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Pontillo G, Castagna A, Vola EA, Macerollo A, Peluso S, Russo C, Baglio F, Manganelli F, Brunetti A, Cocozza S, Esposito M. The cerebellum in idiopathic cervical dystonia: A specific pattern of structural abnormalities? Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2020; 80:152-157. [DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2020.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Petracca M, El Mendili MM, Moro M, Cocozza S, Podranski K, Fleysher L, Inglese M. Laminar analysis of the cortical T1/T2-weighted ratio at 7T. NEUROLOGY-NEUROIMMUNOLOGY & NEUROINFLAMMATION 2020; 7:7/6/e900. [PMID: 33087580 PMCID: PMC7641144 DOI: 10.1212/nxi.0000000000000900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Objective In this observational study, we explored cortical structure as function of cortical depth through a laminar analysis of the T1/T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) ratio, which has been related to dendrite density in ex vivo brain tissue specimens of patients with MS. Methods In 39 patients (22 relapsing-remitting, 13 female, age 41.1 ± 10.6 years; 17 progressive, 11 female, age 54.1 ± 9.9 years) and 21 healthy controls (8 female, , age 41.6 ± 10.6 years), we performed a voxel-wise analysis of T1w/T2w ratio maps from high-resolution 7T images from the subpial surface to the gray matter/white matter boundary. Six layers were sampled to ensure accuracy based on mean cortical thickness and image resolution. Results At the voxel-wise comparison (p < 0.05, family wise error rate corrected), the whole MS group showed lower T1w/T2w ratio values than controls, both when considering the entire cortex and each individual layer, with peaks occurring in the fusiform, temporo-occipital, and superior and middle frontal cortex. In relapsing-remitting patients, differences in the T1w/T2w ratio were only identified in the subpial layer, with the peak occurring in the fusiform cortex, whereas results obtained in progressive patients mirrored the widespread damage found in the whole group. Conclusions Laminar analysis of T1w/T2w ratio mapping confirms the presence of cortical damage in MS and shows a variable expression of intracortical damage according to the disease phenotype. Although in the relapsing-remitting stage, only the subpial layer appears susceptible to damage, in progressive patients, widespread cortical abnormalities can be observed, not only, as described before, with regard to myelin/iron concentration but, possibly, to other microstructural features.
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Ruggiero L, Iovino A, Dubbioso R, Cocozza S, Trovato R, Aruta F, Pontillo G, Barghigiani M, Brunetti A, Santorelli FM, Manganelli F, Iodice R. Multimodal evaluation of an Italian family with a hereditary spastic paraplegia and POLR3A mutations. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2020; 7:2326-2331. [PMID: 33085208 PMCID: PMC7664249 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe an Italian family with adult‐onset pure hereditary spastic paraplegia due to biallelic variants in POLR3A gene [c.1909 + 22G > A and c.3839dupT (p.M1280fs*20]. MRI showed a mild hyperintensity of superior cerebellar peduncles and cervical spinal cord atrophy. The neurophysiological metrics about intracortical excitability showed higher values of motor thresholds and a significant reduction of short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) in the patient with a more severe phenotype. Our multimodal evaluation further expands the wide phenotypic spectrum associated with mutations in the POLR3A gene. An extensive genotype–phenotype correlation study is necessary to explain the role of the many new mutations on the function of protein.
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Pontillo G, Tozza S, Perillo T, Cocozza S, Dubbioso R, Severi D, Iodice R, Tedeschi E, Elefante A, Brunetti A, Manganelli F, Quarantelli M. Diffuse brain connectivity changes in Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1a patients: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Eur J Neurol 2020; 28:305-313. [PMID: 32955777 DOI: 10.1111/ene.14540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Changes of brain structure and function have been described in peripheral neuropathies. The aim of our study was to systematically investigate possible modifications of major large-scale brain networks using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) patients. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 3-T MRI brain scans were acquired of right-handed genetically confirmed CMT1A patients and age- and sex-comparable healthy controls. Patients also underwent clinical and electrophysiological examinations assessing neurological impairment. RS-fMRI data were analysed using a seed-based approach, with 32 different seeds sampling the main hubs of default mode, sensorimotor, visual, salience (SN), dorsal attention, frontoparietal, language and cerebellar networks. Between-group differences in terms of functional connectivity (FC) with the explored seeds were tested voxelwise, correcting for local grey matter density to account for possible structural abnormalities, whilst the relationship between FC modifications and neurological impairment was investigated using robust correlation analyses. RESULTS Eighteen CMT1A patients (34.0 ± 11.4 years; M/F 11/7) were enrolled, along with 20 healthy controls (30.1 ± 10.2 years; M/F 11/9). In the CMT group compared to controls, clusters of increased FC with the visual cortex (P = 0.001), SN (P < 6 × 10-4 ), dorsal attention network (P < 8 × 10-5 ) and language network (P < 7 × 10-4 ) were found, along with a single cluster of reduced FC with the visual cortex in the left lentiform nucleus (P = 10-6 ). A significant correlation emerged between neurophysiological impairment and increased FC with right temporal language areas (r = 0.655, P = 0.006), along with an association between walking ability and increased FC with the left supramarginal gyrus (SN) (r = 0.620, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS Our data show evidence of diffuse functional reorganization involving multiple large-scale networks in the CMT1A brain, independent of structural modifications and partially correlating with peripheral nerve damage and functional impairment.
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Pontillo G, Dubbioso R, Cocozza S, Tozza S, Severi D, Iodice R, Tedeschi E, Elefante A, Brunetti A, Manganelli F, Quarantelli M. Brain Plasticity in Charcot-Marie-Tooth Type 1A Patients? A Combined Structural and Diffusion MRI Study. Front Neurol 2020; 11:795. [PMID: 33013613 PMCID: PMC7506188 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Central nervous system involvement has been described in peripheral neuropathies, including different forms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. The aim of our study was to systematically investigate possible brain structural modifications in CMT1A patients, using volumetric MRI, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). In this prospective cross-sectional study, from May 2017 to May 2019, we acquired 3T MRI brain scans of genetically confirmed CMT1A patients and age- and sex-comparable healthy controls. Patients also underwent clinical and electrophysiological examinations assessing motor and sensory domains. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analyses were performed using a non-parametric approach based on permutations, including age and sex (and total intracranial volume for VBM) as nuisance covariates. When between-group differences emerged at VBM or TBSS analyses, the first eigenvariate was extracted from the cluster and its age- and sex-adjusted standardized residuals tested for correlation with clinical and electrophysiological variables. Twenty CMT1A patients (34.5 ± 11.1 years; M/F:11/9) were enrolled, along with 20 healthy controls (30.1 ± 10.2 years; M/F:11/9). The VBM analysis revealed clusters of significantly increased GM volume in CMT1A patients compared to healthy controls, encompassing the bilateral cerebellar lobules III-VI and the left hippocampus (all ps = 0.04), with no differences in terms of DTI metrics at the TBSS analysis. A negative correlation (r = -0.502, p = 0.03) emerged between ulnar compound motor action potential and the z-scores corresponding to the right cerebellar cluster of augmented GM volume. Our data show evidence of structural reorganization in the brain of CMT1A patients, possibly reflecting neural plasticity mechanisms in response to peripheral nerve pathology and modulating the effect of axonal degeneration on functional impairment.
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Pontillo G, Petracca M, Cocozza S, Brunetti A. The Development of Subcortical Gray Matter Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis: One Size Does Not Fit All. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2020; 41:E80-E81. [PMID: 32646951 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a6698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Esposito R, Russo C, Santoro C, Cocozza S, Riccio E, Sorrentino R, Pontillo G, Luciano F, Imbriaco M, Brunetti A, Pisani A. Association between Left Atrial Deformation and Brain Involvement in Patients with Anderson-Fabry Disease at Diagnosis. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9092741. [PMID: 32854327 PMCID: PMC7565878 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9092741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) can induce both central nervous system white matter lesions (WMLs) and cardiac abnormalities including left atrial (LA) dysfunction. We sought to evaluate the possible interrelations of LA structure and function impairment with the presence of WMLs in AFD patients. Methods 22 AFD patients and 22 controls, matched for age and sex, underwent an echo-Doppler exam including quantification of peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS). AFD patients underwent also a 3-T brain magnetic resonance imaging with a visual quantification of WMLs by Fazekas’ score (FS) on 3D FLAIR images. Results AFD patients had significantly higher left ventricular (LV) mass index (LVMi) and relative wall thickness, and lower PALS compared to controls. Among AFD patients, 9 showed a FS = 0, and 13 a FS > 1. AFD patients with FS ≥ 1 showed lower PALS (29.4 ± 6.7 vs. 37.2 ± 3.9%, p = 0.003) than those with FS = 0, without difference in LA volume index and LVMi. In AFD patients, FS was inversely related to PALS (r = −0.49, p < 0.0001), even after adjusting for LVMi (r = −0.43, p < 0.05). Conclusions In the absence of significant alterations in LA size, AFD patients had lower PALS compared to controls. The inverse association between PALS and presence of WMLs indicates a possible parallel early involvement of heart and brain.
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De Michele G, Galatolo D, Lieto M, Maione L, Cocozza S, Santorelli FM, Filla A. New AARS2 Mutations in Two Siblings With Tremor, Downbeat Nystagmus, and Primary Amenorrhea: A Benign Phenotype Without Leukoencephalopathy. Mov Disord Clin Pract 2020; 7:684-687. [PMID: 32775515 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.12991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
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Ugga L, Cuocolo R, Cocozza S, Pontillo G, Elefante A, Quarantelli M, Vicidomini C, De Pandis MF, De Michele G, D'Amico A, de Divitiis O, Brunetti A. Magnetic resonance parkinsonism indices and interpeduncular angle in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus and progressive supranuclear palsy. Neuroradiology 2020; 62:1657-1665. [PMID: 32710162 PMCID: PMC7666671 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-020-02500-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Purpose The clinical presentation of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) may overlap with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). The Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index (MRPI), MRPI 2.0, and the interpeduncular angle (IPA) have been investigated to differentiate PSP from healthy controls (HC) and other parkinsonisms. We aimed to assess equivalences and differences in MRPI, MRPI 2.0, and IPA in iNPH, PSP, and HC groups. Methods We retrospectively recruited 99 subjects (30 iNPH, 32 PSP, 37 HC) from two institutions. MRI exams, acquired on either 1.5 T or 3 T scanners, included 3D T1-weighted images to measure MRPI, MRPI 2.0, and IPA. Inter- and intra-rater reliability was investigated with the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and the two one-sided t tests (TOST) procedure was used to assess these markers in iNPH, PSP, and HC. Results For all the three measures, intra-rater and inter-rater ICC were excellent (range = 0.91–0.93). In the comparison of iNPH and PSP with HC, differences for MRPI and MRPI 2.0 (p < 0.01 in all cases) and no equivalence (p = 1.00 in all cases) were found at TOST. iNPH and PSP MRPI showed no difference (p = 0.06) and no equivalence (p = 0.08). MRPI 2.0 was not equivalent (p = 0.06) and not different (p = 0.09) in the same two populations. PSP and HC IPA proved equivalent (p < 0.01) while iNPH IPA was different (p < 0.01) and not equivalent (p = 0.96 and 0.82) from both PSP and HC. Conclusion MRPI and MRPI 2.0 significantly overlap in iNPH and PSP, with risk of misdiagnosis, and for this reason may not be helpful in the differential diagnosis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00234-020-02500-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Cocozza S, Schiavi S, Pontillo G, Battocchio M, Riccio E, Caccavallo S, Russo C, Di Risi T, Pisani A, Daducci A, Brunetti A. Microstructural damage of the cortico-striatal and thalamo-cortical fibers in Fabry disease: a diffusion MRI tractometry study. Neuroradiology 2020; 62:1459-1466. [PMID: 32700105 PMCID: PMC7568710 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-020-02497-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Recent evidences have suggested the possible presence of an involvement of the extrapyramidal system in Fabry disease (FD), a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder. We aimed to investigate the microstructural integrity of the main tracts of the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical loop in FD patients. Methods Forty-seven FD patients (mean age = 42.3 ± 16.3 years, M/F = 28/21) and 49 healthy controls (mean age = 42.3 ± 13.1 years, M/F = 19/28) were enrolled in this study. Fractional anisotropy (FA), axial (AD), radial (RD), and mean diffusivity (MD) maps were computed for each subject, and connectomes were built using a standard atlas. Diffusion metrics and connectomes were then combined to carry on a diffusion MRI tractometry analysis. The main afferent and efferent pathways of the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical loop (namely, bundles connecting the precentral gyrus (PreCG) with the striatum and the thalamus) were evaluated. Results We found the presence of a microstructural involvement of cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical loop in FD patients, predominantly affecting the left side. In particular, we found significant lower mean FA values of the left cortico-striatal fibers (p = 0.001), coupled to higher MD (p = 0.001) and RD (p < 0.001) values, as well as higher MD (p = 0.01) and RD (p = 0.01) values at the level of the thalamo-cortical fibers. Conclusion We confirmed the presence of an alteration of the extrapyramidal system in FD patients, in line with recent evidences suggesting the presence of brain changes as a possible reflection of the subtle motor symptoms present in this condition. Our results suggest that, along with functional changes, microstructural damage of this pathway is also present in FD patients.
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Cocozza S, Santorelli FM, De Michele G. STUB1-Related Ataxias: A Challenging Diagnosis. Mov Disord Clin Pract 2020; 7:733-734. [PMID: 32775533 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.12992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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D'Amico A, Ugga L, Cocozza S, Giorgio SMDA, Cicala D, Santoro C, Melis D, Cinalli G, Brunetti A, Pappatà S. Multimodal evaluation of the cerebrovascular reserve in Neurofibromatosis type 1 patients with Moyamoya syndrome. Neurol Sci 2020; 42:655-663. [PMID: 32651859 PMCID: PMC7843564 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04574-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Moyamoya syndrome (MMS) is a rare intracranial arterial vasculopathy which can occur in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) disease, representing a cause of cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) impairment, possibly leading to ischemic stroke. Here, we evaluated noninvasive imaging techniques used to assess CVR in MMS patients, describing clinical and imaging findings in patients affected by MMS-NF1. Methods Following strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, in this retrospective observational study, we evaluated imaging data of nine consecutive MMS-NF1 patients (M/F = 5/4, mean age: 12.6 ± 4.0). Subjects underwent a multimodal evaluation of cerebral vascular status, including intracranial arterial MR Angiography (MRA), MRI perfusion with dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) technique, and 99mTc-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) SPECT. Results In 8 out 9 patients (88.8%, 6/8 symptomatic), time-to-peak maps were correlated with the involved cerebral hemisphere, while in 6 out 9 patients (66.6%, 5/6 symptomatic), mean transit time (MTT) maps showed correspondence with the affected cerebrovascular territories. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) calculated using DSC perfusion failed to detect the hypoperfused regions instead identified by SPECT-CBF in all patients, while MTT maps overlapped with SPECT-CBF data in all cases and time-to-peak maps in 60.0%. Conclusions Although SPECT imaging still represents the gold standard for CBF assessment, our results suggest that data obtained using DSC perfusion technique, and in particular MTT maps, might be a very useful and noninvasive tool for evaluating hemodynamic status in MMS-NF1 patients. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10072-020-04574-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Melillo P, Prinster A, Di Iorio V, Olivo G, D'Alterio FM, Cocozza S, Quarantelli M, Testa F, Brunetti A, Simonelli F. Biofeedback Rehabilitation and Visual Cortex Response in Stargardt's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2020; 9:6. [PMID: 32821503 PMCID: PMC7409294 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.6.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose to evaluate the effect of biofeedback (BF) rehabilitation on the visual function and on the activity of primary visual cortex (PVC) in patients with Stargardt's disease owing to mutations in the ABCA4 gene (STGD1). Methods This was a single-center, controlled, randomized study. Twenty-four patients with STGD1 were randomized into two groups: a treatment group (TG) undergoing BF rehabilitation and a control group (CG). Treatment with BF consisted of a 10-minute session per eye performed weekly for 12 weeks. The subjects underwent a baseline and 3-month follow-up visits, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), reading test, microperimetry, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The fMRI studies were acquired sequentially using a passive viewing condition and an active reading task. The primary outcomes were the change in the fMRI activation of primary visual cortex and the change in reading ability. Results After treatment, the patients in the TG were able to read smaller characters (P = 0.002) with a greater reading speed (P = 0.014) compared with patients in the CG. The fMRI studies showed a significant effect (P < 0.001) of BF on primary visual cortex activation in the TG compared with the CG. Finally, we observed significant (P < 0.05) improvements of best-corrected visual acuity, macular sensitivity, and fixation stability parameters in the TG compared with the CG. Conclusions Our study showed that visual rehabilitation using BF improved the usage of residual visual function in patients with STGD1. Translational Relevance Our findings show that the BF treatment compared with no treatment at all resulted in benefits. The specificity of the treatment could be examined to determine whether BF can be included in clinical practice.
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Russo C, Cocozza S, Riccio E, Pontillo G, Petruzzelli LA, Lanzillo R, Spinelli L, Colomba P, Duro G, Imbriaco M, Russo CV, De Riso G, Di Risi T, Tedeschi E, Cuocolo A, Brunetti A, Morra VB, Cocozza S, Pisani A. Prevalence of GLA gene mutations and polymorphisms in patients with multiple sclerosis: A cross-sectional study. J Neurol Sci 2020; 412:116782. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.116782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Fox E, Lovett-Racke AE, Gormley M, Liu Y, Petracca M, Cocozza S, Shubin R, Wray S, Weiss MS, Bosco JA, Power SA, Mok K, Inglese M. A phase 2 multicenter study of ublituximab, a novel glycoengineered anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2020; 27:420-429. [PMID: 32351164 PMCID: PMC7897779 DOI: 10.1177/1352458520918375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background: Ublituximab, a novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting a unique epitope on the CD20 antigen, is glycoengineered for enhanced B-cell targeting through antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Greater ADCC may allow lower doses and shorter infusion times versus other anti-CD20 mAbs. Objective: The objective was to determine optimal dose, infusion time, and activity of ublituximab in relapsing multiple sclerosis. Methods: This is a phase 2, placebo-controlled study. Patients received three ublituximab infusions (150 mg over 1–4 hours on day 1 and 450–600 mg over 1–3 hours on day 15 and week 24) in six dosing cohorts. The primary endpoint was B-cell depletion. Results: In all cohorts (N = 48), median B-cell depletion was >99% by week 4, maintained at weeks 24 and 48. Most common adverse events (AEs) were infusion-related reactions (all grade 1–2), with no apparent increased incidence at shorter infusion times. There were no AE-related discontinuations. At weeks 24 and 48, no T1 gadolinium-enhancing lesions (p = 0.003) and a 10.6% decrease in T2 lesion volume (p = 0.002) were detected. The annualized relapse rate was 0.07; 93% remained relapse free on study. Overall, 74% of patients had no evidence of disease activity (NEDA). Conclusion: Ublituximab was safely infused as rapid as 1 hour, producing robust B-cell depletion and profound reductions in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity and relapses.
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Cocozza S, Pontillo G, De Michele G, Perillo T, Guerriero E, Ugga L, Salvatore E, Galatolo D, Riso V, Saccà F, Quarantelli M, Brunetti A. The "crab sign": an imaging feature of spinocerebellar ataxia type 48. Neuroradiology 2020; 62:1095-1103. [PMID: 32285148 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-020-02427-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE A new form of autosomal dominant hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) has been recently described (SCA48), and here we investigate its conventional MRI findings to identify the presence of a possible imaging feature of this condition. METHODS In this retrospective observational study, we evaluated conventional MRI scans from 10 SCA48 patients (M/F = 5/5; 44.7 ± 7.8 years). For all subjects, atrophy of both supratentorial and infratentorial compartments were recorded, as well as the presence of possible T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) signal alterations. RESULTS In SCA48 patients, no meaningful supratentorial changes were found, both in terms of volume loss or MRI signal changes. Atrophy of the cerebellum was present in all cases, involving both the vermis and the hemispheres, but particularly affecting the postero-lateral portions of the cerebellar hemispheres. In all patients, with the exception of only one subject (90.0% of the cases), a T2WI hyperintensity of both dentate nuclei was found. The association of such signal alteration with the pattern of cerebellar atrophy resembled the appearance of a crab ("crab sign"). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that SCA48 patients are characterized by cerebellar atrophy, mainly involving the postero-lateral hemisphere areas, along with a T2WI hyperintensity of dentate nuclei. We propose that the association of such signal change, along with the atrophy of the lateral portion of the cerebellar hemispheres, resembled the appearance of a crab, and therefore, we propose the "crab sign" as a neuroradiological sign present in SCA48 patients.
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Cocozza S, Cosottini M, Signori A, Fleysher L, El Mendili MM, Lublin F, Inglese M, Roccatagliata L. A clinically feasible 7-Tesla protocol for the identification of cortical lesions in Multiple Sclerosis. Eur Radiol 2020; 30:4586-4594. [PMID: 32211962 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-020-06803-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of sequences acquired on a 7-T MRI scanner, within times and anatomical coverage appropriate for clinical studies, to identify cortical lesions (CLs) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Furthermore, we aimed to confirm the clinical significance of CL, testing the correlations between gray matter (GM) lesions and clinical scores. METHODS A 7-T MRI protocol included 3D-T1-weighted and T2*-weighted sequences. Images were evaluated independently by three readers of different experience, and the number of CLs was recorded. Between-rater concordance was assessed calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Lin's concordance correlation coefficient was used to compare CL detection between sequences, while partial correlations and multivariable regression models were used to study the relationship between CL and clinical data. RESULTS Forty MS patients (M/F, 17/23; 44.7 ± 12.6 years) were enrolled in this study, and CLs were identified in 35/40 subjects (87.5%). CL detection rate on 3D-T1-weighted images was significantly correlated with the detection rate on T2*-weighted images (r = 0.99; p < 0.001), with high concordance between readers (ICC ≥ 0.995). CLs were significantly correlated with both motor and cognitive scores (all with p ≤ 0.04). CONCLUSIONS CL can be identified over the whole brain at 7-T in MS using a 3D-T1-weighted volume, acquired in a clinically feasible time and with comparable performance to that achievable using the T2*-weighted sequence. Based on the central role of CL in the development of clinical disability, we suggest that 3D-T1-weighted volume may play a role in the evaluation of CL in MS undergoing MRI on ultra-high-field scanners. KEY POINTS • Cortical lesions can be identified in a clinically feasible time with a 7-T protocol, which includes a 3D-T1-weighted volume. • Cortical lesions correlated significantly with both motor and cognitive disability in MS patients. • Given their correlation with clinical disability, evaluation of a cortical lesion on a 7-T clinical protocol could help in the management of MS patients.
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Pontillo G, Cocozza S, Di Stasi M, Carotenuto A, Paolella C, Cipullo MB, Perillo T, Vola EA, Russo C, Masullo M, Moccia M, Lanzillo R, Tedeschi E, Elefante A, Brescia Morra V, Brunetti A, Quarantelli M, Petracca M. 2D linear measures of ventricular enlargement may be relevant markers of brain atrophy and long-term disability progression in multiple sclerosis. Eur Radiol 2020; 30:3813-3822. [PMID: 32100089 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-020-06738-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of 2D linear measures of ventricular enlargement as indirect markers of brain atrophy and possible predictors of clinical disability. METHODS In this retrospective longitudinal analysis of relapsing-remitting MS patients, brain volumes were computed at baseline and after 2 years. Frontal horn width (FHW), intercaudate distance (ICD), third ventricle width (TVW), and 4th ventricle width were obtained. Two-dimensional measures associated with brain volume at correlation analyses were entered in linear and logistic regression models testing the relationship with baseline clinical disability and 10-year confirmed disability progression (CDP), respectively. Possible cutoff values for clinically relevant atrophy were estimated via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and probed as 10-year CDP predictors using hierarchical logistic regression. RESULTS Eighty-seven patients were available (61/26 = F/M; 34.1 ± 8.5 years). Moderate negative correlations emerged between ICD and TVW and normalized brain volume (NBV; p < 0.001) and percentage brain volume change per year (PBVC/y) and FHW, ICD, and TVW annual changes (p ≤ 0.005). Baseline disability was moderately associated with NBV, ICD, and TVW (p < 0.001), while PBVC/y predicted 10-year CDP (p = 0.01). A cutoff percentage ICD change per year (PICDC/y) value of 4.38%, corresponding to - 0.91% PBVC/y, correlated with 10-year CDP (p = 0.04). These estimated cutoff values provided extra value for predicting 10-year CDP (PBVC/y: p = 0.001; PICDC/y: p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Two-dimensional measures of ventricular enlargement are reproducible and clinically relevant markers of brain atrophy, with ICD and its increase over time showing the best association with clinical disability. Specifically, a cutoff PICDC/y value of 4.38% could serve as a potential surrogate marker of long-term disability progression. KEY POINTS • Assessment of ventricular enlargement as a rapidly accessible indirect marker of brain atrophy may prove useful in cases in which brain volume quantification is not practicable. • Two-dimensional linear measures of ventricular enlargement represent reliable, valid, and clinically relevant markers of brain atrophy. • A cutoff annualized percentage brain volume change of - 0.91% and the corresponding annualized percentage increase of 4.38% for intercaudate distance are able to discriminate patients who will develop long-term disability progression.
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Romeo V, Cuocolo R, Ricciardi C, Ugga L, Cocozza S, Verde F, Stanzione A, Napolitano V, Russo D, Improta G, Elefante A, Staibano S, Brunetti A. Prediction of Tumor Grade and Nodal Status in Oropharyngeal and Oral Cavity Squamous-cell Carcinoma Using a Radiomic Approach. Anticancer Res 2020; 40:271-280. [PMID: 31892576 DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.13949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM To investigate whether a radiomic machine learning (ML) approach employing texture-analysis (TA) features extracted from primary tumor lesions (PTLs) is able to predict tumor grade (TG) and nodal status (NS) in patients with oropharyngeal (OP) and oral cavity (OC) squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Contrast-enhanced CT images of 40 patients with OP and OC SCC were post-processed to extract TA features from PTLs. A feature selection method and different ML algorithms were applied to find the most accurate subset of features to predict TG and NS. RESULTS For the prediction of TG, the best accuracy (92.9%) was achieved by Naïve Bayes (NB), bagging of NB and K Nearest Neighbor (KNN). For the prediction of NS, J48, NB, bagging of NB and boosting of J48 overcame the accuracy of 90%. CONCLUSION A radiomic ML approach applied to PTLs is able to predict TG and NS in patients with OC and OP SCC.
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Casciano O, Luciano F, Cocozza S, Sorrentino R, Lembo M, Sellitto V, Santoro C, Esposito R, Rivellese A, Galderisi M. 433 Independent impact of metabolic syndrome on left ventricular longitudinal dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/ehjci/jez319.246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is highly heterogeneous and an adequate risk stratification is needed. CV risk mainly depends on concomitant risk factors, combined in the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Echocardiography is an useful tool for diagnosis of cardiac organ damage and CV risk stratification in T2DM.
Purpose
To investigate the effects of MetS on left ventricular (LV) structure and function in patients with T2DM with normal LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and without overt coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure symptoms/signs.
Methods
We prospectively recruited 384 consecutive, uncomplicated T2DM patients. All patients underwent clinical exam, blood sampling and complete echo-Doppler exam, including determination of 2D-echo derived global longitudinal strain (GLS). LV mass index ≥45 g/m^2.7 in women and ≥49 g/m^2.7 in men was used to characterize LV hypertrophy. LV longitudinal dysfunction was assumed for GLS < 20% in absolute values. LV diastolic dysfunction was identified according to 2016 ASE/EACVI recommendations. MetS was defined according to NCEP-ATP III criteria. Significant CAD including previous myocardial infarction, LV systolic dysfunction (= LVEF <50%), hemodinamically significant valvular heart disease, primary cardiomyopathies, permanent atrial fibrillation, glomerular filtration rate <30 ml/min and inadequate echo images were exclusion criteria. The study population was divided according to presence of MetS.
Results
66% of the patients (254/384) met the criteria for MetS diagnosis. They had comparable age and heart rate with controls. Diabetic patients with MetS had higher glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (7.2 ± 1.3 vs. 6.9 ± 1.0%, p = 0.023) and uric acid (5.5 ± 1.4 vs. 4.9 ± 1.3 mg/dl, p = 0.001) than those without, and lower glomerular filtration rate (69.5 ± 15.0 vs 74.0 ± 12,1 ml/min, p = 0.004). MetS patients showed a higher LV mass index (p < 0.0001) and a greater prevalence of both LV hypertrophy (31.9 vs 12.5%, p < 0.0001) and diastolic dysfunction (52.6 vs. 32.8%, p = 0.007) (Figure). T2DM patients with MetS also had lower GLS (20.6 ± 2.1 vs. 21.9 ± 2.2%, p = 0.001), with a greater prevalence of LV longitudinal dysfunction (38.2 vs. 24.7%, p = 0.049) (Figure). After adjusting for age, T2DM duration, sex, HbA1c, uric acid, LV mass index and LV diastolic dysfunction by a multiple regression analysis in the pooled population, GLS reduction was independently associated with MetS (β coefficient = -0.184, p < 0.02) and LV mass index (β= -0.94, p = 0.04).
Conclusion
In patients with T2DM, the presence of MetS induces a greater prevalence not only of LV hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction but also of LV longitudinal deformation impairment. GLS reduction in diabetic patients is associated with MetS independently of confounders including glycemic control and diabetic duration.
Abstract 433 Figure. Rate of LV alterations according to MetS
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El Mendili MM, Petracca M, Podranski K, Fleysher L, Cocozza S, Inglese M. SUITer: An Automated Method for Improving Segmentation of Infratentorial Structures at Ultra-High-Field MRI. J Neuroimaging 2019; 30:28-39. [PMID: 31691416 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The advent of high and ultra-high-field MRI has significantly improved the investigation of infratentorial structures by providing high-resolution images. However, none of the publicly available methods for cerebellar image analysis has been optimized for high-resolution images yet. METHODS We present the implementation of an automated algorithm-SUITer (spatially unbiased infratentorial for enhanced resolution) method for cerebellar lobules parcellation on high-resolution MR images acquired at both 3 and 7T MRI. SUITer was validated on five manually segmented data and compared with SUIT, FreeSurfer, and convolutional neural networks (CNN). SUITer was then applied to 3 and 7T MR images from 10 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 10 healthy controls (HCs). RESULTS The difference in volumes estimation for the cerebellar grey matter (GM), between the manual segmentation (ground truth), SUIT, CNN, and SUITer was reduced when computed by SUITer compared to SUIT (5.56 vs. 29.23 mL) and CNN (5.56 vs. 9.43 mL). FreeSurfer showed low volumes difference (3.56 mL). SUITer segmentations showed a high correlation (R2 = .91) and a high overlap with manual segmentations for cerebellar GM (83.46%). SUITer also showed low volumes difference (7.29 mL), high correlation (R2 = .99), and a high overlap (87.44%) for cerebellar GM segmentations across magnetic fields. SUITer showed similar cerebellar GM volume differences between MS patients and HC at both 3T and 7T (7.69 and 7.76 mL, respectively). CONCLUSIONS SUITer provides accurate segmentations of infratentorial structures across different resolutions and MR fields.
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Lieto M, Riso V, Galatolo D, De Michele G, Rossi S, Barghigiani M, Cocozza S, Pontillo G, Trovato R, Saccà F, Salvatore E, Tessa A, Filla A, Santorelli FM, De Michele G, Silvestri G. The complex phenotype of spinocerebellar ataxia type 48 in eight unrelated Italian families. Eur J Neurol 2019; 27:498-505. [PMID: 31571321 DOI: 10.1111/ene.14094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Heterozygous mutations in the STUB1 gene have recently been associated with an autosomal dominant form of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) associated with cerebellar cognitive-affective syndrome (CCAS), named SCA48. METHODS Molecular screening was performed in a cohort of 235 unrelated patients with adult-onset, autosomal dominant (17) or sporadic (218) cerebellar ataxia, negative for pathological trinucleotide expansions in the common SCAs, FRDA and FXTAS loci, by using targeted multigene panels or whole-exome sequencing. Bioinformatics analyses, detailed neurological phenotyping and family segregation studies corroborated the pathogenicity of the novel STUB1 mutations. Clinico-diagnostic findings were reviewed to define the phenotypic spectrum. RESULTS Eight heterozygous STUB1 mutations were identified, six of which were novel in 11 patients from eight index families, giving an estimated overall frequency of 3.4% (8/235) for SCA48 in our study cohort, rising to 23.5% (4/17) when considering only familial cases. All our SCA48 patients had cerebellar ataxia and dysarthria associated with cerebellar atrophy on brain magnetic resonance imaging; of note, many cases were also associated with parkinsonism, chorea and dystonia. CCAS also occurred frequently, whereas definite signs of pyramidal tract dysfunction and peripheral nervous system involvement were absent. One SCA48 patient presented with hypogonadism, associated with other autoimmune endocrine dysfunctions. CONCLUSIONS Our results support SCA48 as a significant cause of adult-onset SCA. Besides CCAS, our SCA48 patients often showed movement disorders and other clinical manifestations previously described in SCAR16, linked to biallelic variants in the same gene, thus suggesting a continuous clinical spectrum and significant overlap amongst recessive and dominantly inherited mutations in STUB1.
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Lieto M, Galatolo D, Roca A, Cocozza S, Pontillo G, Fico T, Pane C, Saccà F, De Michele G, Santorelli FM, Filla A. Overt Hypogonadism May Not Be a Sentinel Sign of RING Finger Protein 216: Two Novel Mutations Associated with Ataxia, Chorea, and Fertility. Mov Disord Clin Pract 2019; 6:724-726. [PMID: 31745488 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.12839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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Stanzione A, Cuocolo R, Cocozza S, Romeo V, Persico F, Fusco F, Longo N, Brunetti A, Imbriaco M. Detection of Extraprostatic Extension of Cancer on Biparametric MRI Combining Texture Analysis and Machine Learning: Preliminary Results. Acad Radiol 2019; 26:1338-1344. [PMID: 30655050 DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2018.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Extraprostatic extension of disease (EPE) has a major role in risk stratification of prostate cancer patients. Currently, pretreatment local staging is performed with MRI, while the gold standard is represented by histopathological analysis after radical prostatectomy. Texture analysis (TA) is a quantitative postprocessing method for data extraction, while machine learning (ML) employs artificial intelligence algorithms for data classification. Purpose of this study was to assess whether ML algorithms could predict histopathological EPE using TA features extracted from unenhanced MR images. MATERIALS AND METHODS Index lesions from biparametric MRI examinations of 39 patients with prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy were manually segmented on both T2-weighted images and ADC maps for TA data extraction. Combinations of different feature selection methods and ML classifiers were tested, and their performance was compared to a baseline accuracy reference. RESULTS The classifier showing the best performance was the Bayesian Network, using the dataset obtained by the Subset Evaluator feature selection method. It showed a percentage of correctly classified instances of 82%, an area under the curve of 0.88, a weighted true positive rate of 0.82 and a weighted true negative rate of 0.80. CONCLUSION A combined ML and TA approach appears as a feasible tool to predict histopathological EPE on biparametric MR images.
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Pisani A, Petruzzelli Annicchiarico L, Pellegrino A, Bruzzese D, Feriozzi S, Imbriaco M, Tedeschi E, Cocozza S, De Rosa D, Mignani R, Veroux M, Battaglia Y, Concolino D, Sestito S, Pieruzzi F, Caroti L, Manna R, Zizzo C, Santangelo M, Sabbatini M, Riccio E. Parapelvic cysts, a distinguishing feature of renal Fabry disease. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2019; 33:318-323. [PMID: 28371803 DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfx009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fabry's disease (FD) is a rare, multi-organ lysosomal disease, caused by the deficiency of the enzyme α-galactosidase A, and is difficult to diagnose. Although parapelvic cysts (PC) were previously associated with FD, their prevalence and significance are unclear. Methods The present study aimed to: (i) evaluate, by renal ultrasound, the real prevalence of PC and of their determinants in a multicentre, nationwide cohort of FD patients (n = 173, Study 1) and (ii) ascertain whether a greater accuracy of PC detection improved their identification, in FD patients from a single centre (n = 67, Study 2). In both studies, for each FD patient, an age- and renal function-matched subject was selected for comparison (1:1). Results In Study 1, PC were detected in 28.9% of FD subjects and in only 1.1% of control subjects (P < 0.001). The presence of other renal abnormalities did not differ between the groups, nor differences exist in the main demographic and laboratory parameters between the groups. In Study 2, the greater accuracy of ultrasound increased PC prevalence from 29.8% to 43.3% in the same subjects (P < 0.05). In both studies, no correlation was detected between PC and the main demographic, clinical and biochemical parameters, including use of enzyme replacement therapy (P < 0.1, minimum value). Finally, no difference existed between FD patients with and without PC. Conclusions The present study suggests that the presence of PC in renal patients should alert physicians to consider the diagnosis of FD, primarily in subjects with an unclear family history of renal disease and in the presence of other stigmata of the disease.
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