Pub Date : 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106360
Stephan Wenninger , Hani Kushlaf , Noemi Hummel , Brian Fox , Birgit Gloeckner , Fred Holdbrook , Vipul Jain , Markus Peceny , Benedikt Schoser , Kristl G. Claeys
We determined the proportion of adults with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) with clinically important changes in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and/or forced vital capacity (FVC) after switching from alglucosidase alfa (alg) to cipaglucosidase alfa plus miglustat (cipa+mig) in PROPEL (NCT03729362). This post hoc analysis (95 patients) used published anchor- and distribution-based minimal clinically important differences for 6MWD (in meters for anchor-based; % predicted for distribution-based) and a 3 % threshold for FVC (% predicted). For 6MWD, a higher percentage of patients improved after switching to cipa+mig versus alg plus placebo (alg+pbo) (anchor-based: 29.2 % versus 13.3 %; distribution-based: 33.8 % versus 13.3 %), fewer patients worsened (anchor-based: 12.3 % versus 26.7 %; distribution-based: 7.7 % versus 13.3 %). For FVC, 27.7 % versus 0.0 % improved for cipa+mig versus alg+pbo, 27.7 % versus 53.3 % worsened. Overall, 50.8 % versus 13.3 % of patients experienced improvements in 6MWD (% predicted) and/or FVC with cipa+mig versus alg+pbo, 30.8 % versus 56.7 % worsened. For combined responses from 6MWD (% predicted) and FVC (% predicted), the odds of a better versus a lower response category (improvement > stability > worsening) were 4.05 (95 % confidence interval 1.73–9.51) times higher for cipa+mig than alg+pbo (P = 0.0013). Adults with LOPD switching from alg to cipa+mig have greater chances of clinically relevant motor and lung function improvements than those remaining on alg.
我们确定了在PROPEL (NCT03729362)中,从α葡萄糖苷酶(alg)切换到α葡萄糖苷酶加米卢司他(cipa+mig)后,6分钟步行距离(6MWD)和/或强制肺活量(FVC)发生临床重要变化的迟发性Pompe病(LOPD)成人的比例。这项事后分析(95例患者)使用了已公布的基于锚点和基于分布的最小临床重要差异的6MWD(基于锚点的以米为单位;基于分布的预测百分比)和3%的FVC阈值(预测百分比)。对于6MWD,切换到cipa+mig与alg+安慰剂(alg+pbo)后改善的患者比例更高(锚定型:29.2% vs 13.3%;分布型:33.8% vs 13.3%),更少的患者恶化(锚定型:12.3% vs 26.7%;分布型:7.7% vs 13.3%)。对于FVC, cipa+mig和alg+pbo分别有27.7%和0.0%的改善,27.7%和53.3%的恶化。总体而言,50.8%比13.3%的患者在6MWD(预期百分比)和/或FVC (cipa+mig vs alg+pbo)中得到改善,30.8%比56.7%恶化。对于6MWD(%预测)和FVC(%预测)的联合反应,cipa+mig的较好与较低反应类别(改善b>稳定b>恶化)的几率是alg+pbo的4.05(95%置信区间1.73-9.51)倍(P = 0.0013)。成年LOPD患者从alg切换到cipa+可能比继续使用alg的患者有更大的临床相关运动和肺功能改善的机会。
{"title":"Clinically important improvements in 6-minute walk distance and forced vital capacity in adults with late-onset Pompe disease switching from alglucosidase alfa to cipaglucosidase alfa plus miglustat in the PROPEL study","authors":"Stephan Wenninger , Hani Kushlaf , Noemi Hummel , Brian Fox , Birgit Gloeckner , Fred Holdbrook , Vipul Jain , Markus Peceny , Benedikt Schoser , Kristl G. Claeys","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106360","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106360","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We determined the proportion of adults with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) with clinically important changes in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and/or forced vital capacity (FVC) after switching from alglucosidase alfa (alg) to cipaglucosidase alfa plus miglustat (cipa+mig) in PROPEL (NCT03729362). This <em>post hoc</em> analysis (95 patients) used published anchor- and distribution-based minimal clinically important differences for 6MWD (in meters for anchor-based; % predicted for distribution-based) and a 3 % threshold for FVC (% predicted). For 6MWD, a higher percentage of patients improved after switching to cipa+mig versus alg plus placebo (alg+pbo) (anchor-based: 29.2 % versus 13.3 %; distribution-based: 33.8 % versus 13.3 %), fewer patients worsened (anchor-based: 12.3 % versus 26.7 %; distribution-based: 7.7 % versus 13.3 %). For FVC, 27.7 % versus 0.0 % improved for cipa+mig versus alg+pbo, 27.7 % versus 53.3 % worsened. Overall, 50.8 % versus 13.3 % of patients experienced improvements in 6MWD (% predicted) and/or FVC with cipa+mig versus alg+pbo, 30.8 % versus 56.7 % worsened. For combined responses from 6MWD (% predicted) and FVC (% predicted), the odds of a better versus a lower response category (improvement > stability > worsening) were 4.05 (95 % confidence interval 1.73–9.51) times higher for cipa+mig than alg+pbo (<em>P</em> = 0.0013). Adults with LOPD switching from alg to cipa+mig have greater chances of clinically relevant motor and lung function improvements than those remaining on alg.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article 106360"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146132538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106359
Cristina Domínguez-González , Domenico Iannucci , James Clark , Paloma Martín-Jiménez , Stephan Hold , Petra Oliva , Anita Bischinger , Eduard Gallardo , Jordi Díaz-Manera
Late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) is a progressive metabolic myopathy caused by acid α-glucosidase deficiency, leading to glycogen accumulation in skeletal muscle. Reliable biomarkers for monitoring disease progression and treatment response are lacking. Urinary glucose tetrasaccharide (Glc4), a marker of glycogen turnover, is well established in infantile-onset Pompe disease, but its prognostic value in LOPD under longitudinal real-world conditions remains uncertain. Urinary Glc4 was evaluated in 35 genetically confirmed LOPD patients followed for four years with annual functional assessments, spirometry, and quantitative muscle MRI. Glc4 was measured by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and normalized to creatinine. Associations with changes in six-minute walk test (6MWT), forced vital capacity (FVC), and thigh fat fraction (FF) were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis assessed the ability of baseline Glc4 to predict clinically meaningful motor decline (>30 m reduction in 6MWT). Multivariate linear regression evaluated whether baseline Glc4 independently predicted 6MWT decline. Glc4 levels were elevated in all patients and showed considerable intra-individual variability. Higher baseline Glc4 was associated with greater functional decline and increased muscle fat replacement. ROC analysis showed good predictive performance (AUC 0.78), with an optimal threshold of approximately 13 mmol/mol creatinine. Baseline Glc4 remained an independent predictor of 6MWT decline in multivariate analysis (p = 0.042). Baseline urinary Glc4 provides relevant prognostic information in LOPD and may serve as a complementary biomarker for routine disease monitoring.
{"title":"Urinary glucose tetrasaccharide tracks disease activity in late-onset Pompe disease","authors":"Cristina Domínguez-González , Domenico Iannucci , James Clark , Paloma Martín-Jiménez , Stephan Hold , Petra Oliva , Anita Bischinger , Eduard Gallardo , Jordi Díaz-Manera","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106359","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106359","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) is a progressive metabolic myopathy caused by acid α-glucosidase deficiency, leading to glycogen accumulation in skeletal muscle. Reliable biomarkers for monitoring disease progression and treatment response are lacking. Urinary glucose tetrasaccharide (Glc4), a marker of glycogen turnover, is well established in infantile-onset Pompe disease, but its prognostic value in LOPD under longitudinal real-world conditions remains uncertain. Urinary Glc4 was evaluated in 35 genetically confirmed LOPD patients followed for four years with annual functional assessments, spirometry, and quantitative muscle MRI. Glc4 was measured by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and normalized to creatinine. Associations with changes in six-minute walk test (6MWT), forced vital capacity (FVC), and thigh fat fraction (FF) were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis assessed the ability of baseline Glc4 to predict clinically meaningful motor decline (>30 m reduction in 6MWT). Multivariate linear regression evaluated whether baseline Glc4 independently predicted 6MWT decline. Glc4 levels were elevated in all patients and showed considerable intra-individual variability. Higher baseline Glc4 was associated with greater functional decline and increased muscle fat replacement. ROC analysis showed good predictive performance (AUC 0.78), with an optimal threshold of approximately 13 mmol/mol creatinine. Baseline Glc4 remained an independent predictor of 6MWT decline in multivariate analysis (<em>p</em> = 0.042). Baseline urinary Glc4 provides relevant prognostic information in LOPD and may serve as a complementary biomarker for routine disease monitoring.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article 106359"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146118857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106357
Holly Borland, John Bourke, Volker Straub
{"title":"Correspondence on ‘Cardiac MRI for early detection of subclinical cardiac dysfunction in dysferlinopathy’ by Thomas et al.","authors":"Holly Borland, John Bourke, Volker Straub","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106357","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106357","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"61 ","pages":"Article 106357"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146166086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106338
Seth A. Hollander, David Rosenthal
Cardiomyopathy remains a leading cause of mortality in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), yet advanced therapies such as ventricular assist devices (VAD) and heart transplantation are rarely considered. In September 2024, a multidisciplinary group of neuromuscular specialists, cardiologists, intensivists, anesthesiologists, surgeons, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation specialists, and patient advocates convened to challenge the clinical challenges and institutional barriers that have historically excluded individuals with DMD from these life-prolonging interventions. The charge of the meeting was to develop a practical roadmap to guide the timely referral, evaluation, and management of DMD patients with advanced heart failure. Presentations focused on the evolving treatment landscape and reviewed limitations of standard heart failure assessments—including ejection fraction and symptomatology—while exploring alternative evaluation tools such as cardiac MRI, biomarkers, adapted exercise testing, and patient-reported outcomes. Discussions addressed candidacy, surgical considerations, respiratory and nutritional optimization, and psychosocial supports. Participants determined that VAD and transplant should be offered to appropriate candidates and began collaborative development of clinical protocols, which were then completed and published online approximately one year after the meeting concluded.
{"title":"Meeting report: Expanding access to advanced cardiac therapies, including ventricular assist devices (VADs) and heart transplantation in muscular dystrophy","authors":"Seth A. Hollander, David Rosenthal","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106338","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106338","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cardiomyopathy remains a leading cause of mortality in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), yet advanced therapies such as ventricular assist devices (VAD) and heart transplantation are rarely considered. In September 2024, a multidisciplinary group of neuromuscular specialists, cardiologists, intensivists, anesthesiologists, surgeons, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation specialists, and patient advocates convened to challenge the clinical challenges and institutional barriers that have historically excluded individuals with DMD from these life-prolonging interventions. The charge of the meeting was to develop a practical roadmap to guide the timely referral, evaluation, and management of DMD patients with advanced heart failure. Presentations focused on the evolving treatment landscape and reviewed limitations of standard heart failure assessments—including ejection fraction and symptomatology—while exploring alternative evaluation tools such as cardiac MRI, biomarkers, adapted exercise testing, and patient-reported outcomes. Discussions addressed candidacy, surgical considerations, respiratory and nutritional optimization, and psychosocial supports. Participants determined that VAD and transplant should be offered to appropriate candidates and began collaborative development of clinical protocols, which were then completed and published online approximately one year after the meeting concluded.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article 106338"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106354
Stefan Verlohren , Christof Dame , Beate Mayer , Iris Dressler-Steinbach , Claus-Eric Ott , Inga Koneczny , Marlene Wolfsgruber , Sarah Hoffmann , Andreas Meisel
Maternal antibodies against the fetal acetylcholine receptor (fAChR) can cause fetal acetylcholine receptor antibody-related disorders (FARAD), a rare but important cause of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) and Fetal Akinesia Deformation Sequence (FADS), with recurrence rates up to 100%. Unlike genetic causes, FARAD may respond to maternal immunotherapy, yet standardized treatment protocols are lacking. We report four pregnancies in an asymptomatic mother with confirmed fAChR antibodies. After three fetal losses due to FARAD and two unsuccessful treatment attempts initiated only after sonographic abnormalities, a healthy infant was delivered in the fourth pregnancy following a pre-planned preemptive approach. Treatment, initiated at week 10 of gestation, consisted of plasmapheresis (PLEX) and subsequent weekly high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Fetal serum after birth confirmed fAChR antibodies on cell-based assays (live and fixed). This case series underscores the importance of recognizing fAChR antibodies as differential diagnosis of AMC in asymptomatic mothers and of early, consistent antibody-reducing therapy to prevent FARAD-related pregnancy losses.
{"title":"Preemptive immunotherapy for fetal acetylcholine receptor antibody disorder (FARAD): from recurrent pregnancy losses to a healthy infant - a case report","authors":"Stefan Verlohren , Christof Dame , Beate Mayer , Iris Dressler-Steinbach , Claus-Eric Ott , Inga Koneczny , Marlene Wolfsgruber , Sarah Hoffmann , Andreas Meisel","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106354","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106354","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maternal antibodies against the fetal acetylcholine receptor (fAChR) can cause fetal acetylcholine receptor antibody-related disorders (FARAD), a rare but important cause of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) and Fetal Akinesia Deformation Sequence (FADS), with recurrence rates up to 100%. Unlike genetic causes, FARAD may respond to maternal immunotherapy, yet standardized treatment protocols are lacking. We report four pregnancies in an asymptomatic mother with confirmed fAChR antibodies. After three fetal losses due to FARAD and two unsuccessful treatment attempts initiated only after sonographic abnormalities, a healthy infant was delivered in the fourth pregnancy following a pre-planned preemptive approach. Treatment, initiated at week 10 of gestation, consisted of plasmapheresis (PLEX) and subsequent weekly high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Fetal serum after birth confirmed fAChR antibodies on cell-based assays (live and fixed). This case series underscores the importance of recognizing fAChR antibodies as differential diagnosis of AMC in asymptomatic mothers and of early, consistent antibody-reducing therapy to prevent FARAD-related pregnancy losses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article 106354"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146132521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106340
Mathilde Guibert , Marie Canton , Delphine Saunier , Sandra Gharbi , Melodie Campiglia , Hélène Vincent , Mathieu Kuchenbuch , Cyril Schweitzer , Clémentine Lambert
Recent disease-modifying treatments have markedly improved the motor prognosis of spinal muscular atrophy, yet the neurocognitive and language outcomes of treated children remain insufficiently characterized. This monocentric observational study included sixteen children with genetically confirmed Spinal muscular atrophy types I–III (10 males; age 2.6–15.4 years; 5 with type I, 5 type II, and 6 type III) treated with at least one disease-modifying therapy and followed at our center. Participants underwent standardized assessments of intellectual abilities, executive functions, social cognition, memory, and language, complemented by parent questionnaires. Data were analyzed descriptively given the small and heterogeneous sample. Intellectual functioning was preserved (mean IQ = 102 ± 4), with no cases of intellectual disability, although 15% showed executive dysfunctions (e.g., inhibition, cognitive flexibility) not perceived by parents. Oral language disorders were found in 73% of individuals, affecting phonology, lexicon, and morphosyntax, and were more frequent in children with more severe motor phenotypes and fewer SMN2 copies. Written language disorders were identified in 29% of individuals, even without major motor impairment. Routine neuropsychological and speech-language assessments should be integrated into multidisciplinary care to enable earlier detection, targeted interventions, and improved long-term outcomes.
{"title":"Beyond motor function: cognitive and language impairments in spinal muscular atrophy children treated with modern therapies","authors":"Mathilde Guibert , Marie Canton , Delphine Saunier , Sandra Gharbi , Melodie Campiglia , Hélène Vincent , Mathieu Kuchenbuch , Cyril Schweitzer , Clémentine Lambert","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent disease-modifying treatments have markedly improved the motor prognosis of spinal muscular atrophy, yet the neurocognitive and language outcomes of treated children remain insufficiently characterized. This monocentric observational study included sixteen children with genetically confirmed Spinal muscular atrophy types I–III (10 males; age 2.6–15.4 years; 5 with type I, 5 type II, and 6 type III) treated with at least one disease-modifying therapy and followed at our center. Participants underwent standardized assessments of intellectual abilities, executive functions, social cognition, memory, and language, complemented by parent questionnaires. Data were analyzed descriptively given the small and heterogeneous sample. Intellectual functioning was preserved (mean IQ = 102 ± 4), with no cases of intellectual disability, although 15% showed executive dysfunctions (e.g., inhibition, cognitive flexibility) not perceived by parents. Oral language disorders were found in 73% of individuals, affecting phonology, lexicon, and morphosyntax, and were more frequent in children with more severe motor phenotypes and fewer SMN2 copies. Written language disorders were identified in 29% of individuals, even without major motor impairment. Routine neuropsychological and speech-language assessments should be integrated into multidisciplinary care to enable earlier detection, targeted interventions, and improved long-term outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article 106340"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106337
Matthew G. Birkbeck , Ian S. Schofield , Ian Wilson , James Bashford , Julie Hall , Chiara Marini-Bettolo , Volker Straub , Roger G. Whittaker , Andrew M. Blamire
Motor unit MRI (MUMRI) non-invasively detects fasciculation, a common symptom of SMA and potential biomarker for clinical trials. We applied MUMRI in ten SMA III patients and ten controls comparing fasciculation rates. Images of the tongue, upper arm, paraspinal and thighs & lower legs were acquired using MUMRI and 3-point Dixon (fat fraction) sequences. Fasciculation rate (cm−3min−1) was significantly higher in SMA than controls for: paraspinal 0.15 ± 0.20 vs. 0.003 ± 0.006, p = 0.001, thighs 1.28 ± 1.76 vs. 0.008 ± 0.005, p = 0.002 and lower legs 0.53 ± 0.85 vs. 0.02 ± 0.02, p = 0.001, but not for the tongue 0.20 ± 0.20 vs. 0.06 ± 0.09, p = 0.082 or upper arm 0.45 ± 0.95 vs. 0.002 ± 0.004, p = 0.014. Fat fraction %, was significantly higher in SMA than controls for: upper arm 35.0 ± 25.4 vs. 4.2 ± 1.1, p<<0.001, paraspinal 41.4 ± 31.0 vs. 7.4 ± 4.5, p = 0.002, thighs 54.8 ± 23.8 vs. 5.7 ± 1.0, p<<0.001 and lower legs 29.6 ± 23.5 vs. 4.4 ± 0.9, p = 0.0003, but not for the tongue 13.9 ± 3.2 vs. 13.0 ± 3.3, p = 0.393. MUMRI is an attractive non-invasive biomarker, which could be used to monitor progression & response in SMA clinical trials.
{"title":"Motor unit magnetic resonance imaging (MUMRI) as a novel biomarker of muscle activity in spinal muscular atrophy","authors":"Matthew G. Birkbeck , Ian S. Schofield , Ian Wilson , James Bashford , Julie Hall , Chiara Marini-Bettolo , Volker Straub , Roger G. Whittaker , Andrew M. Blamire","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106337","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106337","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Motor unit MRI (MUMRI) non-invasively detects fasciculation, a common symptom of SMA and potential biomarker for clinical trials. We applied MUMRI in ten SMA III patients and ten controls comparing fasciculation rates. Images of the tongue, upper arm, paraspinal and thighs & lower legs were acquired using MUMRI and 3-point Dixon (fat fraction) sequences. Fasciculation rate (cm<sup>−3</sup>min<sup>−1</sup>) was significantly higher in SMA than controls for: paraspinal 0.15 ± 0.20 <em>vs.</em> 0.003 ± 0.006, <em>p</em> = 0.001, thighs 1.28 ± 1.76 <em>vs.</em> 0.008 ± 0.005, <em>p</em> = 0.002 and lower legs 0.53 ± 0.85 <em>vs.</em> 0.02 ± 0.02, <em>p</em> = 0.001, but not for the tongue 0.20 ± 0.20 <em>vs.</em> 0.06 ± 0.09, <em>p</em> = 0.082 or upper arm 0.45 ± 0.95 <em>vs.</em> 0.002 ± 0.004, <em>p</em> = 0.014. Fat fraction %, was significantly higher in SMA than controls for: upper arm 35.0 ± 25.4 <em>vs.</em> 4.2 ± 1.1, <em>p</em><<0.001, paraspinal 41.4 ± 31.0 <em>vs.</em> 7.4 ± 4.5, <em>p</em> = 0.002, thighs 54.8 ± 23.8 <em>vs.</em> 5.7 ± 1.0, <em>p</em><<0.001 and lower legs 29.6 ± 23.5 <em>vs.</em> 4.4 ± 0.9, <em>p</em> = 0.0003, but not for the tongue 13.9 ± 3.2 <em>vs.</em> 13.0 ± 3.3, <em>p</em> = 0.393. MUMRI is an attractive non-invasive biomarker, which could be used to monitor progression & response in SMA clinical trials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article 106337"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106334
Tahereh Neyaz , Kristin M Conway , Yining Yang , Russell J Butterfield , Swamy Venkatesh , Paul A Romitti , Katherine D Mathews , the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking and Research Network (MD STARnet)
Reports of clinical characteristics of FSHD in childhood have often focused on the most severely affected. To include children in clinical trials, it is important to understand the full pediatric spectrum. The Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network provides a population-based, cross-sectional cohort of children diagnosed with FSHD. Children diagnosed before 19 years of age during 2008–2019 were included (n = 93). Clinical characteristics abstracted from the medical record included motor symptoms, genetic test results, and family history. Of those with known FSHD type (n = 73 of 93, 78.8 %), 72 (98.6 %) had FSHD1. Among those with FSHD1, the most frequent D4Z4 repeat category was 1–3 repeats (n = 33, 45.8 %) and few had 7–10 repeats (n = 7, 9.7 %). Among those with FSHD1 and known symptom onset age (n = 70), 22 (31.4 %) had early onset disease. Overall, most (88.2 %) were ambulatory at last visit. The number of children diagnosed increased steadily across childhood, suggesting a continuous spectrum of age at onset. The most common co-morbidity was hearing loss (n = 19 of 93, 20.4 %); most commonly among children with FSHD1 and 1–3 D4Z4 repeats (n = 13 of 33, 39.4 %). Our series provides data to support the design of pediatric FSHD trials, critical to ensure timely access to future effective treatments.
{"title":"Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy diagnosed in childhood: a muscular dystrophy surveillance, tracking and research network cohort","authors":"Tahereh Neyaz , Kristin M Conway , Yining Yang , Russell J Butterfield , Swamy Venkatesh , Paul A Romitti , Katherine D Mathews , the Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking and Research Network (MD STARnet)","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reports of clinical characteristics of FSHD in childhood have often focused on the most severely affected. To include children in clinical trials, it is important to understand the full pediatric spectrum. The Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network provides a population-based, cross-sectional cohort of children diagnosed with FSHD. Children diagnosed before 19 years of age during 2008–2019 were included (<em>n</em> = 93). Clinical characteristics abstracted from the medical record included motor symptoms, genetic test results, and family history. Of those with known FSHD type (<em>n</em> = 73 of 93, 78.8 %), 72 (98.6 %) had FSHD1. Among those with FSHD1, the most frequent D4Z4 repeat category was 1–3 repeats (<em>n</em> = 33, 45.8 %) and few had 7–10 repeats (<em>n</em> = 7, 9.7 %). Among those with FSHD1 and known symptom onset age (<em>n</em> = 70), 22 (31.4 %) had early onset disease. Overall, most (88.2 %) were ambulatory at last visit. The number of children diagnosed increased steadily across childhood, suggesting a continuous spectrum of age at onset. The most common co-morbidity was hearing loss (<em>n</em> = 19 of 93, 20.4 %); most commonly among children with FSHD1 and 1–3 D4Z4 repeats (<em>n</em> = 13 of 33, 39.4 %). Our series provides data to support the design of pediatric FSHD trials, critical to ensure timely access to future effective treatments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article 106334"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145982040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106335
Elizabeth Ulm Seiwert , Xinrui Shi , Alyxis Coyan , Sarah Crawford , Ammar Husami , Cuixia Tian , Alex Zygmunt , Hani Kushlaf , Jie Liu , Chinmayee B Nagaraj
Pathogenic copy number and sequence variants in the dystrophin (DMD) gene cause X-linked dystrophinopathies. Predicting the clinical consequences of intragenic DMD duplications is challenging because their functional impact depends on the physical location of the duplicated material, which cannot be determined through conventional testing. Optical genome mapping is a method of structural variant analysis that can identify both the quantity and location of rearranged segments. We report three male patients with intragenic DMD duplications whose significance was revised using clinical optical genome mapping. Two were inserted outside of the DMD gene and reclassified as likely benign. The third was situated in tandem with the original sequence and reclassified as pathogenic. These cases emphasize the importance of evaluating the genomic location of DMD duplications, particularly when the patient’s phenotype does not align with their genotype classification, and highlight the implications for clinical management and genetic counseling.
{"title":"Reclassification of intragenic DMD gene duplications by optical genome mapping resolves uncertainty and improves clinical management","authors":"Elizabeth Ulm Seiwert , Xinrui Shi , Alyxis Coyan , Sarah Crawford , Ammar Husami , Cuixia Tian , Alex Zygmunt , Hani Kushlaf , Jie Liu , Chinmayee B Nagaraj","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106335","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106335","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pathogenic copy number and sequence variants in the dystrophin (<em>DMD</em>) gene cause X-linked dystrophinopathies. Predicting the clinical consequences of intragenic <em>DMD</em> duplications is challenging because their functional impact depends on the physical location of the duplicated material, which cannot be determined through conventional testing. Optical genome mapping is a method of structural variant analysis that can identify both the quantity and location of rearranged segments. We report three male patients with intragenic <em>DMD</em> duplications whose significance was revised using clinical optical genome mapping. Two were inserted outside of the <em>DMD</em> gene and reclassified as likely benign. The third was situated in tandem with the original sequence and reclassified as pathogenic. These cases emphasize the importance of evaluating the genomic location of <em>DMD</em> duplications, particularly when the patient’s phenotype does not align with their genotype classification, and highlight the implications for clinical management and genetic counseling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article 106335"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145982079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106333
Dhruv Nandakumar , Salman Bhai
Rhabdomyolysis is a poorly understood condition characterized by the rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. Recurrent episodes are very debilitating, and these patients often undergo extensive workup with no etiology identified. Maximal cycle exercise testing (CPX) provides numerical markers which when elevated can provide evidence of a peripheral limitation to exercise. Twenty-three patients with recurrent rhabdomyolysis episodes performed ramp cycle testing where they pedaled between 60-70 rpm at 2 sub-maximal and one maximal exercise state. Data collected included heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, oxygen consumption, and cardiac output. These patients’ files were also queried for EMG, DNA, or biopsy testing. Only 2 of 10 EMG studies showed myopathic studies, 1 of which was associated with an underlying myopathy. 20 muscle biopsies showed normal non-specific changes with only 1 indicating a possible underlying myopathy. Nuclear DNA testing only identified a definitive cause in 1 of 20 cases with an additional 12 showing variants of unknown significance in rhabdomyolysis associated genes. 4 patients had an elevated ratio of cardiac output to maximal oxygen consumption, all of which had positive mitochondrial DNA testing. CPX shows potential as a non-invasive method of identifying people at risk of recurrent rhabdomyolysis episodes before further testing. Further studies exploring the role of polygenic mutations in rhabdomyolysis would be beneficial.
{"title":"Evaluating efficacy of clinical tools in determining causes of recurrent rhabdomyolysis","authors":"Dhruv Nandakumar , Salman Bhai","doi":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106333","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.nmd.2026.106333","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rhabdomyolysis is a poorly understood condition characterized by the rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. Recurrent episodes are very debilitating, and these patients often undergo extensive workup with no etiology identified. Maximal cycle exercise testing (CPX) provides numerical markers which when elevated can provide evidence of a peripheral limitation to exercise. Twenty-three patients with recurrent rhabdomyolysis episodes performed ramp cycle testing where they pedaled between 60-70 rpm at 2 sub-maximal and one maximal exercise state. Data collected included heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, oxygen consumption, and cardiac output. These patients’ files were also queried for EMG, DNA, or biopsy testing. Only 2 of 10 EMG studies showed myopathic studies, 1 of which was associated with an underlying myopathy. 20 muscle biopsies showed normal non-specific changes with only 1 indicating a possible underlying myopathy. Nuclear DNA testing only identified a definitive cause in 1 of 20 cases with an additional 12 showing variants of unknown significance in rhabdomyolysis associated genes. 4 patients had an elevated ratio of cardiac output to maximal oxygen consumption, all of which had positive mitochondrial DNA testing. CPX shows potential as a non-invasive method of identifying people at risk of recurrent rhabdomyolysis episodes before further testing. Further studies exploring the role of polygenic mutations in rhabdomyolysis would be beneficial.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":19135,"journal":{"name":"Neuromuscular Disorders","volume":"60 ","pages":"Article 106333"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146024495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}