Is the brain involved in patients with late-onset Pompe disease?

Jan J. A. van den Dorpel; Willemijn M. C. van der Vlugt; Marjolein H. G. Dremmen; Ryan Muetzel; Esther van den Berg; Roos Hest; Joni de Kriek; Esther Brusse; Pieter A. van Doorn; Ans T. van der Ploeg; Johanna M. P. van den Hout; Nadine A. M. E. van der Beek

doi:10.1002/jimd.12469

Is the brain involved in patients with late-onset Pompe disease?

Jan J. A. van den Dorpel, Willemijn M. C. van der Vlugt, Marjolein H. G. Dremmen, Ryan Muetzel, Esther van den Berg, Roos Hest, Joni de Kriek, Esther Brusse, Pieter A. van Doorn, Ans T. van der Ploeg, Johanna M. P. van den Hout, Nadine A. M. E. van der Beek^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Our objective was to investigate brain structure, cerebral vasculature, and cognitive function in a cohort of patients with late-onset Pompe disease, with particular reference to the differences from those with the classic infantile phenotype, where extensive white-matter abnormalities (WMA) and impaired cognition on long-term enzyme treatment are reported in a subset of patients. Brain imaging (T1, T2, T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, susceptibility-weighted images, and magnetic resonance angiography-time of flight) was combined with extensive cognitive testing of general intelligence (Wechsler IQ Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA]) and specific neuropsychological domains (verbal fluency, cognitive flexibility, attention, memory, and visuospatial abilities). We included 19 patients with late-onset Pompe disease (age range 11-56 years). Two patients showed mild punctate WMA within normal range for age, with a Fazekas score (FS) of 1 to 2. Magnetic resonance angiography revealed a slight vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia in two patients yet did not show any aneurysms or vascular dissections. Most patients had age-adjusted scores within the normal range for the Wechsler index scores (verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed) and combined total intelligence (IQ) score (median 101, interquartile range 91-111; one patient had a below-average score for total IQ) as well as for the specific domains verbal fluency, attention, and memory. A subset of patients performed suboptimally on the Rey Complex Figure Test (9/14 patients) or cube-copying/clock-drawing test of the MoCA (8/10 patients). We therefore concluded that our study showed no brain abnormalities, other than minor microvascular lesions considered within normal range for age, nor general cognitive impairment in late-onset Pompe patients. These findings are in sharp contrast with the widespread WMA and cognitive problems found in some classic infantile patients.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	493-501
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease
Volume	45
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/jimd.12469
Publication status	Published - May 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Research on Pompe disease at Erasmus MC is financially supported by Prinses Beatrix Spierfonds (project number W.OR16–07), ZonMw (grant number 152001005), Sophia Foundation for Medical Research (SSWO; project number S17–32), and Metakids (project number 2016–063). Dr. van der Beek received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Prinses Beatrix Spierfonds (W.F16‐03). The authors confirm independence from the sponsors; the content of the article has not been influenced by the sponsors. Funding information

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of SSIEM.

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Cite this

van den Dorpel, J. J. A., van der Vlugt, W. M. C., Dremmen, M. H. G., Muetzel, R., van den Berg, E., Hest, R., de Kriek, J., Brusse, E., van Doorn, P. A., van der Ploeg, A. T., van den Hout, J. M. P., & van der Beek, N. A. M. E. (2022). Is the brain involved in patients with late-onset Pompe disease? Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease, 45(3), 493-501. https://doi.org/10.1002/jimd.12469

@article{bf45a3fc29f240769d60093629b9ef41,

title = "Is the brain involved in patients with late-onset Pompe disease?",

abstract = "Our objective was to investigate brain structure, cerebral vasculature, and cognitive function in a cohort of patients with late-onset Pompe disease, with particular reference to the differences from those with the classic infantile phenotype, where extensive white-matter abnormalities (WMA) and impaired cognition on long-term enzyme treatment are reported in a subset of patients. Brain imaging (T1, T2, T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, susceptibility-weighted images, and magnetic resonance angiography-time of flight) was combined with extensive cognitive testing of general intelligence (Wechsler IQ Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA]) and specific neuropsychological domains (verbal fluency, cognitive flexibility, attention, memory, and visuospatial abilities). We included 19 patients with late-onset Pompe disease (age range 11-56 years). Two patients showed mild punctate WMA within normal range for age, with a Fazekas score (FS) of 1 to 2. Magnetic resonance angiography revealed a slight vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia in two patients yet did not show any aneurysms or vascular dissections. Most patients had age-adjusted scores within the normal range for the Wechsler index scores (verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed) and combined total intelligence (IQ) score (median 101, interquartile range 91-111; one patient had a below-average score for total IQ) as well as for the specific domains verbal fluency, attention, and memory. A subset of patients performed suboptimally on the Rey Complex Figure Test (9/14 patients) or cube-copying/clock-drawing test of the MoCA (8/10 patients). We therefore concluded that our study showed no brain abnormalities, other than minor microvascular lesions considered within normal range for age, nor general cognitive impairment in late-onset Pompe patients. These findings are in sharp contrast with the widespread WMA and cognitive problems found in some classic infantile patients.",

author = "{van den Dorpel}, {Jan J. A.} and {van der Vlugt}, {Willemijn M. C.} and Dremmen, {Marjolein H. G.} and Ryan Muetzel and {van den Berg}, Esther and Roos Hest and {de Kriek}, Joni and Esther Brusse and {van Doorn}, {Pieter A.} and {van der Ploeg}, {Ans T.} and {van den Hout}, {Johanna M. P.} and {van der Beek}, {Nadine A. M. E.}",

note = "Funding Information: Research on Pompe disease at Erasmus MC is financially supported by Prinses Beatrix Spierfonds (project number W.OR16–07), ZonMw (grant number 152001005), Sophia Foundation for Medical Research (SSWO; project number S17–32), and Metakids (project number 2016–063). Dr. van der Beek received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Prinses Beatrix Spierfonds (W.F16‐03). The authors confirm independence from the sponsors; the content of the article has not been influenced by the sponsors. Funding information Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of SSIEM.",

year = "2022",

month = may,

doi = "10.1002/jimd.12469",

language = "English",

volume = "45",

pages = "493--501",

journal = "Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease",

issn = "0141-8955",