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Diagnosing Fabry Disease in Clinical Practice

Clinical Manifestations of FD

Classical FD (<3% enzyme activity)

2nd decade

Symptoms appear later.

Neuropathic pain, angiokeratomas, and/or cornea verticillata are absent in females.

Childhood and adolescence

Neuropathic pain
Hypohidrosis and hyperhidrosis
Febrile crisis
Eye involvement*
Hearing loss
Angiokeratoma
Microalbuminuria
GI symptoms

2nd decade

Cardiomyopathy
Stroke and TIA
Macroproteinuria and eGFR loss

 

From 3rd decade

Progressive organ damage
Organ failure
Premature death

Nonclassical or late-onset FD (3%–30% enzyme activity)

Variable disease course and single organ involvement
Cardiac variant is common in late-onset FD
Identified in patients with stroke, renal failure, or cardiomyopathy
No neuropathic pain, angiokeratomas, and/or cornea verticillata

FD diagnosis requires a multidisciplinary team approach involving:

Biochemist

Pediatrician

Neurologist

Cardiologist

Dermatologist

Nephrologist

Geneticist

Suggested diagnostic algorithm for patient with clinically suspected FD

Testing for FD

1. Lyso-Gb3 indicates severity of FD

2. Endomyocardial and renal biopsies are used

3. Genetic testing

Testing for FD

  • Causative mutation
  • Affected family members
  • Eligibility for treatment with migalastat

LSD referral centers to manage FD from diagnosis to long-term follow-up

FD:

Rare but underdiagnosed

To be known and recognized by internal medicine physicians

Early treatment can change the natural course of the disease.

 

*Eye involvement includes cornea verticillata, tortuous retinal vessels, cataracts, and conjunctival lymphangiectasia.
Rare but To be known and recognized by underdiagnosed internal medicine physicians α-Gal A: Alpha-galactosidase; eGFR: Estimated glomerular filtration rate; GLA: α-Galactosidase A; FD: Fabry disease; GI: Gastrointestinal; LSD: Lysosomal storage disease; Lyso-Gb3: Globotriaosylsphingosine; TIA: Transient ischemic attack.

MAT-BH-2400131-V1-March 2024