Search

Fabry disease is an invalidating multisystemic disorder affecting α-Galactosidase, a rate-limiting hydrolase dedicated to lipid catabolism. Non-metabolized substrates, such as Globotriaosylceramide and its derivatives trigger the direct or indirect activation of inflammatory events and endothelial dysfunction. In spite of the efficacy demonstrated by enzyme replacement therapy or pharmacological chaperones in delaying disease progression, few studies have analyzed whether these treatments can improve the pro-inflammatory state of FD patients. Therefore, the aim of this work was to assess cytokines and cardiovascular risk-related proteins detectable in plasma from FD patients, whether treated or not with ERT, to evaluate the reliability of these markers in monitoring disease stage and treatment effects. We identified inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction markers (ADAMTS-13, TNF-α, GDF-15, MIP-1β, VEGFA, MPO, and MIC-1) that cooperate in a common pathway and are increased in FD patients’ plasma samples. As shown by the assessment of these proteins over time, they can help to evaluate the risk of higher severity in FD, as well as ERT effects. Even though the analyzed proteins cannot be considered as proper biomarkers due to their non-specificity to FD, taken together they can provide a signature of reference molecules with prognostic value for early diagnosis, and evaluation of disease progression and treatment efficacy, using blood samples.

Abstract Background Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked condition caused by variants in the GLA gene. Since females have two X chromosomes, they were historically thought to be carriers. Although increased knowledge has shown that females often develop the disease, data from Spain and other countries reported that females were undertreated. The aim of this study was to provide a wider and more recent description of the disease characteristics and associated management of females with a GLA variant in a Spanish cohort. Results Ninety-seven females from 12 hospitals were included in this retrospective study. Mean age was 50.1 ± 17.2 years. Median follow-up time from GLA variant identification was 36.1 months, and most (70.1%) were identified through family screening. Variants associated with classic/non-classic phenotypes were similarly distributed (40.2%/53.6%). Missense variants were the most prevalent (n = 84, 86.6%). In the overall group, 70.4% had major organ involvement (i.e., cardiac, renal, cerebrovascular, peripheral nervous system or gastrointestinal), and 47.3% also had typical Fabry signs (angiokeratoma, cornea verticillata or increased plasma lyso-Gb3). Cardiac involvement was the most prevalent (49.5%) and the main reason for treatment initiation. A total of 33 (34%) patients received disease-specific therapy, 55% of whom were diagnosed by family screening. Females carrying variants associated with a classic phenotype had higher frequencies of clinical manifestations (92.3%) and were predominant in the treated subgroup (69.7%). Despite this, there were 34 untreated females (56.7% of total untreated), with both phenotypes represented, who had major organ involvement, with 27 of cardiac, renal or cerebrovascular nature. Age or comorbidities in this subgroup were comparable to the treated subgroup (P = 0.8 and P = 0.8, respectively). Conclusions Efforts have been made in recent years to diagnose and treat timely Fabry females in Spain. A high percentage of females with pathogenic variants, regardless of their associated phenotype, will likely develop disease. A proportion of females with severe disease in this cohort received specific treatment. Still a significant number of females, even with same profile as the treated ones, who may be eligible for treatment according to European recommendations, remained untreated. Reasons for this merit further investigation.

Fabry disease may be treated by enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), but the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the response to therapy remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to analyse the incidence and predictors of clinical events in patients on ERT. Study design: Multicentre retrospective observational analysis of patients diagnosed and treated with ERT for Fabry disease. The primary outcome was the first renal, neurological or cardiological events or death during a follow-up of 60 months (24–120). Results: In 69 patients (42 males, 27 females, mean age 44.6 ± 13.7 years), at the end of follow-up, eGFR and the left ventricular septum thickness remained stable and the urinary albumin: creatinine ratio tended to decrease, but this decrease only approached significance in patients on agalsidase-beta (242–128 mg/g (p = 0.05). At the end of follow-up, 21 (30%) patients had suffered an incident clinical event: 6 renal, 2 neurological and 13 cardiological (including 3 deaths). Events were more frequent in patients with baseline eGFR ≤ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (log Rank 12.423, p = 0.001), and this remained significant even after excluding incident renal events (log Rank 4.086, p = 0.043) and in males and in females. Lower baseline eGFR was associated with a 3- to 7-fold increase the risk of clinical events in different Cox models. Conclusions: GFR at the initiation of ERT is the main predictor of clinical events, both in males and in females, suggesting that start of ERT prior to the development of CKD is associated with better outcomes. Resumen: El objetivo de este estudio es realizar un mapa del tratamiento actual de la enfermedad de Fabry en España, analizando el efecto de diferentes factores en el desarrollo de eventos clínicos a largo plazo. Diseño del estudio: Análisis observacional retrospectivo multicéntrico. Criterios de inclusión: pacientes diagnosticados y tratados de enfermedad de Fabry. Se recogieron datos generales en relación con el diagnóstico, síntomas y tipo mutación, tipo de tratamiento recibido, evolución renal y cardiológica. Durante un tiempo de seguimiento de 60 meses (24-120), se recogió el primer evento clínico tras el inicio de tratamiento sustitutivo enzimático definido como mortalidad, evento renal, cardiológico o neurológico. Resultados: Se incluyeron 69 pacientes (42 H, 27 M) con una edad media de 44,6 ± 13,7 años. A los cinco años de tratamiento, el FGe y la hipertrofia ventricular izquierda se mantuvieron estables, y la albuminuria tiende a disminuir, siendo este descenso más significativo en el grupo de pacientes tratados con beta-galactosidasa (de 242 a 128 mg/g (p = 0,05). Veintiún pacientes sufrieron un evento clínico (30%): seis renales, dos neurológicos y 13 cardiológicos (incluidas tres muertes). Los pacientes con ERC (FGe