Macroglossia: A potentially severe complication of late‐onset Pompe disease. (1st April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dupé, Charlotte; Lefeuvre, Claire; Solé, Guilhem; Behin, Anthony; Pottier, Corinne; Duval, Fanny; Carlier, Robert‐Yves; Prigent, Hélène; Lacau St Guily, Jean; Arrassi, Azzeddine; Taouagh, Nadjib; Hamroun, Dalil; Nicolas, Guillaume; Laforêt, Pascal
• Is Part Of: European journal of neurology. Volume 29:Number 7(2022)
• Page Start: 2121
• Page End: 2128
• Publication Date: 2022-04-01
• Subjects: acid α‐glucosidase (GAA) -- late‐onset Pompe disease -- macroglossia -- tongue; Neurology -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1111/ene.15330
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1351-5101

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Pompe disease is a rare neuromuscular disorder caused by a deficiency of a lysosomal enzyme, acid α‐glucosidase. Macroglossia is a classic clinical sign of several inherited myopathies and has also been reported to occur progressively in late‐onset Pompe disease (LOPD). Methods: We describe patients with LOPD and macroglossia included in the French national Pompe disease registry. Clinical, functional, and radiological data were collected during periodic follow‐up and analyzed retrospectively. These cases were compared with 15 previously reported cases. Results: Five patients, three females and two males, aged 71–88 years, were included in this study. All but one of the patients suffered from symptoms related to macroglossia before the diagnosis of Pompe disease. Three had localized tongue atrophy and one had significant localized tongue hypertrophy which led to glossectomy 10 years before diagnosis. Two patients had severe dysphagia, one of whom underwent gastrostomy for enteral nutritional support. One patient experienced the persistence of numerous sleep apneas despite nocturnal bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) ventilation. All our patients had dysarthria, and two required speech therapy. Four patients had a tongue hypersignal on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T1 sequences. Conclusions: Detection of macroglossia should be part of the clinical diagnosis and follow‐up of patients with LOPD, with a careful evaluation of its main consequences. Macroglossia can have severe functional impacts on speech, swallowing, and sleep. Whole‐body MRI with facial sections may facilitate the early diagnosis of Pompe disease with the "bright tongue sign". Abstract : Detection of macroglossia should be part of the clinical diagnosis and follow‐up of patients with late‐onset Pompe disease, with a careful evaluation of its main consequences. Macroglossia can have severe functional impacts on speech, swallowing, and sleep. Whole‐body magnetic resonance imaging with facial sections may facilitate the early diagnosis of Pompe disease with the "bright tongue sign".