Prevalence of Pompe disease in 3, 076 patients with hyperCKemia and limb-girdle muscular weakness. (19th July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lukacs, Zoltan; Nieves Cobos, Paulina; Wenninger, Stephan; Willis, Tracey A.; Guglieri, Michela; Roberts, Marc; Quinlivan, Rosaline; Hilton-Jones, David; Evangelista, Teresinha; Zierz, Stephan; Schlotter-Weigel, Beate; Walter, Maggie C.; Reilich, Peter; Klopstock, Thomas; Deschauer, Marcus; Straub, Volker; Müller-Felber, Wolfgang; Schoser, Benedikt
• Is Part Of: Neurology. Volume 87:Number 3(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-07-19
• Subjects: Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurologie -- Périodiques; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000002758
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-3878

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: We prospectively screened a large European cohort of patients presenting with hyperCKemia and/or limb-girdle muscular weakness (LGMW) for acid α-glucosidase (GAA) deficiency by dried blood spot (DBS) investigation. Methods: DBS were collected from 3, 076 consecutive adult patients from 7 German and British neuromuscular centers. All specimens were investigated for GAA deficiency by fluorometry. Samples with reduced enzyme activity were subsequently investigated for GAA gene mutations. Results: Of 3, 076 patients with DBS samples, 232 patients (7.6%) showed low GAA enzyme activity. Of these 232 patients, 55 (24%) presented with isolated hyperCKemia and 176 (76%) with hyperCKemia and LGMW. With both features present, 94% of the patients showed a low enzymatic activity. Mutational analysis found GAA gene mutations in 74 patients (2.4%); herein 70 patients were heterozygote for the common GAA gene splice-site mutation c.-32-13T>G. The most common clinical presentation in the confirmed Pompe cohort was a limb-girdle phenotype (85.3%) combined with ventilatory insufficiency (61%). Isolated hyperCKemia was found in 12%, while 2.7 had hyperCKemia and ventilatory insufficiency only. Conclusions: In a large cohort of unselected adult patients with hyperCKemia and/or LGMW, we found a prevalence of late-onset Pompe disease of 2.4%. Therefore, targeted screening of such a population should be encouraged in clinical practice.