Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy type 1 (FSHD1) shows marked clinical heterogeneity, partly related to age at onset. We analysed baseline, 12- and 24-month follow-up data from 231 FSHD1 patients enrolled in the ReSolve study (NCT03458832) to compare clinical, genetic, and epidemiological features between adult-onset (n = 190) and late-onset (n = 41) patients. Differences were assessed using generalized linear models and repeated-measures covariance analyses adjusting for demographics and disease duration. Late-onset patients were predominantly female (58.5%, p = 0.039), older (64.8 ± 6.3 vs 47.6 ± 13.5 years; p < 0.001), and carried longer D4Z4 repeats (6.5 ± 1.6 vs 5.7 ± 1.8; p = 0.01). They showed milder facial and upper limb involvement but greater lower limb impairment, evaluated with TUG (2.37 vs 2.11 s, p = 0.001) and 6MWT (329.16 vs 415.22 meters, p = 0.002), despite shorter disease duration. Lower limb weakness was the most frequent initial symptom (30% vs 10.7%, p = 0.0029). After one year, late-onset patients maintained similar characteristics, while facial differences were no longer significant at two years. Disease progression was similar across outcome measures except for the FSHD clinical score, which worsened more in late-onset patients at two years. These findings indicate that late-onset FSHD1 represents a distinct clinical phenotype relevant for outcome measure selection and personalized management strategies.
The recently described skeletal myopathy from dual inheritance of TTN and SRPK3 genetic variants has demonstrated digenic inheritance constitutes an under-recognised burden amongst inherited neuromuscular disorders. Neuromuscular specialist input is essential to guide appropriate genetic testing for these elusive diagnoses. Here we present the first case since the initial discovery of this condition, of an adult age diagnosis of TTN/SRPK3 congenital myopathy. Our proband achieved an adult age diagnosis but had congenital symptoms previously diagnosed 'minimal change myopathy' from a childhood muscle biopsy. Their presentation was phenotypically consistent with the initial cohort. He exhibited congenital limb-girdle weakness/wasting, delayed motor developmental milestones, restrictive ventilatory deficit, Achilles tendon contractures and hyperCKaemia but no evidence of cardiomyopathy. Genetic diagnosis was achieved through research-based whole-genome sequencing and targeted SRPK3 gene review, after finding a TTN variant. Knowledge of these specific variants and inheritance pattern enabled diagnosis, where standard panel testing had missed it.

