TY - JOUR
T1 - Is the brain involved in patients with late-onset Pompe disease?
AU - van den Dorpel, Jan J. A.
AU - van der Vlugt, Willemijn M. C.
AU - Dremmen, Marjolein H. G.
AU - Muetzel, Ryan
AU - van den Berg, Esther
AU - Hest, Roos
AU - de Kriek, Joni
AU - Brusse, Esther
AU - van Doorn, Pieter A.
AU - van der Ploeg, Ans T.
AU - van den Hout, Johanna M. P.
AU - van der Beek, Nadine A. M. E.
N1 - 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.
PY - 2022/5
Y1 - 2022/5
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
U2 - 10.1002/jimd.12469
DO - 10.1002/jimd.12469
M3 - Article
VL - 45
SP - 493
EP - 501
JO - Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease
JF - Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease
SN - 0141-8955
IS - 3
ER -