Heart problems in late-onset Pompe disease appear milder and less specific than in the disease’s infantile-onset form, a review study found. While heart scans can detect these changes, further research is needed to fully understand them, according to the researchers, who reviewed data from 11 previous studies. “Knowledge of…
Disease progression
Certain immune cells in people with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) show abnormal activation that may be linked to differences in how patients respond to treatment, a new study suggests. Researchers found that T-cells, a type of immune cell that helps coordinate the body’s response to infections and other threats,…
Measuring levels of glucose tetrasaccharide (Glc4) in urine may offer a simple, noninvasive way to identify people with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) who are at higher risk of worsening muscle decline, even while receiving enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). That’s according to a real-world analysis…
A baby boy with infantile-onset Pompe disease and a severely enlarged heart was treated early with Nexviazyme (avalglucosidase alfa), a next-generation enzyme replacement therapy from Sanofi, leading to rapid and sustained improvement of heart function, according to a case report from Japan. “These findings may support the…
For people with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) who are diagnosed before developing symptoms, treatment can be delayed until signs of the condition become apparent, but regular monitoring is essential so that therapy is not delayed when it is needed. That’s the argument made by a team of scientists in…
A new noninvasive imaging tool called quantitative muscle ultrasound, or QMUS, can detect progressive muscle disease in people with infantile-onset Pompe disease (IOPD) who are on enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), according to a small study by U.S. researchers. The study found that QMUS correlated with functional status and…
Switching from Lumizyme (alglucosidase alfa) to Nexviazyme (avalglucosidase alfa) stabilizes or improves lung function in people with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD). That’s according to new analyses from the COMET Phase 3 clinical trial and its open-label extension study, which showed the benefits of switching to Nexviazyme were…
Reduced activity of the COL13A1 gene, which codes for a protein involved in the communication between nerves and muscles, may contribute to the neuromuscular dysfunction and muscle weakness seen in people with Pompe disease, a new study suggests. This gene’s activity seems to be mediated by levels of glucose…
A test that measures walking speed over 10 meters (33 feet) offers a simpler and less demanding alternative to the commonly used six-minute walk test for evaluating walking performance in Pompe disease, and may be a better option for patients who have difficulty covering longer distances. In a French…
Involvement in the brain and spinal cord’s white matter is common in Pompe disease, particularly in the infantile-onset form, according to a review of published studies. Other affected parts of the brain and spinal cord, or central nervous system (CNS), were the gray matter and blood vessels in the…
Recent Posts
- Learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable as a rare disease parent
- New GAA mutations destabilize key enzyme in Pompe disease: Study
- The things people say when they don’t know what to say
- Combination therapy helps control allergic reaction to ERT for Pompe
- Pompe disease hasn’t changed my desire to have a friend and be a friend