Journal of neuromuscular diseases最新文献

Background: Genetic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and constitute a link to its association with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Gene-targeted therapies for some forms of ALS (C9orf72, SOD1) have recently gained momentum. Genetic architecture in Czech ALS patients has not been comprehensively assessed so far.

Objective: We aimed to deliver pilot data on the genetic landscape of ALS in our country.

Methods: A cohort of patients with ALS (n = 88), recruited from two Czech Neuromuscular Centers, was assessed for hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) in C9orf72 and also for genetic variations in other 36 ALS-linked genes via next-generation sequencing (NGS). Nine patients (10.1%) had a familial ALS. Further, we analyzed two subgroups of sporadic patients - with concomitant FTD (n = 7) and with young-onset of the disease (n = 22).

Results: We detected the pathogenic HRE in C9orf72 in 12 patients (13.5%) and three other pathogenic variants in FUS, TARDBP and TBK1, each in one patient. Additional 7 novel and 9 rare known variants with uncertain causal significance have been detected in 15 patients. Three sporadic patients with FTD (42.9%) were harbouring a pathogenic variant (all HRE in C9orf72). Surprisingly, none of the young-onset sporadic patients harboured a pathogenic variant and we detected no pathogenic SOD1 variant in our cohort.

Conclusion: Our findings resemble those from other European populations, with the highest prevalence of HRE in the C9orf72 gene. Further, our findings suggest a possibility of a missing genetic variability among young-onset patients.

Background: Little is known about the challenges faced by women with a neuromuscular disease (NMD) when having to go to the toilet in other places than home; a topic that is highly important for participation and bladder health.

Objective: The aim was to investigate whether women with NMD have problems in going to the toilet when not at home, the problems' impact on their social activities, education, and working life, which strategies they use to manage the problems, and the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

Methods: A national survey containing questions on type of NMD, mobility, impacts on social activities, education, working life, and bladder health was developed by women with NMD and researchers. LUTS were assessed by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Modules (ICIQ-FLUTS). Female patients≥12 years (n = 1617) registered at the Danish National Rehabilitation Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases were invited.

Results: 692 women (43%) accepted the invitation; 21% were non-ambulant. 25% of respondents avoided going to the toilet when not at home. One third of respondents experienced that problems in going to the toilet impacted their social life. 43% of respondents refrained from drinking to avoid voiding when not at home, 61% had a low frequency of urinating, 17% had experienced urinary tract infections, and 35% had experienced urine incontinence. Problems were seldom discussed with professionals, only 5% of participants had been referred to neuro-urological evaluation.

Conclusion: The results highlight the difficulties in urinating faced by women with NMD when not at home and how these difficulties impact functioning, participation, and bladder health. The study illustrates a lack of awareness of the problems in the neuro-urological clinic. It is necessary to address this in clinical practice to provide supportive treatment and solutions that will enable participation for women with NMD.

Objective: This report summarizes the key discussions from the "Early Care (0-3 years) in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy" meeting, which aimed to address the challenges and opportunities in the diagnosis and care of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and female carriers within the 0-3-year age group.

Methods: The meeting brought together experts and healthcare providers who shared insights, discussed advancements in DMD care, and identified research needs. Presentations covered diagnostic challenges, approved therapies, clinical trials, identification of young female carriers, and the importance of clinical care and support for families.

Results: The meeting highlighted the importance of timely diagnosis and the lack of evidence-based guidelines for the care of children with DMD aged 0-3 years. Diagnostic challenges were discussed, including delays in receiving a DMD diagnosis and disparities based on ethnicity. The potential benefits and process of newborn screening were addressed.Approved therapeutic interventions, such as corticosteroids and exon-skipping drugs, were explored, with studies indicating the potential benefits of early initiation of corticosteroid therapy and the safety of exon-skipping drugs in DMD. Clinical trials involving infants and young boys were discussed, focusing on drugs like ataluren, vamorolone, and gene therapies.The meeting emphasized the importance of clinical care and support for families, including comprehensive information provision, early intervention services, and individualized support. The identification and care of young female carriers were also addressed.

Conclusion: The meeting provided a platform for experts and healthcare providers to discuss and identify key aspects of early care for children with DMD aged 0-3 years. The meeting emphasized the need for early diagnosis, evidence-based guidelines, and comprehensive care and support for affected children and their families. Further research, collaboration, and the development of consensus guidelines are needed to improve early diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes in this population.

Background: The manifestation of bulbar symptoms, especially swallowing, is important for evaluating disease-modifying therapies for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Due to the lack of instruments, the topic is still underrepresented in research.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a tool to monitor swallowing development in children aged 0 to 24 months with SMA.

Methods: The method was guided by the COSMIN guidelines and followed a multi-stage Delphi process. The first step was a rapid review of swallowing outcomes in children with SMA younger than 24 months. In the second step, online group interviews with experts (n = 7) on dysphagia in infants were conducted, followed by an anonymous online survey among experts in infants with SMA (n = 19). A predefined consensus threshold for nominal scaled voting was set at≥75 % and for 5-point Likert scale voting at 1.25 of the interquartile range. The third step was the pilot test of the instrument, performed with three groups (healthy controls n = 8; pre-symptomatic n = 6, symptomatic n = 6).

Results: Based on the multi-level interprofessional consensus, the DySMA comprises two parts (history and examination), ten categories, with 36 items. Implementation and scoring are clearly articulated and easy to implement. The pilot test showed that swallowing development could be recorded in all groups.

Conclusion: The DySMA is well suited for monitoring swallowing development in pre-symptomatic and symptomatic treated infants with SMA. It can be performed in a time-efficient and interprofessional manner. The resulting score is comparable to results from other instruments measuring other domains, e.g., motor function.

Background: Respiratory and bulbar dysfunctions (including swallowing, feeding, and speech functions) are key symptoms of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), especially in its most severe forms. Demonstrating the long-term efficacy of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) necessitates an understanding of SMA natural history.

Objective: This study summarizes published natural history data on respiratory, swallowing, feeding, and speech functions in patients with SMA not receiving DMTs.

Methods: Electronic databases (Embase, MEDLINE, and Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews) were searched from database inception to June 27, 2022, for studies reporting data on respiratory and/or bulbar function outcomes in Types 1-3 SMA. Data were extracted into a predefined template and a descriptive summary of these data was provided.

Results: Ninety-one publications were included: 43 reported data on respiratory, swallowing, feeding, and/or speech function outcomes. Data highlighted early loss of respiratory function for patients with Type 1 SMA, with ventilatory support typically required by 12 months of age. Patients with Type 2 or 3 SMA were at risk of losing respiratory function over time, with ventilatory support initiated between the first and fifth decades of life. Swallowing and feeding difficulties, including choking, chewing problems, and aspiration, were reported in patients across the SMA spectrum. Swallowing and feeding difficulties, and a need for non-oral nutritional support, were reported before 1 year of age in Type 1 SMA, and before 10 years of age in Type 2 SMA. Limited data relating to other bulbar functions were collated.

Conclusions: Natural history data demonstrate that untreated patients with SMA experience respiratory and bulbar function deterioration, with a more rapid decline associated with greater disease severity. This study provides a comprehensive repository of natural history data on bulbar function in SMA, and it highlights that consistent assessment of outcomes in this area is necessary to benefit understanding and approval of new treatments.

Background: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive genetic disease with a prevalence of 1 per 3,600-6,000 male births. Individuals with DMD are typically diagnosed at age 4-7 years; median survival is 30 years. They require multidisciplinary care, personal assistance, and often special education.

Objective: The aim was to assess the burden of disease in DMD in Denmark. This includes incidence, prevalence, use of healthcare services, labour market participation, educational outcomes, and overall attributable costs due to DMD. Impact on the closest relatives (siblings and parents) was also investigated.

Methods: The comprehensive Danish national health and administrative registers were used to assess the burden of disease following individuals with DMD and closest relatives from five years before, and up to 20 years after DMD diagnosis. Individuals with DMD (and relatives) from 1994-2021 were included. All outcomes were compared to matched control groups without the disease drawn from the Danish population.

Results: 213 unique individuals with DMD were identified. They had lower grades in school, required more special education and more healthcare and home care compared to their control group. The extra costs of special education summed to EUR 180,900 over the course of 11 years elementary school. They had an annual average productivity loss of EUR 20,200 between the age of 18 to 30. The extra healthcare costs of DMD in the 20 years after diagnosis were estimated to EUR 1,524,000. If an individual with DMD lives to be 30, total extra costs sum to EUR 2,365,800.

Conclusions: Using national register data this study presented detailed results on the burden of disease of DMD, including impact on closest relatives. With 60 additional hospital admissions and 200 extra outpatient contacts in 20 years healthcare costs, but also costs of home care and special education, increases as disease progresses.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by progressive loss of muscle mass and muscle function. Previous work from our lab demonstrated that skeletal muscles from a mouse model of ALS show elevated intracellular calcium (Ca2+) levels and heightened endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

Objective: To investigate whether overexpression of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ ATPase 1 (SERCA1) in skeletal muscle would improve intracellular Ca2+ handling, attenuate ER stress, and improve motor function ALS transgenic mice.

Methods: B6SJL-Tg (SOD1*G93A)1Gur/J (ALS-Tg) mice were bred with skeletal muscle α-actinin SERCA1 overexpressing mice to generate wild type (WT), SERCA1 overexpression (WT/+SERCA1), ALS-Tg, and SERCA1 overexpressing ALS-Tg (ALS-Tg/+SERCA1) mice. Motor function (grip test) was assessed weekly and skeletal muscles were harvested at 16 weeks of age to evaluate muscle mass, SR-Ca2+ ATPase activity, levels of SERCA1 and ER stress proteins - protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), Grp78/BiP, and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Single muscle fibers were also isolated from the flexor digitorum brevis muscle to assess changes in resting and peak Fura-2 ratios.

Results: ALS-Tg/+SERCA1 mice showed improved motor function, delayed onset of disease, and improved muscle mass compared to ALS-Tg. Further, ALS-Tg/+SERCA1 mice returned levels of SERCA1 protein and SR-Ca2+ ATPase activity back to levels in WT mice. Unexpectedly, SERCA-1 overexpression increased levels of the ER stress maker Grp78/BiP in both WT and ALS-Tg mice, while not altering protein levels of PDI or CHOP. Lastly, single muscle fibers from ALS-Tg/+SERCA1 had similar resting but lower peak Fura-2 levels (at 30 Hz and 100 Hz) compared to ALS-Tg mice.

Conclusions: These data indicate that SERCA1 overexpression attenuates the progressive loss of muscle mass and maintains motor function in ALS-Tg mice while not lowering resting Ca2+ levels or ER stress.

Background: Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness leading to permanent disability. There are no curative treatments, however, there are several upcoming clinical trials testing new therapies in FSHD.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the disease burden and patient preferences of people with FSHD to ensure that clinical trials can be designed to include outcome measures that are relevant and important to patients.

Methods: A survey was developed with a steering committee clinicians and physiotherapists with relevant experience in the disease, patient representatives, a registry expert and industry consultants. Themes of the survey included; participant demographics, disease progression and impact on function, factors encouraging or discouraging clinical trial participation, and positive outcomes of a clinical trial.

Results: 1147 participants responded to the online survey, representing 26 countries across Europe and a range of disease severities. The study highlighted the key symptoms causing concern for FSHD patients - muscle weakness and mobility issues - reflecting what participants want targeted for future therapies. The need for clear information and communication throughout clinical trials was emphasised. Factors most encouraging trial participation included access to new investigational therapies, access to trial results and benefits for the FSHD community. Factors most discouraging trial participation included travel related issues and fear of side effects.

Conclusions: The results from this study identify the patient reported burden of FSHD and should provide researchers and industry with areas of therapeutic research that would be meaningful to patients, as well as supporting the development of patient centric outcome measures in clinical trials.

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and related dystrophinopathies are neuromuscular conditions with great unmet medical needs that require the development of effective medical treatments.

Objective: To aid sponsors in clinical development of drugs and therapeutic biological products for treating DMD across the disease spectrum by integrating advancements, patient registries, natural history studies, and more into a comprehensive guidance.

Methods: This guidance emerged from collaboration between the FDA, the Duchenne community, and industry stakeholders. It entailed a structured approach, involving multiple committees and boards. From its inception in 2014, the guidance underwent revisions incorporating insights from gene therapy studies, cardiac function research, and innovative clinical trial designs.

Results: The guidance provides a deeper understanding of DMD and its variants, focusing on patient engagement, diagnostic criteria, natural history, biomarkers, and clinical trials. It underscores patient-focused drug development, the significance of dystrophin as a biomarker, and the pivotal role of magnetic resonance imaging in assessing disease progression. Additionally, the guidance addresses cardiomyopathy's prominence in DMD and the burgeoning field of gene therapy.

Conclusions: The updated guidance offers a comprehensive understanding of DMD, emphasizing patient-centric approaches, innovative trial designs, and the importance of biomarkers. The focus on cardiomyopathy and gene therapy signifies the evolving realm of DMD research. It acts as a crucial roadmap for sponsors, potentially leading to improved treatments for DMD.