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Armijo Gómez JA, Fernandez-Garcia MA, Camacho A, Liz M, Ortez C, Lafuente-Hidalgo M, Toledo Bravo-de Laguna L, Estévez-Arias B, Carrera-García L, Expósito-Escudero J, Domínguez-Carral J, Nascimento A, Natera-de Benito D. Epilepsy in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2024. [PMID: 38693632 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.52058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD and BMD) are dystrophinopathies caused by variants in DMD gene, resulting in reduced or absent dystrophin. These conditions, characterized by muscle weakness, also manifest central nervous system (CNS) comorbidities due to dystrophin expression in the CNS. Prior studies have indicated a higher prevalence of epilepsy in individuals with dystrophinopathy compared to the general population. Our research aimed to investigate epilepsy prevalence in dystrophinopathies and characterize associated electroencephalograms (EEGs) and seizures. METHODS We reviewed 416 individuals with dystrophinopathy, followed up at three centers between 2010 and 2023, to investigate the lifetime epilepsy prevalence and characterize EEGs and seizures in those individuals diagnosed with epilepsy. Associations between epilepsy and type of dystrophinopathy, genotype, and cognitive involvement were studied. RESULTS Our study revealed a higher epilepsy prevalence than the general population (1.4%; 95% confidence interval: 0.7-3.2%), but notably lower than previously reported in smaller dystrophinopathy cohorts. No significant differences were found in epilepsy prevalence between DMD and BMD or based on underlying genotypes. Cognitive impairment was not found to be linked to higher epilepsy rates. The most prevalent epilepsy types in dystrophinopathies resembled those observed in the broader pediatric population, with most individuals effectively controlled through monotherapy. INTERPRETATION The actual epilepsy prevalence in dystrophinopathies may be markedly lower than previously estimated, possibly half or even less. Our study provides valuable insights into the epilepsy landscape in individuals with dystrophinopathy, impacting medical care, especially for those with concurrent epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ana Camacho
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marlin Liz
- Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Ortez
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular Diseases, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Berta Estévez-Arias
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Molecular Medicine - IPER, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Carrera-García
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular Diseases, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jessica Expósito-Escudero
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular Diseases, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Andres Nascimento
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular Diseases, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Natera-de Benito
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular Diseases, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Gowda V, Atherton M, Murugan A, Servais L, Sheehan J, Standing E, Manzur A, Scoto M, Baranello G, Munot P, McCullagh G, Willis T, Tirupathi S, Horrocks I, Dhawan A, Eyre M, Vanegas M, Fernandez-Garcia MA, Wolfe A, Pinches L, Illingworth M, Main M, Abbott L, Smith H, Milton E, D’Urso S, Vijayakumar K, Marco SS, Warner S, Reading E, Douglas I, Muntoni F, Ong M, Majumdar A, Hughes I, Jungbluth H, Wraige E. Efficacy and safety of onasemnogene abeparvovec in children with spinal muscular atrophy type 1: real-world evidence from 6 infusion centres in the United Kingdom. Lancet Reg Health Eur 2024; 37:100817. [PMID: 38169987 PMCID: PMC10758961 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Background Real-world data on the efficacy and safety of onasemnogene abeparvovec (OA) in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are needed, especially to overcome uncertainties around its use in older and heavier children. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of OA in patients with SMA type 1 in the UK, including patients ≥2 years old and weighing ≥13.5 kg. Methods This observational cohort study used data from patients with genetically confirmed SMA type 1 treated with OA between May 2021 and January 2023, at 6 infusion centres in the United Kingdom. Functional outcomes were assessed using age-appropriate functional scales. Safety analyses included review of liver function, platelet count, cardiac assessments, and steroid requirements. Findings Ninety-nine patients (45 SMA therapy-naïve) were treated with OA (median age at infusion: 10 [range, 0.6-89] months; median weight: 7.86 [range, 3.2-20.2] kg; duration of follow-up: 3-22 months). After OA infusion, mean ± SD change in CHOP-INTEND score was 11.0 ± 10.3 with increased score in 66/78 patients (84.6%); patients aged <6 months had a 13.9 points higher gain in CHOP-INTEND score than patients ≥2 years (95% CI, 6.8-21.0; P < 0.001). Asymptomatic thrombocytopenia (71/99 patients; 71.7%), asymptomatic troponin-I elevation (30/89 patients; 33.7%) and transaminitis (87/99 patients; 87.9%) were reported. No thrombotic microangiopathy was observed. Median steroid treatment duration was 97 (range, 28-548) days with dose doubled in 35/99 patients (35.4%). There were 22.5-fold increased odds of having a transaminase peak >100 U/L (95% CI, 2.3-223.7; P = 0.008) and 21.2-fold increased odds of steroid doubling, as per treatment protocol (95% CI, 2.2-209.2; P = 0.009) in patients weighing ≥13.5 kg versus <8.5 kg. Weight at infusion was positively correlated with steroid treatment duration (r = 0.43; P < 0.001). Worsening transaminitis, despite doubling of oral prednisolone, led to treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone in 5 children. Steroid-sparing immunosuppressants were used in 5 children to enable steroid weaning. Two deaths apparently unrelated to OA were reported. Interpretation OA led to functional improvements and was well tolerated with no persistent clinical complications, including in older and heavier patients. Funding Novartis Innovative Therapies AG provided a grant for independent medical writing services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasantha Gowda
- Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Atherton
- Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Archana Murugan
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, University Hospital Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Laurent Servais
- MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre and NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Division of Child Neurology, Centre de Référence des Maladies Neuromusculaires, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Liège and University of Liège, Avenue de l’Hôpital 1 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Jennie Sheehan
- Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Standing
- Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Adnan Manzur
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mariacristina Scoto
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanni Baranello
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre and Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pinki Munot
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gary McCullagh
- Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Tracey Willis
- Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Oswestry, United Kingdom
| | - Sandya Tirupathi
- Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Iain Horrocks
- Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Anil Dhawan
- Paediatric Liver, GI and Nutrition Centre and MowatLabs, King’s College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Eyre
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Vanegas
- Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel A. Fernandez-Garcia
- Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Wolfe
- Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Pinches
- Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marjorie Illingworth
- University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Marion Main
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lianne Abbott
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hayley Smith
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, University Hospital Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Milton
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, University Hospital Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah D’Urso
- Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | | | - Silvia Sanchez Marco
- Paediatric Neurology Department, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Sinead Warner
- Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Reading
- Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Isobel Douglas
- Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco Muntoni
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre and Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Min Ong
- Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Anirban Majumdar
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, University Hospital Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Imelda Hughes
- Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine (FoLSM), London, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Wraige
- Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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3
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Famili DT, Fernandez-Garcia MA, Vanegas M, Goldberg MF, Voermans N, Quinlivan R, Jungbluth H. Recurrent atraumatic compartment syndrome as a manifestation of genetic neuromuscular disease. Neuromuscul Disord 2023; 33:866-872. [PMID: 37919205 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2023.09.007] [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: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Compartment syndrome (CS) is a medical emergency that occurs secondary to excessively high pressures within a confined fibro-osseous space, resulting in reduced perfusion and subsequent tissue injury. CS can be divided into acute forms, most commonly due to trauma and considered an orthopaedic emergency, and chronic forms, most commonly presenting in athletes with recurrent exercise-induced pain. Downstream pathophysiological mechanisms are complex but do share commonalities with mechanisms implicated in genetic neuromuscular disorders. Here we present 3 patients with recurrent CS in the context of a RYR1-related disorder (n = 1) and PYGM-related McArdle disease (n = 2), two of whom presented many years before the diagnosis of an underlying neuromuscular disorder was suspected. We also summarize the literature on previously published cases with CS in the context of a genetically confirmed neuromuscular disorder and outline how the calcium signalling alterations in RYR1-related disorders and the metabolic abnormalities in McArdle disease may feed into CS-causative mechanisms. These findings expand the phenotypical spectrum of RYR1-related disorders and McArdle disease; whilst most forms of recurrent CS will be sporadic, above and other genetic backgrounds ought to be considered in particular in patients where other suggestive clinical features are present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis T Famili
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina's Children Hospital, Guy's & St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel A Fernandez-Garcia
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina's Children Hospital, Guy's & St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Vanegas
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina's Children Hospital, Guy's & St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Nicol Voermans
- Department of Neurology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ros Quinlivan
- MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina's Children Hospital, Guy's & St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom; Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Signalling Section, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine (FoLSM), King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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4
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Allen NM, O’Rahelly M, Eymard B, Chouchane M, Hahn A, Kearns G, Kim DS, Byun SY, Nguyen CTE, Schara-Schmidt U, Kölbel H, Marina AD, Schneider-Gold C, Roefke K, Thieme A, Van den Bergh P, Avalos G, Álvarez-Velasco R, Natera-de Benito D, Cheng MHM, Chan WK, Wan HS, Thomas MA, Borch L, Lauzon J, Kornblum C, Reimann J, Mueller A, Kuntzer T, Norwood F, Ramdas S, Jacobson LW, Jie X, Fernandez-Garcia MA, Wraige E, Lim M, Lin JP, Claeys KG, Aktas S, Oskoui M, Hacohen Y, Masud A, Leite MI, Palace J, De Vivo D, Vincent A, Jungbluth H. The emerging spectrum of fetal acetylcholine receptor antibody-related disorders (FARAD). Brain 2023; 146:4233-4246. [PMID: 37186601 PMCID: PMC10545502 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
In utero exposure to maternal antibodies targeting the fetal acetylcholine receptor isoform (fAChR) can impair fetal movement, leading to arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC). Fetal AChR antibodies have also been implicated in apparently rare, milder myopathic presentations termed fetal acetylcholine receptor inactivation syndrome (FARIS). The full spectrum associated with fAChR antibodies is still poorly understood. Moreover, since some mothers have no myasthenic symptoms, the condition is likely underreported, resulting in failure to implement effective preventive strategies. Here we report clinical and immunological data from a multicentre cohort (n = 46 cases) associated with maternal fAChR antibodies, including 29 novel and 17 previously reported with novel follow-up data. Remarkably, in 50% of mothers there was no previously established myasthenia gravis (MG) diagnosis. All mothers (n = 30) had AChR antibodies and, when tested, binding to fAChR was often much greater than that to the adult AChR isoform. Offspring death occurred in 11/46 (23.9%) cases, mainly antenatally due to termination of pregnancy prompted by severe AMC (7/46, 15.2%), or during early infancy, mainly from respiratory failure (4/46, 8.7%). Weakness, contractures, bulbar and respiratory involvement were prominent early in life, but improved gradually over time. Facial (25/34; 73.5%) and variable peripheral weakness (14/32; 43.8%), velopharyngeal insufficiency (18/24; 75%) and feeding difficulties (16/36; 44.4%) were the most common sequelae in long-term survivors. Other unexpected features included hearing loss (12/32; 37.5%), diaphragmatic paresis (5/35; 14.3%), CNS involvement (7/40; 17.5%) and pyloric stenosis (3/37; 8.1%). Oral salbutamol used empirically in 16/37 (43.2%) offspring resulted in symptom improvement in 13/16 (81.3%). Combining our series with all previously published cases, we identified 21/85 mothers treated with variable combinations of immunotherapies (corticosteroids/intravenous immunoglobulin/plasmapheresis) during pregnancy either for maternal MG symptom control (12/21 cases) or for fetal protection (9/21 cases). Compared to untreated pregnancies (64/85), maternal treatment resulted in a significant reduction in offspring deaths (P < 0.05) and other complications, with treatment approaches involving intravenous immunoglobulin/ plasmapheresis administered early in pregnancy most effective. We conclude that presentations due to in utero exposure to maternal (fetal) AChR antibodies are more common than currently recognized and may mimic a wide range of neuromuscular disorders. Considering the wide clinical spectrum and likely diversity of underlying mechanisms, we propose 'fetal acetylcholine receptor antibody-related disorders' (FARAD) as the most accurate term for these presentations. FARAD is vitally important to recognize, to institute appropriate management strategies for affected offspring and to improve outcomes in future pregnancies. Oral salbutamol is a symptomatic treatment option in survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Allen
- Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway H91 V4AY, Ireland
| | - Mark O’Rahelly
- Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway H91 V4AY, Ireland
| | - Bruno Eymard
- Centre de référence des maladies neuromusculaires Nord/Est/Ile-de-France, Unité Pathologie Neuromusculaire, Bâtiment Babinski, G.H. Pitie-Salpetriere, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Mondher Chouchane
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Dijon, Dijon, France
| | - Andreas Hahn
- Department of Child Neurology, University Hospital Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Gerry Kearns
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, St. James Hospital, Dublin D08 NHY1, Ireland
| | - Dae-Seong Kim
- Department of Neurology, Pusan National University, School of Medicine, Pusan 50612, South Korea
| | - Shin Yun Byun
- Department of Pediatrics, Pusan National University, School of Medicine, Pusan 50612, South Korea
| | - Cam-Tu Emilie Nguyen
- Pediatric Neurology, CHU Sainte-Justine and Département de neurosciences, Université de Montréal, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Ulrike Schara-Schmidt
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Centre for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Duisburg, Essen, DE-45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Heike Kölbel
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Centre for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Duisburg, Essen, DE-45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Adela Della Marina
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Centre for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Duisburg, Essen, DE-45147 Essen, Germany
| | | | - Kathryn Roefke
- Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, 99089 Erfurt, Germany
| | - Andrea Thieme
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology and Neurorehabilitation, St. Georg Klinikum, 99817 Eisenach, Germany
| | - Peter Van den Bergh
- Neuromuscular Reference Centre UCL St-Luc, University Hospital Saint-Luc, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gloria Avalos
- Department of Medicine, University of Galway, Galway H91 V4AY, Ireland
| | - Rodrigo Álvarez-Velasco
- Unitat Patologia Neuromuscular, Servei Neurologia Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Man Hin Mark Cheng
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Wing Ki Chan
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Hoi Shan Wan
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong
| | - Mary Ann Thomas
- Department of Medical Genetics and Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, AB T3B 6A8, Canada
| | - Lauren Borch
- Department of Medical Genetics and Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, AB T3B 6A8, Canada
| | - Julie Lauzon
- Department of Medical Genetics and Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary, AB T3B 6A8, Canada
| | - Cornelia Kornblum
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Center for Rare Diseases, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jens Reimann
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Andreas Mueller
- Department of Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care, University Hospital Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thierry Kuntzer
- Nerve-Muscle Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, CHUV, University of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Fiona Norwood
- Department of Neurology, King’s College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Sithara Ramdas
- MDUK Neuromuscular Centre, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Leslie W Jacobson
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Xiaobo Jie
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Miguel A Fernandez-Garcia
- Department of Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy’s & St. Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Elizabeth Wraige
- Department of Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy’s & St. Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Ming Lim
- Department of Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy’s & St. Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, UK
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, School of Life Course Sciences (SoLCS), King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Jean Pierre Lin
- Department of Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy’s & St. Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Kristl G Claeys
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory for Muscle Diseases and Neuropathies, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Selma Aktas
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Acıbadem University, 34752 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Maryam Oskoui
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC H3H 2R9, Canada
| | - Yael Hacohen
- Queen Square MS Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London WC1N 3JH, UK
| | - Ameneh Masud
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032-3791, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032-3791, USA
| | - M Isabel Leite
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Jacqueline Palace
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Darryl De Vivo
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032-3791, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032-3791, USA
| | - Angela Vincent
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Department of Children’s Neurosciences, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy’s & St. Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, UK
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Signalling Section, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine (FoLSM), King’s College London, London SE1 1YR, UK
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5
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van den Bersselaar LR, van Alfen N, Kruijt N, Kamsteeg EJ, Fernandez-Garcia MA, Treves S, Riazi S, Yang CY, Malagon I, van Eijk LT, van Engelen BGM, Scheffer GJ, Jungbluth H, Snoeck MMJ, Voermans NC. Muscle Ultrasound Abnormalities in Individuals with RYR1-Related Malignant Hyperthermia Susceptibility. J Neuromuscul Dis 2023:JND230018. [PMID: 37154182 DOI: 10.3233/jnd-230018] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Variants in RYR1, the gene encoding the ryanodine receptor-1, can give rise to a wide spectrum of neuromuscular conditions. Muscle imaging abnormalities have been demonstrated in isolated cases of patients with a history of RYR1-related malignant hyperthermia (MH) susceptibility. OBJECTIVE To provide insights into the type and prevalence of muscle ultrasound abnormalities and muscle hypertrophy in patients carrying gain-of-function RYR1 variants associated with MH susceptibility and to contribute to delineating the wider phenotype, optimizing the diagnostic work-up and care for of MH susceptible patients. METHODS We performed a prospective cross-sectional observational muscle ultrasound study in patients with a history of RYR1-related MH susceptibility (n = 40). Study procedures included a standardized history of neuromuscular symptoms and a muscle ultrasound assessment. Muscle ultrasound images were analyzed using a quantitative and qualitative approach and compared to reference values and subsequently subjected to a screening protocol for neuromuscular disorders. RESULTS A total of 15 (38%) patients had an abnormal muscle ultrasound result, 4 (10%) had a borderline muscle ultrasound screening result, and 21 (53%) had a normal muscle ultrasound screening result. The proportion of symptomatic patients with an abnormal result (11 of 24; 46%) was not significantly higher compared to the proportion of asymptomatic patients with an abnormal ultrasound result (4 of 16; 25%) (P = 0.182). The mean z-scores of the biceps brachii (z = 1.45; P < 0.001), biceps femoris (z = 0.43; P = 0.002), deltoid (z = 0.31; P = 0.009), trapezius (z = 0.38; P = 0.010) and the sum of all muscles (z = 0.40; P < 0.001) were significantly higher compared to 0, indicating hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS Patients with RYR1 variants resulting in MH susceptibility often have muscle ultrasound abnormalities. Frequently observed muscle ultrasound abnormalities include muscle hypertrophy and increased echogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luuk R van den Bersselaar
- Department of Anesthesiology, Malignant Hyperthermia Investigation Unit, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuromuscular Imaging Group, Donders Institutefor Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University MedicalCenter, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nens van Alfen
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuromuscular Imaging Group, Donders Institutefor Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University MedicalCenter, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nick Kruijt
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuromuscular Imaging Group, Donders Institutefor Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University MedicalCenter, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Erik-Jan Kamsteeg
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Miguel A Fernandez-Garcia
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Susan Treves
- Departments of Biomedicine and Neurology, Neuromuscular research Group, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sheila Riazi
- Department of Anesthesia, Malignant Hyperthermia Investigation Unit, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Chu-Ya Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Malignant Hyperthermia Investigation Unit, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ignacio Malagon
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lucas T van Eijk
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Baziel G M van Engelen
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuromuscular Imaging Group, Donders Institutefor Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University MedicalCenter, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gert-Jan Scheffer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Randall Division for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Signalling Section, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College, London, UK
| | - Marc M J Snoeck
- Department of Anesthesiology, Malignant Hyperthermia Investigation Unit, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nicol C Voermans
- Department of Neurology, Clinical Neuromuscular Imaging Group, Donders Institutefor Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University MedicalCenter, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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6
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van den Bersselaar LR, Jungbluth H, Kruijt N, Kamsteeg EJ, Fernandez-Garcia MA, Treves S, Riazi S, Malagon I, van Eijk LT, van Alfen N, van Engelen BGM, Scheffer GJ, Snoeck MMJ, Voermans NC. Neuromuscular symptoms in patients with RYR1-related malignant hyperthermia and rhabdomyolysis. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac292. [PMID: 36751502 PMCID: PMC9897183 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac292] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant hyperthermia and exertional rhabdomyolysis have conventionally been considered episodic phenotypes that occur in otherwise healthy individuals in response to an external trigger. However, recent studies have demonstrated a clinical and histopathological continuum between patients with a history of malignant hyperthermia susceptibility and/or exertional rhabdomyolysis and RYR1-related congenital myopathies. We hypothesize that patients with a history of RYR1-related exertional rhabdomyolysis or malignant hyperthermia susceptibility do have permanent neuromuscular symptoms between malignant hyperthermia or exertional rhabdomyolysis episodes. We performed a prospective cross-sectional observational clinical study of neuromuscular features in patients with a history of RYR1-related exertional rhabdomyolysis and/or malignant hyperthermia susceptibility (n = 40) compared with healthy controls (n = 80). Patients with an RYR1-related congenital myopathy, manifesting as muscle weakness preceding other symptoms as well as other (neuromuscular) diseases resulting in muscle weakness were excluded. Study procedures included a standardized history of neuromuscular symptoms, a review of all relevant ancillary diagnostic tests performed up to the point of inclusion and a comprehensive, standardized neuromuscular assessment. Results of the standardized neuromuscular history were compared with healthy controls. Results of the neuromuscular assessment were compared with validated reference values. The proportion of patients suffering from cramps (P < 0.001), myalgia (P < 0.001) and exertional myalgia (P < 0.001) was higher compared with healthy controls. Healthcare professionals were consulted because of apparent neuromuscular symptoms by 17/40 (42.5%) patients and 7/80 (8.8%) healthy controls (P < 0.001). Apart from elevated creatine kinase levels in 19/40 (47.5%) patients and mild abnormalities on muscle biopsies identified in 13/16 (81.3%), ancillary investigations were normal in most patients. The Medical Research Council sum score, spirometry and results of functional measurements were also mostly normal. Three of 40 patients (7.5%) suffered from late-onset muscle weakness, most prominent in the proximal lower extremity muscles. Patients with RYR1 variants resulting in malignant hyperthermia susceptibility and/or exertional rhabdomyolysis frequently report additional neuromuscular symptoms such as myalgia and muscle cramps compared with healthy controls. These symptoms result in frequent consultation of healthcare professionals and sometimes in unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures. Most patients do have normal strength at a younger age but may develop muscle weakness later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luuk R van den Bersselaar
- Correspondence to: Luuk R van den Bersselaar Weg door Jonkerbos 100, 6532 SZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands E-mail:
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, SE1 7EH London, UK,Randall Centre of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Signaling Section, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine (FoLSM), King's College, WC2R 2LS London, UK
| | - Nick Kruijt
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Erik-Jan Kamsteeg
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Miguel A Fernandez-Garcia
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, SE1 7EH London, UK
| | - Susan Treves
- Departments of Biomedicine and Neurology, Neuromuscular research Group, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sheila Riazi
- Department of Anesthesia, Malignant Hyperthermia Investigation Unit, University Health Network, University of Toronto, M5s 1a4 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ignacio Malagon
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lucas T van Eijk
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nens van Alfen
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Baziel G M van Engelen
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gert-Jan Scheffer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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7
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Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe neurodegenerative condition due to recessive mutations in the SMN1 gene resulting in insufficiency of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. Lack of SMN protein results in irreversible degeneration of lower motor neurons and consequential muscle atrophy and weakness. SMN2, a SMN1 homologue, produces low levels of functional SMN protein with the potential to partially compensate SMN1 loss. Several compounds have been shown to successfully restore SMN protein production in motor neurons, either by enhancing SMN2 gene function or by direct replacement of the SMN1 gene. Clinical trials of these compounds have demonstrated the potential to substantially alter the natural history of SMA and have led to their implementation into clinical practice. To date, 3 novel drugs, nusinersen, onasemnogene aberparvovec and risdiplam, have received marketing authorisation for SMA treatment by several authorities including Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. While implementing these drugs into daily clinical practice, clinicians face a number of new challenges, including identifying the most advantageous treatment for any individual, optimisation of outcomes and management of a modified SMA phenotype. Considering that treatment initiation at the pre-symptomatic or paucisymptomatic stage appears to be associated with better outcomes, health services need to support early diagnosis for this now treatable condition. This review aims to give an overview of the current therapeutic landscape of SMA, to provide an understanding of current practice of SMA management and to help increase awareness of the imminent need for urgent early diagnosis at the pre-symptomatic stage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, UK.,Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Signalling Section, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth Wraige
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, UK
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8
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Lok A, Fernandez-Garcia MA, Taylor RW, French C, MacFarland R, Bodi I, Champion M, Josifova D, Raymond FL, Iuso A, Jungbluth H, Milan A, Singh RR. Novel phosphopantothenoylcysteine synthetase (PPCS) mutations with prominent neuromuscular features: Expanding the phenotypical spectrum of PPCS-related disorders. Am J Med Genet A 2022; 188:2783-2789. [PMID: 35616428 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62848] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Biallelic pathogenic variants in phosphopantothenoylcysteine synthetase, PPCS, are a rare cause of a severe early-onset dilated cardiomyopathy with high morbidity and mortality. To date, only five individuals with PPCS-mutations have been reported. Here, we report a female infant who presented in the neonatal period with hypotonia, a necrotizing myopathy with intermittent rhabdomyolysis and other extracardiac manifestations before developing a progressive and ultimately fatal dilated cardiomyopathy. Gene agnostic trio genome sequencing revealed two rare variants in the PPCS [MIM: 609853] in trans, a previously reported pathogenic c.320_334del p. (Pro107_Ala111del) variant, and a c.613-3C>G intronic variant of uncertain significance. Functional studies confirmed the likely pathogenicity of this variant. Our case provides clinical and histopathological evidence for an associated neuromuscular phenotype not previously recognized and expands the evolving phenotypic spectrum of PPCS-related disorders. We also performed a literature search of all previously published cases and summarize the common features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishin Lok
- Neonatal Unit, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Miguel A Fernandez-Garcia
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Robert W Taylor
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.,NHS Highly Specialised for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders of Adults and Children, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Courtney French
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Robert MacFarland
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.,NHS Highly Specialised for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders of Adults and Children, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Istvan Bodi
- Department of Clinical Neuropathology, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Michael Champion
- Department of Children's Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Dragana Josifova
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Guy's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Arcangela Iuso
- Institute of Neurogenomics, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Munich, Germany
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Signalling Section, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine (FoLSM), London, UK.,Department of Paediatric Neurology, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Anna Milan
- Neonatal Unit, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Rahul R Singh
- Neonatal Unit, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Department of Paediatric Neurology, Evelina London Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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9
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Pagnamenta AT, Kaiyrzhanov R, Zou Y, Da'as SI, Maroofian R, Donkervoort S, Dominik N, Lauffer M, Ferla MP, Orioli A, Giess A, Tucci A, Beetz C, Sedghi M, Ansari B, Barresi R, Basiri K, Cortese A, Elgar G, Fernandez-Garcia MA, Yip J, Foley AR, Gutowski N, Jungbluth H, Lassche S, Lavin T, Marcelis C, Marks P, Marini-Bettolo C, Medne L, Moslemi AR, Sarkozy A, Reilly MM, Muntoni F, Millan F, Muraresku CC, Need AC, Nemeth AH, Neuhaus SB, Norwood F, O'Donnell M, O'Driscoll M, Rankin J, Yum SW, Zolkipli-Cunningham Z, Brusius I, Wunderlich G, Karakaya M, Wirth B, Fakhro KA, Tajsharghi H, Bönnemann CG, Taylor JC, Houlden H. An ancestral 10-bp repeat expansion in VWA1 causes recessive hereditary motor neuropathy. Brain 2021; 144:584-600. [PMID: 33559681 PMCID: PMC8263055 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix comprises a network of macromolecules such as collagens, proteoglycans and glycoproteins. VWA1 (von Willebrand factor A domain containing 1) encodes a component of the extracellular matrix that interacts with perlecan/collagen VI, appears to be involved in stabilizing extracellular matrix structures, and demonstrates high expression levels in tibial nerve. Vwa1-deficient mice manifest with abnormal peripheral nerve structure/function; however, VWA1 variants have not previously been associated with human disease. By interrogating the genome sequences of 74 180 individuals from the 100K Genomes Project in combination with international gene-matching efforts and targeted sequencing, we identified 17 individuals from 15 families with an autosomal-recessive, non-length dependent, hereditary motor neuropathy and rare biallelic variants in VWA1. A single disease-associated allele p.(G25Rfs*74), a 10-bp repeat expansion, was observed in 14/15 families and was homozygous in 10/15. Given an allele frequency in European populations approaching 1/1000, the seven unrelated homozygote individuals ascertained from the 100K Genomes Project represents a substantial enrichment above expected. Haplotype analysis identified a shared 220 kb region suggesting that this founder mutation arose >7000 years ago. A wide age-range of patients (6-83 years) helped delineate the clinical phenotype over time. The commonest disease presentation in the cohort was an early-onset (mean 2.0 ± 1.4 years) non-length-dependent axonal hereditary motor neuropathy, confirmed on electrophysiology, which will have to be differentiated from other predominantly or pure motor neuropathies and neuronopathies. Because of slow disease progression, ambulation was largely preserved. Neurophysiology, muscle histopathology, and muscle MRI findings typically revealed clear neurogenic changes with single isolated cases displaying additional myopathic process. We speculate that a few findings of myopathic changes might be secondary to chronic denervation rather than indicating an additional myopathic disease process. Duplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting using patient fibroblasts revealed that the founder allele results in partial nonsense mediated decay and an absence of detectable protein. CRISPR and morpholino vwa1 modelling in zebrafish demonstrated reductions in motor neuron axonal growth, synaptic formation in the skeletal muscles and locomotive behaviour. In summary, we estimate that biallelic variants in VWA1 may be responsible for up to 1% of unexplained hereditary motor neuropathy cases in Europeans. The detailed clinical characterization provided here will facilitate targeted testing on suitable patient cohorts. This novel disease gene may have previously evaded detection because of high GC content, consequential low coverage and computational difficulties associated with robustly detecting repeat-expansions. Reviewing previously unsolved exomes using lower QC filters may generate further diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair T Pagnamenta
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rauan Kaiyrzhanov
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Yaqun Zou
- Neuromuscular and Neurogenetic Disorders of Childhood Section, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sahar I Da'as
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
| | - Reza Maroofian
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Sandra Donkervoort
- Neuromuscular and Neurogenetic Disorders of Childhood Section, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Natalia Dominik
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Marlen Lauffer
- Institute of Human Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Institute of Genetics, and Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matteo P Ferla
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrea Orioli
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Genomics England, London, UK
| | - Adam Giess
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Genomics England, London, UK
| | - Arianna Tucci
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Genomics England, London, UK
| | | | - Maryam Sedghi
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Alzahra University Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Behnaz Ansari
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Rita Barresi
- The John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
- Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK
| | - Keivan Basiri
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Andrea Cortese
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Greg Elgar
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Genomics England, London, UK
| | - Miguel A Fernandez-Garcia
- Department of Paediatric Neurology - Neuromuscular Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Janice Yip
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - A Reghan Foley
- Neuromuscular and Neurogenetic Disorders of Childhood Section, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicholas Gutowski
- Department of Neurology, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust, Exeter, UK
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Department of Paediatric Neurology - Neuromuscular Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics Muscle Signalling Section, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Saskia Lassche
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Lavin
- Department of Neurology, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Carlo Marcelis
- Department of Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Marks
- West Midlands Regional Clinical Genetics Service and Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Chiara Marini-Bettolo
- The John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
- Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK
| | - Livija Medne
- Divisions of Neurology and Human Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ali-Reza Moslemi
- Department of Pathology, University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden
| | - Anna Sarkozy
- The Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, and Great Ormond Street Hospital Trust, London, UK
| | - Mary M Reilly
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Francesco Muntoni
- The Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, and Great Ormond Street Hospital Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Colleen C Muraresku
- Mitochondrial Medicine Frontier Program, Division of Human Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anna C Need
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Genomics England, London, UK
| | - Andrea H Nemeth
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Centre for Genomic Medicine, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Sarah B Neuhaus
- Neuromuscular and Neurogenetic Disorders of Childhood Section, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fiona Norwood
- Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Marie O'Donnell
- West Midlands Regional Clinical Genetics Service and Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Mary O'Driscoll
- West Midlands Regional Clinical Genetics Service and Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Julia Rankin
- Peninsula Clinical Genetics Service, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust, Exeter, UK
| | - Sabrina W Yum
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zarazuela Zolkipli-Cunningham
- Mitochondrial Medicine Frontier Program, Division of Human Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Isabell Brusius
- Institute of Human Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Institute of Genetics, and Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Gilbert Wunderlich
- Department of Neurology, Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mert Karakaya
- Institute of Human Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Institute of Genetics, and Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Brunhilde Wirth
- Institute of Human Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), Institute of Genetics, and Center for Rare Diseases Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Khalid A Fakhro
- Department of Human Genetics, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar
| | - Homa Tajsharghi
- School of Health Science, Division Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Skovde, Sweden
| | - Carsten G Bönnemann
- Neuromuscular and Neurogenetic Disorders of Childhood Section, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jenny C Taylor
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
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10
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Rees M, Nikoopour R, Fukuzawa A, Kho AL, Fernandez-Garcia MA, Wraige E, Bodi I, Deshpande C, Özdemir Ö, Daimagüler HS, Pfuhl M, Holt M, Brandmeier B, Grover S, Fluss J, Longman C, Farrugia ME, Matthews E, Hanna M, Muntoni F, Sarkozy A, Phadke R, Quinlivan R, Oates EC, Schröder R, Thiel C, Reimann J, Voermans N, Erasmus C, Kamsteeg EJ, Konersman C, Grosmann C, McKee S, Tirupathi S, Moore SA, Wilichowski E, Hobbiebrunken E, Dekomien G, Richard I, Van den Bergh P, Domínguez-González C, Cirak S, Ferreiro A, Jungbluth H, Gautel M. Making sense of missense variants in TTN-related congenital myopathies. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 141:431-453. [PMID: 33449170 PMCID: PMC7882473 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-020-02257-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the sarcomeric protein titin, encoded by TTN, are emerging as a common cause of myopathies. The diagnosis of a TTN-related myopathy is, however, often not straightforward due to clinico-pathological overlap with other myopathies and the prevalence of TTN variants in control populations. Here, we present a combined clinico-pathological, genetic and biophysical approach to the diagnosis of TTN-related myopathies and the pathogenicity ascertainment of TTN missense variants. We identified 30 patients with a primary TTN-related congenital myopathy (CM) and two truncating variants, or one truncating and one missense TTN variant, or homozygous for one TTN missense variant. We found that TTN-related myopathies show considerable overlap with other myopathies but are strongly suggested by a combination of certain clinico-pathological features. Presentation was typically at birth with the clinical course characterized by variable progression of weakness, contractures, scoliosis and respiratory symptoms but sparing of extraocular muscles. Cardiac involvement depended on the variant position. Our biophysical analyses demonstrated that missense mutations associated with CMs are strongly destabilizing and exert their effect when expressed on a truncating background or in homozygosity. We hypothesise that destabilizing TTN missense mutations phenocopy truncating variants and are a key pathogenic feature of recessive titinopathies that might be amenable to therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Rees
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | - Roksana Nikoopour
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | - Atsushi Fukuzawa
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | - Ay Lin Kho
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | - Miguel A Fernandez-Garcia
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth Wraige
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Istvan Bodi
- Department of Clinical Neuropathology, King's College Hospital, London, UK
| | | | - Özkan Özdemir
- Centre for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Cologne and Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hülya-Sevcan Daimagüler
- Centre for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Cologne and Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mark Pfuhl
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
- School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | - Mark Holt
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
- School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | - Birgit Brandmeier
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | - Sarah Grover
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
| | - Joël Fluss
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Paediatrics Subspecialties Service, Geneva Children's Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Cheryl Longman
- West of Scotland Regional Genetics Service, Laboratory Medicine Building, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Emma Matthews
- MRC Neuromuscular Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen's Square, London, UK
| | - Michael Hanna
- MRC Neuromuscular Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen's Square, London, UK
| | - Francesco Muntoni
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, Great Ormond Street Hospital Trust, London, UK
| | - Anna Sarkozy
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
| | - Rahul Phadke
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
| | - Ros Quinlivan
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
| | - Emily C Oates
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sidney, Australia
- Kids Neuroscience Centre, Kids Research, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rolf Schröder
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christian Thiel
- Department of Genetics, University of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jens Reimann
- Muscle Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany
| | - Nicol Voermans
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Corrie Erasmus
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Erik-Jan Kamsteeg
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Chaminda Konersman
- UCSD, Rady Children's Hospital, and VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, USA
| | | | - Shane McKee
- Northern Ireland Regional Genetics Service, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast, UK
| | - Sandya Tirupathi
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast, UK
| | - Steven A Moore
- Department of Pathology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | | | - Elke Hobbiebrunken
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Isabelle Richard
- Genethon and UMR_S951, INSERM, Université Evry, Université Paris Saclay, Evry, 91002, Evry, France
| | - Peter Van den Bergh
- Neuromuscular Reference Centre, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Sebahattin Cirak
- Centre for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Cologne and Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases (ZSEK), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ana Ferreiro
- Basic and Translational Myology Laboratory, Université de Paris, Paris, France
- Centre de Référence Des Maladies Neuromusculaires, APHP, Institut of Myology, GHU Pitié Salpêtrière- Charles Foix, Paris, France
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Clinical and Basic Neuroscience, IoPPN, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mathias Gautel
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, Muscle Biophysics, King's College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence, London, UK.
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11
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Fernandez-Garcia MA, Stettner GM, Kinali M, Clarke A, Fallon P, Knirsch U, Wraige E, Jungbluth H. Genetic neuropathies presenting with CIDP-like features in childhood. Neuromuscul Disord 2021; 31:113-122. [PMID: 33386210 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2020.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Inherited neuropathies are amongst the most common neuromuscular disorders. The distinction from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) may be challenging, considering its rarity in childhood, that genetic neuropathies may show secondary inflammatory features, and that subacute CIDP presentations may closely mimic the disease course of inherited disorders. The overlap between genetic neuropathies and CIDP is increasingly recognized in adults but rarely reported in children. Here we report 4 children with a neuropathy of subacute onset, initially considered consistent with an immune-mediated neuropathy based on suggestive clinical, laboratory and neurophysiological features. None showed convincing response to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, leading to re-evaluation and confirmation of a genetic neuropathy in each case (including PMP22, MPZ and SH3TC2 genes). A review of the few Paediatric cases reported in the literature showed similar delays in diagnosis and no significant changes to immunomodulatory treatment. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering an inherited neuropathy in children with a CIDP-like presentation. In addition to an inconclusive response to treatment, subtle details of the family and developmental history may indicate a genetic rather than an acquired background. Correct diagnostic confirmation of a genetic neuropathy in a child is crucial for appropriate management, prognostication and genetic counselling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Fernandez-Garcia
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, F02 - Becket House, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EU, United Kingdom
| | - Georg M Stettner
- Division of Paediatric Neurology, University Children´s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maria Kinali
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, The Portland Hospital, HCA Healthcare, United Kingdom; Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Antonia Clarke
- Department of Paediatric Neurosciences, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Penny Fallon
- Department of Paediatric Neurosciences, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ursula Knirsch
- Division of Paediatric Neurology, University Children´s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elizabeth Wraige
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, F02 - Becket House, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EU, United Kingdom
| | - Heinz Jungbluth
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Neuromuscular Service, Evelina Children's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, F02 - Becket House, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EU, United Kingdom; Muscle Signalling Section, Randall Division for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College, London, United Kingdom; Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King's College, IoPPN, London, United Kingdom.
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12
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Fernandez-Garcia MA, Garcia-Penas JJ, Gomez-Martin H, Perez-Sebastian I, Garcia-Esparza E, Sirvent-Cerda S. [Reversible alterations in the neuroimages associated with vigabatrine treatment in infants with epileptic spasms]. Rev Neurol 2017; 64:169-174. [PMID: 28169412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Vigabatrin (VGB) is a first-line drug for the treatment of infantile spasms. Recently, several reports claim the existence of abnormalities in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (particularly affecting basal ganglia, and visible in T2 and diffusion sequences) in infants with spasms that were receiving high doses of VGB (> 100 mg/kg/day), which appear to be reversible after withdrawal of treatment. CASE REPORTS We present two cases with an epileptic encephalopathy in the first year of life and seizures consisting of infantile spasms. Both were treated with several antiepileptic drugs, including VGB up to a maximum dosage of 200 mg/kg/day. At the age of 11 and 28 months, respectively, MRI images showed marked signal hyperintensities on T2-sequences on bilateral globus pallidus, thalamus, posterior portion of the brainstem and dentate nuclei, also visible on diffusion sequences. Both had previous unaltered MRI studies. After excluding an underlying metabolic disease, VGB withdrawal is decided, appreciating the reversibility of those lesions in a prospective MRI study, three months later. CONCLUSIONS We must consider and carefully evaluate findings on brain MRI in infants receiving VGB at high doses for treatment of spasms. The apparent cytotoxic effect on basal ganglia could simulate metabolic/mitochondrial diseases. By knowing this effect of VGB and its typical MRI features, unnecessary testing can be avoided in young infants with epileptic encephalopathies, including complex procedures like muscle biopsy or a new metabolic screening.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J J Garcia-Penas
- Hospital Infantil Universitario Nino Jesus, 28009 Madrid, Espana
| | | | | | - E Garcia-Esparza
- Hospital Infantil Universitario Nino Jesus, 28009 Madrid, Espana
| | - S Sirvent-Cerda
- Hospital Infantil Universitario Nino Jesus, 28009 Madrid, Espana
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