Fabry disease in Spain: description of Spanish patients and a comparison with other European countries using data from the Fabry Outcome Survey (FOS).

AIMS

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-chromosome-linked transmitted lysosomal storage disorder as a result of the deficient activity of enzyme α-galactosidase A. This leads to accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids associated with organ involvement and premature death. We report the clinical characteristics of Spanish patients enrolled on the Fabry Outcome Survey (FOS; an international multicentre registry for the disease) and also compare these data with those from the rest of Europe.

METHODS

Baseline clinical data of 92 patients (41 males and 51 females) are described and analysed globally and according to gender. We compare the data of Spanish patients with those previously published from the rest of Europe patients in FOS.

RESULTS

Mean age of onset of symptoms in men was 20, and 24 years in women, with a mean delay of 11 years to the diagnosis in both genders. The predominant clinical involvement in male patients was renal (69%), cardiac (66%) and neurological (60%), and for female patients, it was neurological (42%), cardiac (33%), keratopathy (30%) and nephropathy (28%). Disease severity was significantly higher in male patients. Compared to the rest of European FOS-patients, Spanish patients were diagnosed at an earlier age with a smaller proportion of disease-related involvement for most organ irrespective of gender, though not its global severity in male patients.

CONCLUSIONS

We present the largest cohort of Spanish patients diagnosed with FD. The pattern of involvement (though not its global severity) could be different in Spanish patients in comparison with others from Europe. Expanding the knowledge of FD will permit early diagnosis as well as the possibility of starting the specific treatment.