Gaucher disease: expression and characterization of mild and severe acid beta-glucosidase mutations in Portuguese type 1 patients

Type 1 Gaucher disease (GD), the most prevalent lysosomal storage disease, results from the deficient activity of acid alpha-glucosidase. Molecular analysis of 12 unrelated Portuguese patients with type 1 GD identified three novel acid â-glucosidase mutations (F109V, W184R and R395P), as well as three previously reported, but uncharacterized, lesions (R359Q, G377S and N396T). The type 1 probands were either heteroallelic for the well-characterized common lesion, N370S, and the F109V, W184R, R359Q or N396T lesions or homoallelic for the G377S or N396T mutations. Expression of the W184R, R359Q, and R395P mutations revealed very low specific activities based on cross-reacting immunologic material (CRIM SAs of 0.0004, 0.016 and 0.045, respectively), consistent with their being found only in type 1 patients who had a neuroprotective N370S allele. In contrast, the F109V, G377S and N396T alleles had significant acid â-glucosidase activity (CRIM specific activities of 0.15, 0.17, 0.14, respectively), in agreement with their being mild type 1 alleles. Thus, these studies identified additional acid â-glucosidase mutations in the Portuguese population and demonstrated that the G377S and N396T mutations were neuroprotective, consistent with the mild clinical phenotypes of the type 1 patients who were homoallelic for the G377S and N396T lesions

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: Cause of a Cardiogenic Shock

A miocardiopatia de Takotsubo, de etiologia desconhecida, caracteriza-se pela disfunção sistólica súbita e transitória dos segmentos médio-apicais do ventrículo esquerdo, sem doença coronária significativa, com total normalização das alterações segmentares. É mais frequente em mulheres de meia-idade, implicando diagnóstico diferencial com a sindrome coronária aguda. Apresentamos o caso de uma mulher de 59 anos que recorreu ao Serviço de Urgência por dispneia súbita e dor torácica. À admissão apresentava-se em edema pulmonar agudo hipotensivo com necessidade de suporte aminérgico e ventilação invasiva. A avaliação analítica demonstrava elevação dos marcadores cardíacos. Electrocardiogramas seriados em ritmo sinusal com inversão progressiva da onda T nas derivações precordiais (v2 - v6). Ecocardiogramas de controlo revelando acinésia apical com diminuição da função sistólica global, e reversão total das alterações em duas semanas. Admitido choque cardiogénico de etiologia não esclarecida foi excluída doença coronária, sustentando o diagnóstico de miocardiopatia de Takotsubo

Undifferentiated Sarcoma of the Liver in the Adult

Os AA apresentam um caso clínico de sarcoma indiferenciado do fígado no adulto com metástases pulmonares, cardíacas e com recidiva local hepática. Salienta-se a contribuição dos exames complementares de diagnóstico, com especial relevo para a ecocardiografia no diagnóstico precoce de metástases intracardiacas. Não encontrámos qualquer outro caso descrito na literatura portuguesa

Echocardiography in Emergency

A optimização do uso da ecocardiografia encontra-se longe de ter sido alcançada. A dificuldade ou impossibilidade de permanência física hospitalar de cardiologista com experiência em ecocardiografia nas 24horas, levou à abertura e divulgação desta técnica a outras especialidades que lidam com o doente urgente. O reconhecimento da importância da ecocardiografia no diagnóstico, prognóstico e implicação terapêutica de múltiplas patologias, tem obrigado a uma aprendizagem com vários níveis de diferenciação, devendo ser apoiada e integrada num grupo de referência em ecocardiografia. Os autores fazem uma revisão de alguns aspectos da aplicação da ecocardiografia em urgência. Salientam a importância da formação contínua e da creditação, como exigências fundamentais para o exercício desta técnica

Phenylketonuria in Portugal: Genotype-Phenotype Correlations Using Molecular, Biochemical, and Haplotypic Analyses

The impairment of the hepatic enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) causes elevation of phenylalanine levels in blood and other body fluids resulting in the most common inborn error of amino acid metabolism (phenylketonuria). Persistently high levels of phenylalanine lead to irreversible damage to the nervous system. Therefore, early diagnosis of the affected individuals is important, as it can prevent clinical manifestations of the disease.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effectiveness of newborn screening for mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation disorders

RESUMO Objectivos: Avaliar o contributo do diagnóstico precoce na redução da pesada morbilidade e mortalidade que se associa aos defeitos da B-oxidação mitocondrial dos ácidos gordos. Método: Avaliação clínica e bioquímica retrospectiva dos doentes com defeitos da B-oxidação mitocondrial dos ácidos gordos (défice em desidrogenases dos ácidos gordos de cadeia média - MCAD, défice em desidrogenases dos ácidos gordos de cadeia longa - LCHAD e défice múltiplo das desidrogenases dos ácidos gordos - MADD), diagnosticados de forma assintomática pelo rastreio metabólico neonatal alargado, ou diagnosticados préviamente em fase sintomática. Registou-se idade de diagnóstico e de início de tratamento, primeiros sintomas, clínica à data de diagnóstico, descompensações e evolução. Resultados: Foram identificados e incluídos 11 doentes com doenças hereditárias do metabolismo nomeadamente: cinco doentes com MCAD, três com LCHAD e três com MADD. Em seis doentes o diagnóstico foi sintomático. Nestes, as primeiras manifestações da doença ocorreram entre o primeiro dia e o ano de idade, havendo registo de vários episódios de descompensação antes do diagnóstico. Neste grupo de doentes a mortalidade foi de 66%. Nos restantes cinco doentes o rastreio neonatal efectuado entre o 3º e o 6º dia de vida possibilitou um diagnóstico precoce. A mortalidade nestes foi nula e estão clinicamente assintomáticos, não havendo internamentos por descompensação grave. Conclusões: O diagnóstico présintomático e o início de um tratamento capaz de prevenir ou minimizar o impacto das situações de descompensação aguda e as complicações a longo prazo reduzem de forma efectiva a mortalidade e a morbilidade. ABSTRACT Aims: To evaluate the contribution of neonatal screening in morbidity and mortality of beta mitochondrial fatty-acid oxidation. Methods: Retrospective clinical and biochemical evaluation of patients with mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation disorders (medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency - MCAD, long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency - LCHAD and multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiencies - MADD. Analysis of age at diagnosis, clinical presentation and evolution, therapy effectiveness, number of acute episodes and physical and cognitive development. Results: We identified 11 patients with mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation disorders: 5 with MCAD; 3 with LCHAD and 3 with MADD. In six cases, the diagnosis was made by clinical symptoms and the median age at diagnosis was 2.7 years. Before the diagnosis, two of them had multiple hospitalizations for acute episodes and the mortality was 66%. In five patients, neonatal screening, between the 3rd and 6th day of life, made the diagnosis. In this group, all patients are clinically well, without episodes of decompensation. Conclusions: In this evaluation we verified that neonatal screening allowed a decrease of mortality and morbidity in mitochondrial fatty acid disorders

Molecular picture of cobalamin C/D defects before and after newborn screening era

Objective: Birth prevalence of Cobalamin (Cbl) C or D defects in Portugal is an estimated 1:85,000, one of the highest worldwide. We compared the genotype/phenotype of patients identified with CblC or CblD before and after the implementation of expanded newborn screening. Methods: Twenty-five Portuguese CblC/D patients, 14 symptomatic and 11 identified through screening, were diagnosed using gas chromatography or tandem mass spectrometry. Molecular characterization was performed through the study of MMACHC and MMADHC genes. Results: The most common MMACHC mutation, c.271dupA, was present in 100% of MMACHC alleles of all CblC screened patients, in contrast with the 61% identified before expanded newborn screening. All studied cases (except one, who presented a CblD deficiency) presented a CblC defect. More CblC late-onset patients were diagnosed before the introduction of newborn screening than in the post newborn screening era, probably because some early onset patients died without a definitive diagnosis. Conclusion: The molecular data found in this cohort contribute to the improvement of screening and diagnosis of Cbl defects and would enable a confirmatory diagnosis of these patients, reducing the need for complex, costly, laborious, and time-consuming biochemical/enzymatic tests.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Recurrent Pericardial Effusion. A Case of Primary Cardiac Angiosarcoma

A case of angiosarcoma of the right atrium in a 59-year-old woman is reported, presenting as a recurrent hematic pericardial effusion. The usefulness of echocardiography in making the diagnosis is emphasized. The tumor was already disseminated at the time of the diagnosis. The patient was on palliative therapy, dying a few months later. The histological examination was done at autopsy. This case highlights the difficulty in diagnosis and the various modalities available for an accurate diagnosis of a rare clinical entity. It has a rapid and aggressive course with a very poor prognosis

Recurrent Pericardial Effusion. A Case of Primary Cardiac Angiosarcoma

A case of angiosarcoma of the right atrium in a 59-year-old woman is reported, presenting as a recurrent hematic pericardial effusion. The usefulness of echocardiography in making the diagnosis is emphasized. The tumor was already disseminated at the time of the diagnosis. The patient was on palliative therapy, dying a few months later. The histological examination was done at autopsy. This case highlights the difficulty in diagnosis and the various modalities available for an accurate diagnosis of a rare clinical entity. It has a rapid and aggressive course with a very poor prognosis