided by the age and severity of manifestations in the first affected sibling. Treatment is necessary only if signs and symptoms develop.

CONCLUSION

Early detection and treatment of symptomatic types 1 and 3 Gaucher disease with regular monitoring will optimize outcome. Pre-symptomatic children require regular monitoring. Genetic counseling is important.