A study of genetic leukodystrophies in Chinese children.

During 1986 and 1991, we had diagnosed 12 cases with genetic leukodystrophy including 9 cases with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), 1 case with globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD, Krabbe's disease), 1 case with neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy (NALD), and the other with probable Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (P-M disease). The clinical, biochemical, neurophysiological and neuroradiological features were reported. The diagnosis of MLD, GLD, NALD was confirmed by means of the measurement of serum arylsulfatase A activity, leukocyte galactocerebrosidase activity and serum very long chain fatty acids, respectively. The P-M disease was highly suspected according to clinical picture and evoked potential findings. All the brainstem auditary evoked potentials (BAEPs) and the scalp somatosensory evoked potentials (scalp SEPs) studies in 6 patients with MLD, 1 patient with GLD and 1 patient with NALD were abnormal. In patients with MLD or GLD, the nerve conduction velocity (NCV) studies showed moderate to severe slowing suggesting peripheral demyelinating neuropathy. Brain CT in patients with MLD or NALD demonstrated marked lucency in the white matter. Brain CTs in the patient with GLD showed progressive brain atrophy. In conclusion, though final diagnosis of genetic leukodystrophy should be established throughout biochemical studies, the neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies are of value as an aid to early diagnosis, prediction of clinical course and evaluation of prognosis for genetic leukodystrophy.