Special Low Protein Foods Prescribed in England for PKU Patients: An Analysis of Prescribing Patterns and Cost.

Patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) are reliant on special low protein foods (SLPFs) as part of their dietary treatment. In England, several issues regarding the accessibility of SLPFs through the national prescribing system have been highlighted. Therefore, prescribing patterns and expenditure on all SLPFs available on prescription in England (n = 142) were examined. Their costs in comparison to regular protein-containing (n = 182) and 'free-from' products (n = 135) were also analysed. Similar foods were grouped into subgroups (n = 40). The number of units and costs of SLPFs prescribed in total and per subgroup from January to December 2020 were calculated using National Health Service (NHS) Business Service Authority (NHSBSA) ePACT2 (electronic Prescribing Analysis and Cost Tool) for England. Monthly patient SLPF units prescribed were calculated using patient numbers with PKU and non-PKU inherited metabolic disorders (IMD) consuming SLPFs. This was compared to the National Society for PKU (NSPKU) prescribing guidance. Ninety-eight percent of SLPF subgroups (n = 39/40) were more expensive than regular and 'free-from' food subgroups. However, costs to prescribe SLPFs are significantly less than theoretical calculations. From January to December 2020, 208,932 units of SLPFs were prescribed (excluding milk replacers), costing the NHS £2,151,973 (including milk replacers). This equates to £962 per patient annually, and prescribed amounts are well below the upper limits suggested by the NSPKU, indicating under prescribing of SLPFs. It is recommended that a simpler and improved system should be implemented. Ideally, specialist metabolic dietitians should have responsibility for prescribing SLPFs. This would ensure that patients with PKU have the necessary access to their essential dietary treatment, which, in turn, should help promote dietary adherence and improve metabolic control.

Enzyme replacement therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplant: a new paradigm of treatment in Wolman disease.

BACKGROUND: Wolman disease is a rare, lysosomal storage disorder in which biallelic variants in the LIPA gene result in reduced or complete lack of lysosomal acid lipase. The accumulation of the substrates; cholesterol esters and triglycerides, significantly impacts cellular function. Untreated patients die within the first 12 months of life. Clinically, patients present severely malnourished, with diarrhoea and hepatosplenomegaly, many have an inflammatory phenotype, including with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) had been historically the only treatment available but has a high procedure-related mortality because of disease progression and disease-associated morbidities. More recently, enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with dietary substrate reduction (DSR) has significantly improved patient survival. However, ERT is life long, expensive and its utility is limited by anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and the need for central venous access. RESULTS: We describe five Wolman disease patients diagnosed in infancy that were treated at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital receiving ERT with DSR then HCT-multimodal therapy. In 3/5 an initial response to ERT was attenuated by ADA with associated clinical and laboratory features of deterioration. 1/5 developed anaphylaxis to ERT and the other patient died post HCT with ongoing HLH. All patients received allogeneic HCT. 4/5 patients are alive, and both disease phenotype and laboratory parameters are improved compared to when they were on ERT alone. The gastrointestinal symptoms are particularly improved after HCT, with reduced diarrhoea and vomiting. This allows gradual structured normalisation of diet with improved tolerance of dietary fat. Histologically there are reduced cholesterol clefts, fewer foamy macrophages and an improved villous structure. Disease biomarkers also show improvement with ERT, immunotherapy and HCT. Three patients have mixed chimerism after HCT, indicating a likely engraftment-defect in this condition. CONCLUSION: We describe combined ERT, DSR and HCT, multimodal treatment for Wolman disease. ERT and DSR stabilises the sick infant and reduces the formerly described prohibitively high, transplant-associated mortality in this condition. HCT abrogates the problems of ERT, namely attenuating ADA, the need for continuing venous access, and continuing high cost drug treatment. HCT also brings improved efficacy, particularly evident in improved gastrointestinal function and histology. Multimodal therapy should be considered a new paradigm of treatment for Wolman disease patients where there is an attenuated response to ERT, and for all patients where there is a well-matched transplant donor, in order to improve long term gut function, tolerance of a normal diet and quality of life.

The natural history of glycogen storage disease type Ib in England: A multisite survey.

Glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSDIb) is characterized by hepatomegaly and fasting hypoglycaemia as well as neutropaenia and recurrent infections. We conducted a retrospective observational study on a cohort of patients with GSDIb across England. A total of 35 patients, with a median age of 9.1 years (range 1-39 years), were included in the study. We examined the genotype and phenotype of all patients and reported 14 novel alleles. The phenotype of GSDIb in England involves a short fasting tolerance that extends into adulthood and a high prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Growth is difficult to manage and neutropaenia and recurrent infections persist throughout life. Liver transplantation was performed in nine patients, which normalized fasting tolerance but did not correct neutropaenia. This is the first natural history study on the cohort of GSDIb patients in England.

The use of continuous glucose monitoring in the practical management of glycogen storage disorders.

Continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) are now in widespread use in diabetes management with an increasing evidence base. There are few reports of their use in GSD. Liver glycogen storage disorders (GSDs) are most often managed by intensive dietary regimens. Risks of over and under-treatment remain. We describe our use of CGMS in a cohort of GSD patients, the results obtained and the frequency of complications. Our experience is that CGM is a reliable, well accepted and valid tool in the monitoring of GSD patients and allows for assessment of blood sugar control in the 'real-life' setting, unlike hospital admissions. Combining CGM with urine ketone and / or blood lactate measurements, again at home, improves the investigation yet further. It is possible to perform CGM for periods including both schooldays and weekends, and also to change the dietary regimen during the period of monitoring to reduce the frequency of assessments. Risks of decreased reliability in the low range of blood sugars may be outweighed by the increased validity of the patient being in the home environment, with a normal diet and activity schedule.

Blood phenylalanine control in adolescents with phenylketonuria.

In order to determine the degree of compliance with dietary treatment in adolescents with phenylketonuria (PKU) we have analysed blood phenylalanine (phe) results in 75 patients (42 male) aged between 10 and 20 years. We compared these results with the upper limit for blood phe and the blood sampling frequency as recommended by the United Kingdom's National Society for Phenylketonuria (NSPKU(UK)). The blood phe increased with age from a mean (1SD) of 0.51 mmol/l (0.19) at 10 years to 0.98 mmol/l (0.30) by 20 years. A mean of 17% (24) of samples were above the recommended range at 10 years, but this had increased to a mean of 75% (33) by 20 yrs. The frequency of blood sampling fell from a mean of 83% (32) of that recommended to under 51% (37) by 20 years. Control was not significantly better in females compared with males. We conclude that although compliance with treatment in PKU is acceptable for most patients at 10 years this is not the case by late adolescents and early adulthood.