Nakamura K, Yoshida K, Yoshinaga T, Kodaira M, Shimojima Y, Takei YI, Morita H, Kayanuma K, Ikeda SI. Adult or late-onset triple A syndrome: case report and literature review.
J Neurol Sci 2010;
297:85-8. [PMID:
20674935 DOI:
10.1016/j.jns.2010.07.006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2010] [Revised: 07/09/2010] [Accepted: 07/14/2010] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Triple A syndrome is caused by mutations in the gene encoding ALADIN, leading to achalasia, alacrima and addisonism. Neurologic manifestations of the disease include motor neuron disease-like presentations, motor-sensory or autonomic neuropathy, optic atrophy, cerebellar ataxia, Parkinsonism, and mild dementia. We report a 60-year-old Japanese man with triple A syndrome. He was born to non-consanguineous parents. He underwent a surgical operation for achalasia at age 40, and thereafter, he developed a slowly progressive gait disturbance. Neurological examinations at age 60 revealed limb muscle wasting and weakness with pyramidal tract signs, distal-dominant sensory disturbance, optic atrophy, and autonomic dysfunction. Alacrima was detected using Schirmer test. All of these features were consistent with typical triple A syndrome. He lacked adrenal insufficiency that is frequently observed in patients with the classic phenotype of triple A syndrome. His sural nerve biopsy showed a moderate loss of myelinated fibers and hypomyelination. He was homozygous for a missense mutation, p.R155H, in the disease-causing gene, AAAS. Seven patients with genetically-confirmed, adult or late-onset triple A syndrome, including ours, have been reported to date. All the patients showed upper and lower motor neuron signs (100%), while sensory disturbance (29%) and autonomic dysfunction (57%) were less frequent. Careful assessment for alacrima followed by molecular genetic analysis of AAAS should be considered in patients who show a combined phenotype of motor neuron disease and sensory/autonomic disturbance, even in elderly patients.
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