Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Biomarkers to Monitor Fabry Disease Progression.

Fabry disease is an invalidating multisystemic disorder affecting α-Galactosidase, a rate-limiting hydrolase dedicated to lipid catabolism. Non-metabolized substrates, such as Globotriaosylceramide and its derivatives trigger the direct or indirect activation of inflammatory events and endothelial dysfunction. In spite of the efficacy demonstrated by enzyme replacement therapy or pharmacological chaperones in delaying disease progression, few studies have analyzed whether these treatments can improve the pro-inflammatory state of FD patients. Therefore, the aim of this work was to assess cytokines and cardiovascular risk-related proteins detectable in plasma from FD patients, whether treated or not with ERT, to evaluate the reliability of these markers in monitoring disease stage and treatment effects. We identified inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction markers (ADAMTS-13, TNF-α, GDF-15, MIP-1ß, VEGFA, MPO, and MIC-1) that cooperate in a common pathway and are increased in FD patients' plasma samples. As shown by the assessment of these proteins over time, they can help to evaluate the risk of higher severity in FD, as well as ERT effects. Even though the analyzed proteins cannot be considered as proper biomarkers due to their non-specificity to FD, taken together they can provide a signature of reference molecules with prognostic value for early diagnosis, and evaluation of disease progression and treatment efficacy, using blood samples.

Survey on the management of Pompe disease in routine clinical practice in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of several clinical guidelines, not all health professionals use their recommendations to manage patients with Pompe disease, a rare genetic disorder involving high-impact therapy. Through several discussion meetings and a survey, the present study aimed to learn about the management of Pompe disease in routine clinical practice in Spain, to improve clinical care in a real-life situation. RESULTS: The survey was sent to 42 healthcare professionals who manage patients with Pompe disease in their clinical practice. Although most respondents followed the clinical guidelines, clinical practice differed from the expert recommendations in many cases. Approximately 7% did not request a genetic study to confirm the diagnosis before starting treatment, and 21% considered that only two dried blood spot determinations suffice to establish the diagnosis. About 76% requested anti-GAA antibodies when there is a suspicion of lack of treatment efficacy, though a significant percentage of respondents have never requested such antibodies. According to 31% of the respondents, significant impairment of motor function and/or respiratory insufficiency is a requirement for authorizing medication at their hospital. Up to 26% waited for improvements over the clinical follow-up to maintain treatment and withdrew it in the absence of improvement since they did not consider disease stabilization to be a satisfactory outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the lack of experience and/or knowledge of some professionals caring for patients with Pompe disease. It is necessary to develop and disseminate simple guidelines that help to apply the expert recommendations better or centralize patient follow-up in highly specialized centers.

Efficacy and Safety of Tinzaparin in Prophylactic, Intermediate and Therapeutic Doses in Non-Critically Ill Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19: The PROTHROMCOVID Randomized Controlled Trial.

Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 are at increased risk of thrombosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome and death. The optimal dosage of thromboprophylaxis is unknown. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tinzaparin in prophylactic, intermediate, and therapeutic doses in non-critical patients admitted for COVID-19 pneumonia. PROTHROMCOVID is a randomized, unblinded, controlled, multicenter trial enrolling non-critical, hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Patients were randomized to prophylactic (4500 IU), intermediate (100 IU/kg), or therapeutic (175 IU/kg) groups. All tinzaparin doses were administered once daily during hospitalization, followed by 7 days of prophylactic tinzaparin at discharge. The primary efficacy outcome was a composite endpoint of symptomatic systemic thrombotic events, need for invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation, or death within 30 days. The main safety outcome was major bleeding at 30 days. Of the 311 subjects randomized, 300 were included in the prespecified interim analysis (mean [SD] age, 56.7 [14.6] years; males, 182 [60.7%]). The composite endpoint at 30 days from randomization occurred in 58 patients (19.3%) of the total population; 19 (17.1 %) in the prophylactic group, 20 (22.1%) in the intermediate group, and 19 (18.5%) in the therapeutic dose group (p = 0.72). No major bleeding event was reported; non-major bleeding was observed in 3.7% of patients, with no intergroup differences. Due to these results and the futility analysis, the trial was stopped. In non-critically ill COVID-19 patients, intermediate or full-dose tinzaparin compared to standard prophylactic doses did not appear to affect the risk of thrombotic event, non-invasive ventilation, or mechanical ventilation or death. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT04730856). Edura-CT registration number: 2020-004279-42.

Preliminary results of a screening program for anal cancer and its precursors for HIV-infected men who have sex with men in Vigo-Spain.

BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have the highest risk of developing anal cancer (AC). The objective of this study was to describe our screening implementation program in this population, and report the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) anal infection, and cytological and histological findings in a Spanish medium-size community (Vigo, Spain). METHOD: Prospective cohort analysis of 240 HIV-infected MSM. Cellular anal sample and high risk HPV (HR-HPV)-tests were performed to study cytological changes and HPV genotyping. High resolution anoscopy (HRA) was performed in 209 patients. Results were analyzed with respect to epidemiological, clinical and analytical factors. RESULTS: Of 209 patients selected for HRA, the prevalence of HR-HPV anal infection, cytological and histological alterations was 85.6%, 47.5%, and 39.8%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for ≥ ASCUS (atypia of squamous cells of undetermined significance) cytology in relation to histological alterations were 61% and 85%, (OR: 8.7; IC 95%: 4.4-17.2), respectively. Observed concordance between high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) cytology and HSIL anal intraepithelial neoplasia types 2 and 3 (AIN-2/3) histology was 64% (OR: 11.4; IC 95%: 3.6-36.7). One patient with HSIL cytology presented a prevalent anal squamous carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: HRA was feasible with similar results to relevant groups. There was a high prevalence of anal HR-HPV infection, and cytological and histological alterations.

[Venous thrombosis associated with central venous catheter use in patients with cancer]. / Trombosis venosa asociada a catéter venoso central en pacientes con cáncer.

The use of central venous catheters for various applications (administration of chemotherapy, blood products and others) in patients with cancer is increasingly frequent. The association between thrombosis and catheter use has been fully established but aspects such as its causes, diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment have not. We describe a case of thrombosis in a patient with cancer treated with chemotherapy who carried a central venous catheter. We also perform a review of the risk factors, the role of the prophylaxis and the treatment.

[Comparison of patients from a Spanish Registry of Fabry disease in two periods]. / Comparación de los pacientes de un registro español de enfermedad de Fabry en dos periodos de tiempo.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Fabry disease (FD) is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A, that leads to multiorgan dysfunction and premature death. Data from the first 24 Spanish patients enrolled on the Fabry Outcome Survey (FOS) were published in 2004, with a significant increase in the number of patients since then. This manuscript analyzes whether the clinical profile or diagnosis of these patients between the 2 periods has changed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 2009 the FOS included data from 92 patients. Patients included up to 2003 and those included after that year (68) were compared by sex, regarding age at onset of symptoms and diagnosis, severity and previous misdiagnoses. Similar analysis was performed between the index cases (31) and the other patients. RESULTS: Mean delay in diagnosis was 10 years for both sexes. Male had a classic phenotype, and up to 40% of the females reported symptoms. In females, the enzyme activity seemed to determine disease severity. No differences were observed in any parameter when comparing the patients included in the first period to those included afterwards, nor when comparing index cases with the rest of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Registries like FOS have a great value to deepen our understanding of rare diseases. We confirm that women are not just carriers of the disease. There is still a lack of education and awareness in order to include FD in the differential diagnosis of other processes. Complete family studies would allow early diagnosis of this disorder.

Antiphospholipid syndrome mimicking multiple sclerosis in two patients.

Antiphospholipid syndrome can sometimes mimic multiple sclerosis symptoms and, therefore, present difficulties at the time of diagnosis. We describe the cases of two young women with recurrent neurological deficiencies, the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in serum, and typical demyelinating lesions on magnetic resonance imaging. Initiation of anticoagulant therapy did not result in any new neurological events in either patient.

[Fabry disease in Spain: first analysis of the response to enzyme replacement therapy]. / Enfermedad de Fabry en España: primer análisis de la respuesta al tratamiento de sustitución enzimática.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Fabry disease is a X-linked lysosomal disorder caused by a deficient activity of the enzyme alfa-galactosidase A. Lack of enzyme activity results in progressive accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) leading to multiorgan dysfunction and early death. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has recently become available and the database Fabry Outcome Survey (FOS) of Spain gives us the opportunity to asses the efficacy of this therapy. Our objective is to describe the safety and the effects on renal, cardiac and neurological (pain) aspects of ERT with agalsidase alfa. PATIENTS AND METHOD: The effects of 1, 2, 3 and 4 years of ERT with agalsidase alfa on renal function (assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate), proteinuria, heart size (assessed by echocardiography), arrhythmias, cardiac valvular anomalies and pain (assessed by the need of concomitant pain therapy) were analyzed in 33 patients under treatment. Safety of ERT was assessed by the reported infusion-related reactions in FOS. RESULTS: Overall, treatment with agalsidase alfa stabilized renal function, but the final result depends on the onset of ERT: there is a tendency to stabilization of renal function in those patients with mild deterioration of renal function, a tendency to improve in those patients with moderate deterioration and to worse in those with severe deterioration of renal function. Proteinuria and left ventricular heart size also estabilized under ERT, and pain improved. TSE infusion-related reactions occurred with an incidence of 0.7%. CONCLUSIONS: ERT with agalsidase alfa is safe and stabilized the abnormal clinical parameters observed in patients with Fabry disease.