McCarron Eamon P, Oldham Andrew, Herwadkar Amit, Jenkinson Sarah, Campbell Christopher, Neal Kate, Church Heather J, Cooper James A, Stepien Karolina M
Adult Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Salford Care Organization, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK.
Department of Neuroradiology, Salford Care Organization, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK.
Am J Med Genet A. 2025 Jul;197(7):e64031. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.64031. Epub 2025 Feb 28.
Krabbe disease (KD), or globoid cell leukodystrophy, is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency in galactocerebrosidase (GALC), leading to psychosine (galactosylsphingosine) accumulation and myelin damage. The natural history of the attenuated form is poorly understood, but it typically presents with spastic paraparesis, progressing more slowly than the early-onset or infantile variant. Diagnosis relies on a high index of clinical suspicion, imaging studies, biochemistry, and molecular analysis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrates characteristic corticospinal tract involvement, while cerebrospinal fluid analysis can reveal elevated protein levels. We present a case of late-onset KD in a 55-year-old male with a novel pathogenic GALC variant, aiming to highlight the features and investigation findings that should prompt consideration of the diagnosis. In addition, we describe the course of illness, emphasizing the importance of multi-disciplinary team (MDT) input in patient care and the role of novel blood-based and imaging biomarkers.
克拉伯病(KD),即球形细胞脑白质营养不良,是一种罕见的常染色体隐性溶酶体贮积症,由半乳糖脑苷脂酶(GALC)缺乏引起,导致精神鞘氨醇(半乳糖基鞘氨醇)蓄积和髓鞘损伤。对症状较轻型的自然病程了解甚少,但通常表现为痉挛性截瘫,进展比早发型或婴儿型变体更为缓慢。诊断依赖于高度的临床怀疑指数、影像学检查、生物化学和分子分析。磁共振成像(MRI)显示特征性的皮质脊髓束受累,而脑脊液分析可显示蛋白质水平升高。我们报告一例55岁男性迟发型KD病例,其携带一种新的致病性GALC变体,旨在突出应促使考虑该诊断的特征和检查结果。此外,我们描述了疾病的病程,强调多学科团队(MDT)在患者护理中的重要性以及新型血液和影像学生物标志物的作用。