Case Report
EnzymeReplacementTherapy(ERT)onHeartFunctionChanges
theOutcomeinPatientswithInfantile-OnsetPompeDisease:A
Familial History
MarcoLecis ,
1
KatiaRossi ,
2
MariaElenaGuerzoni ,
3
Ilaria Mariotti ,
3
andLorenzoIughetti
1,3
1
Post-Graduate School of Pediatrics, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mother Children and Adults,
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41124, Italy
2
Neonatology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mother Children and Adults,
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41124, Italy
3
Pediatrics Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Mother Children and Adults,
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo 71, Modena 41124, Italy
CorrespondenceshouldbeaddressedtoLorenzoIughetti;iughetti.lorenzo@unimore.it
Received 11 August 2022; Revised 8 November 2022; Accepted 6 February 2023; Published 17 February 2023
AcademicEditor:VjekoslavKrzelj
Copyright©2023MarcoLecisetal.TisisanopenaccessarticledistributedundertheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Background. Lysosomal acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) defciency, also known as Pompe disease, is an autosomal recessive
disorder that leads to the accumulation of glycogen in lysosomes and cytoplasm, resulting in tissue destruction. Infantile-onset
GAA defciency is characterized by cardiomyopathy and severe generalized hypotonia. Without treatment, most patients die
withinthefrsttwoyearsoflife.TedemonstrationofreducedGAAactivity,followedbysequencingoftheGAAgene,confrms
the disease. GAA defciency is currently treated with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with improved clinical outcomes and
survival. Case Presentation. We describe the case of DGAA in two siblings, in which the diagnostic time point, treatment, and
outcomes were completely diferent. Te girl was diagnosed with DGAA at the age of 6months during investigations for poor
weight gain and excessive sleepiness. Te fnding of severe cardiomyopathy through EKG and echocardiography led to the
suspicionofstoragedisease,andtheGAAdefciencywaslaterconfrmedbygeneticanalysis.Tegirldiedofcomplicationsdueto
theclinicalpicturebeforestartingERT.Conversely,heryoungerbrotherhadtheopportunitytoreceiveanearlydiagnosisandthe
rapidonsetofERT.Heisshowingaregressionofcardiachypertrophy. Conclusion.TeadventofERTimprovedclinicaloutcomes
andsurvivalininfantile-onsetPD.Itsimpactoncardiacfunctionisstillunderstudy,butdiferentreportsintheliteraturehave
shownencouragingdata.EarlyrecognitionofDGAAandpromptinitiationofERTisthereforecrucialtopreventtheprogression
of the disease and improve the outcomes.
1.Introduction
Lysosomal acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA, also called acid
maltase) defciency (Pompe disease, formerly classifed as
glycogenstoragediseasetypeII(GSDII))isarareautosomal
recessive disorder with considerable allelic heterogeneity. It
is caused by pathogenic variants in the gene for GAA.
Defciency of GAA (DGAA) leads to the accumulation of
glycogeninlysosomesandcytoplasm,whichresultsintissue
destruction, most afecting the skeletal muscle [1, 2].
Infantile-onset DGAA is characterized by cardiomyopathy
and severe generalized hypotonia. Without treatment, most
patientsdiewithinthefrsttwoyearsoflife[3,4].Late-onset
disease(juvenileandadultpresentation)ischaracterizedby
skeletalmyopathy(usuallyinalimb-girdledistribution)and
a protracted course leading to respiratory failure without
cardiomyopathy [5]. Infantile-onset DGAA should be sus-
pected in infants with profound hypotonia and cardiac
insufciency [6, 7]. Juvenile or adult-onset DAA should be
consideredinpatientswithprogressiveweaknessinalimb-
Hindawi
Case Reports in Pediatrics
Volume 2023, Article ID 8470341, 5 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/8470341