DIAGNOSING FABRY DISEASE IN CLINICAL PRACTICE
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Clinical Manifestations of FD
Classical FD (<3% enzyme activity)
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2nd decade |
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Symptoms appear later. |
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Neuropathic pain, angiokeratomas, and/or cornea verticillata are absent in females. |
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Childhood and adolescence |
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Neuropathic pain |
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Hypohidrosis and hyperhidrosis |
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Febrile crisis |
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Eye involvement* |
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Hearing loss |
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Angiokeratoma |
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Microalbuminuria |
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GI symptoms |
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2nd decade |
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Cardiomyopathy |
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Stroke and TIA |
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Macroproteinuria and eGFR loss |
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From 3rd decade |
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Progressive organ damage |
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Organ failure |
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Premature death |
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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 |
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FD diagnosis requires a multidisciplinary team approach involving: |
Biochemist |
Pediatrician |
Neurologist |
Cardiologist |
Dermatologist |
Nephrologist |
Geneticist |
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Suggested diagnostic algorithm for patient with clinically suspected FD |
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Testing for FD |
1. Lyso-Gb3 indicates severity of FD
2. Endomyocardial and renal biopsies are used
3. Genetic testing
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Testing for FD
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LSD referral centers to manage FD from diagnosis to long-term follow-up |
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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.