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Late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) is caused by a genetic deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA), leading to progressive limb-girdle weakness and respiratory impairment. The insidious onset of non-specific early symptoms often prohibits timely diagnosis. This study aimed to validate the high-risk screening criteria for LOPD in the Chinese population. A total of 726 patients were included, including 96 patients under 14 years of age. Dried blood spots (DBS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) were employed to evaluate serum GAA activity. Forty-four patients exhibited a decreased GAA activity, 16 (2.2%) of which were confirmed as LOPD by genetic testing. Three previously unreported GAA mutations were also identified. The median diagnostic delay was shortened to 3 years, which excelled the previous retrospective studies. At diagnosis, most patients exhibited impaired respiratory function and/or limb-girdle weakness. Elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) levels were more frequently observed in patients who manifested before age 16. Overall, high-risk screening is a feasible and efficient method to identify LOPD patients at an early stage. Patients over 1 year of age with either weakness in axial and/or proximal limb muscles, or unexplained respiratory distress shall be subject to GAA enzymatic test, while CK levels above 2 times the upper normal limit shall be an additional criterion for patients under 16. This modified high-risk screening criteria for LOPD requires further validation in larger Chinese cohorts.
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BACKGROUND: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive motor neuron disease that leads to multiple organ dysfunction. The advent of disease-modifying treatments makes the early diagnosis of SMA critical. Health information literacy is vital for obtaining, understanding, screening, and using health information. Considering the importance of early diagnosis and the challenges in obtaining accurate information on patients with SMA, this cross-sectional study assessed health information literacy among children with SMA and their caregivers in China. METHODS: Interviews with the caregivers of 10 patients with SMA were conducted by neurologists specializing in SMA. A questionnaire for evaluating the level of health information literacy was further developed among 145 children with SMA aged 10.0-120.0 months, with the average age of 81.9 months, and their caregivers. Parameters, such as the age at the onset of the first symptom and time from recognition of the first symptom to diagnosis, were examined. Health information literacy was measured using four dimensions: cognition, search, evaluation, and application. RESULTS: The average time from the first symptom to first medical consultation was 4.8 months, and that from the first symptom to diagnosis was 10.8 months. There is a significant delay from the onset of the initial symptoms to a definitive diagnosis. Thirty-five (24%) patients had poor while 26 (18%) had high health information literacy. The overall score for health information literacy was 69; the scores for health information cognition and application were 90 and 84, respectively. The scores for evaluation (61) and search (57) were low. Medical personnel were considered the most professional and credible sources of information. Additionally, search engines and patient organizations were the other two most important sources of health literacy. CONCLUSION: Patients with SMA and their caregivers had low levels of health information literacy. SMA information visibility and standardization need to be improved. Medical personnel with experience in the diagnosis and treatment of SMA and media should aim to share knowledge and increase the quality of life of those with SMA.
Subject(s)
Caregivers , Health Literacy , Humans , Male , Female , Cross-Sectional Studies , Child , Child, Preschool , Infant , China , Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/diagnosis , Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/therapy , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Following the approval of risdiplam, there are more possibilities for disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Non-treatment-naïve subjects with SMA involved in the JEWELFISH study, designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of risdiplam, were required to undergo a washout period before receiving risdiplam. This study aims to investigate the safety of administering risdiplam in patients within 90 days of receiving treatment with nusinersen. METHODS: Data were collected on SMA patients who had undergone treatment with nusinersen, and who then received risdiplam within 90 days of their last dose of nusinersen, including demographic characteristics, information on treatment with nusinersen and risdiplam, adverse events, and laboratory assessments in a follow-up period of 90 days, presented as median (range). RESULTS: A total of 15 children with SMA were reported, including 8 males and 7 females. The median number of doses of previous nusinersen treatment received was 8 (6-17) doses, and the median age at first risdiplam treatment was 4.3 (1.9-11.2) years. Specifically, 8 children received risdiplam 30 days or less after their most recent nusinersen treatment, 2 at 31-60 days after nusinersen, and 5 at 61-89 days post-nusinersen. Adverse events of pyrexia, pneumonia, vomiting and rash were reported in 4 patients. DISCUSSION: Our study showed good safety data on patients who received risdiplam following nusinersen within the washout period of 90 days. This supplements the JEWELFISH study in the era of DMT, providing additional guidance for clinicians, but additional data from other centers is needed.
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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of nusinersen for the treatment of 5q-spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) among Chinese pediatric patients. METHODS: Using a longitudinal, multi-center registry, both prospective and retrospective data were collected from pediatric patients with 5q-SMA receiving nusinersen treatment across 18 centers in China. All patients fulfilling the eligibility criteria were included consecutively. Motor function outcomes were assessed post-treatment by SMA type. Safety profile was evaluated among patients starting nusinersen treatment post-enrollment. Descriptive analyses were used to report baseline characteristics, effectiveness, and safety results. RESULTS: As of March 2nd, 2023, 385 patients were included. Most patients demonstrated improvements or stability in motor function across all SMA types. Type II patients demonstrated mean changes [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 4.4 (3.4-5.4) and 4.1 (2.8-5.4) in Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale-Expanded (HFMSE), and 2.4 (1.7-3.1) and 2.3 (1.2-3.4) in Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM) scores at months 6 and 10. Type III patients exhibited mean changes (95% CI) of 3.9 (2.5-5.3) and 4.3 (2.6-6.0) in HFMSE, and 2.1 (1.2-3.0) and 1.5 (0.0-3.0) in RULM scores at months 6 and 10. Of the 132 patients, 62.9% experienced adverse events (AEs). Two patients experienced mild AEs (aseptic meningitis and myalgia) considered to be related to nusinersen by the investigator, with no sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: These data underscore the significance of nusinersen in Chinese pediatric patients with SMA regarding motor function improvement or stability, and support recommendations on nusinersen treatment by Chinese SMA guidelines and continuous coverage of nusinersen by basic medical insurance.
Subject(s)
Oligonucleotides , Registries , Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood , Humans , Male , Female , Oligonucleotides/administration & dosage , Oligonucleotides/pharmacology , Oligonucleotides/adverse effects , China , Child, Preschool , Infant , Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood/drug therapy , Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood/physiopathology , Child , Retrospective Studies , Treatment Outcome , Longitudinal Studies , Adolescent , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disorder caused by homozygous deletion and compound heterozygous mutations in survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1), with severity tied to the copy number of survival motor neuron 2 (SMN2). This study aimed to develop a rapid and comprehensive method for the diagnosis of SMA. METHODS: A total of 292 children with clinically suspected SMA and 394 family members were detected by the amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction-capillary electrophoresis (ARMS-PCR-CE) method, which targeted 19 reported mutations, and the results were compared with those in multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). Individuals with identified point mutations were further confirmed by SMN1 long-range PCR and Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: A total of 202 children with SMA, 272 carriers, and 212 normal individuals were identified in this study. No difference was found in the R-value distribution of exons 7 and 8 in SMN1 and SMN2 among these cohorts, with coefficients of variation consistently below 0.08. To detect exon 7 and 8 copy numbers in SMN1 and SMN2, the ARMS-PCR-CE results were concordant with those of MLPA. Approximately 4.95â¯% (10/202) of the study patients had compound heterozygous mutations. CONCLUSIONS: The ARMS-PCR-CE assay is a comprehensive, rapid, and accurate diagnostic method for SMA that simultaneously detects copy numbers of exons 7 and 8 in SMN1/SMN2, as well as 19 point mutations in SMN1 and 2 enhancers in SMN2. This approach can effectively reduce the time frame for diagnosis, facilitating early intervention and preventing birth defects.
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PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of mind-body therapy (MBT) and/or physical training in alleviating depressive symptoms among adult cancer patients through a meta-analysis. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from up to October 21, 2023. Effect sizes, 95% confidence intervals, and other pertinent values were computed utilizing a random-effects model with Review Manager 5.3 and StataMP 14. The reporting of findings adhered to the guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The PROSPERO registration code for this review is 4,203,477,316. RESULTS: 10 randomized controlled trials (11 datasets) involving a total of 620 participants were selected for analysis. The results demonstrated that complementary therapies, encompassing MBT and physical training, were effective in alleviating depressive symptoms in adult cancer patients (SMD= -0.47; 95%CI: -0.87, -0.08; P = 0.02). Subgroup analysis indicate that physical training may effectively alleviate depressive symptoms (SMD= -0.72; 95%CI: -1.31, -0.13; P = 0.02), demonstrating moderate effect sizes. Conversely, MBT does not seem to significantly influence depressive symptoms (P = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: Complementary therapy lasting four weeks or more, incorporating physical training and MBT, has been shown to alleviate depressive symptoms in adult cancer patients. And physical training has a significant effect on depressive symptoms, while MBT has no effect. Nevertheless, given the constraints of the included studies, further research is required in the future to provide more robust evidence.
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Depression , Mind-Body Therapies , Neoplasms , Humans , Neoplasms/psychology , Neoplasms/therapy , Depression/therapy , Depression/psychology , Mind-Body Therapies/methods , Adult , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Exercise Therapy/methodsABSTRACT
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) plays critical roles in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development. Herein, we illustrated the effects of circ_0007432 on malignant features of NSCLC. We found that circ_0007432 played a promoting role in NSCLC progression, lying in accelerating cell viability, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells, promoting M2 macrophage polarization, suppressing cell apoptosis of NSCLC cells, and enhancing tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, the interactions among circ_0007432, SRSF1, KLF12, and IL-8 were validated by RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), RNA pull-down, dual luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. Circ_0007432 upregulated KLF12 by recruiting SRSF1. KLF12 facilitated IL-8 expression and release by binding to IL-8 promoter. Furthermore, the role of circ_0007432/SRSF1/KLF12/IL-8 axis in malignant phenotypes of tumor cells or macrophage polarization was investigated using rescue experiments. In conclusion, circ_0007432 bound with SRSF1 to stabilize KLF12 and then promote IL-8 release, thus promoting malignant behaviors of NSCLC cells and M2 macrophage polarization.
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Objective: This bibliometric analysis and review aimed to examine the current research status and trends in the combination of nutrition and exercise training for sarcopenia. Additionally, it sought to provide researchers with future research directions in this field. Methods: Relevant publications were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database, covering the period from January 1995 to October 2023. The collected publications were analyzed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and Review Manager. Results: Out of the 2528 retrieved publications, the United States emerged as the leading contributor in terms of publication volume. The University of Texas System was identified as the most productive institution. Luc J C van Loon emerged as the most published author in this field. Analysis of keywords revealed recent hot topics and emerging areas of interest, such as "gut microbiota" and "mechanisms". Upon further evaluation, resistance training (RT) and protein supplementation were identified as the most commonly employed and effective methods. Conclusion: RT and protein supplementation are widely recognized as effective strategies. Future research should focus on investigating the molecular aspects of sarcopenia. Moreover, the potential therapeutic role of gut microbiota in sarcopenia requires further comprehensive investigation in human subjects to establish its correlation.
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BACKGROUND: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare autosomal recessive hereditary neuromuscular disease caused by survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene deletion or mutation. Homozygous deletions of exon 7 in SMN1 result in 95% of SMA cases, while the remaining 5% are caused by other pathogenic variants of SMN1. METHODS: We analyzed two SMA-suspected cases that were collected, with no SMN1 gene deletion and point mutation in whole-exome sequencing. Exon 1 deletion of the SMN gene was detected using Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) P021. We used long-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to isolate the SMN1 template, optimized-MLPA P021 for copy number variation (CNV) analysis within SMN1 only, and validated the findings via third-generation sequencing. RESULTS: Two unrelated families shared a genotype with one copy of exon 7 and a novel variant, g.70919941_70927324del, in isolated exon 1 of the SMN1 gene. Case F1-II.1 demonstrated no exon 1 but retained other exons, whereas F2-II.1 had an exon 1 deletion in a single SMN1 gene. The read coverage in the third-generation sequencing results of both F1-II.1 and F2-II.1 revealed a deletion of approximately 7.3 kb in the 5' region of SMN1. The first nucleotide in the sequence data aligned to the 7385 bp of NG_008691.1. CONCLUSION: Remarkably, two proband families demonstrated identical SMN1 exon 1 breakpoint sites, hinting at a potential novel mutation hotspot in Chinese SMA, expanding the variation spectrum of the SMN1 gene and corroborating the specificity of isolated exon 1 deletion in SMA pathogenesis. The optimized-MLPA P021 determined a novel variant (g.70919941_70927324del) in isolated exon 1 of the SMN1 gene based on long-range PCR, enabling efficient and affordable detection of SMN gene variations in patients with SMA, providing new insight into SMA diagnosis to SMN1 deficiency and an optimized workflow for single exon CNV testing of the SMN gene.
Subject(s)
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction , Muscular Atrophy, Spinal , Humans , DNA Copy Number Variations/genetics , Workflow , Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/diagnosis , Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/genetics , Motor Neurons , Exons/genetics , Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein/geneticsSubject(s)
Lipids , Nutritional Status , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Case-Control Studies , Male , Female , Child , Child, Preschool , China/epidemiology , Lipids/blood , Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/epidemiology , Infant , AdolescentABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of salbutamol in the treatment of children with later-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). METHODS: This study is a prospective single-arm phase â ¢ clinical study. Pediatric patients with SMA type â ¡ and â ¢ who visited Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from December 2020 to June 2022 were enrolled. All patients were evaluated with motor function scales, pulmonary function test and drug safety before study. Patients were treated with salbutamol tablets orally, with an initial dose of 1 mg (tid). If tolerable, the dose was increased to 1.5 mg (tid) in the second week, then increased to 2 mg (tid) from the third week and maintained for 6 months. Patients were followed up at 1, 3 and 6 months of treatment. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were enrolled, including 10 boys and 16 girls. There were 16 cases of SMA type â ¡ and 10 cases of type â ¢ with age at treatment initiation of 5.67 (3.13, 7.02) years and disease duration of 2.54 (1.31, 4.71) years. The Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale-Expanded (HFMSE) scores were increased from 14.0 (6.5, 43.0) before treatment to 26.0 (15.0, 46.5) after treatment (Z=ï¼4.144, P<0.01) in 25 cases. The Revised Upper Limb Module Scale scores were increased from 33.0 (25.5, 36.0) before treatment to 35.0 (31.0, 36.5) after treatment (Z=ï¼2.214, P<0.05) in 9 cases. In 7 ambulant children with SMA type â ¢, the six minutes walking distance was increased by 30 (15, 52) m after a 6-month treatment (Z=ï¼2.366, P<0.05). Compared with the baseline pulmonary functions the patients showed a significant increase in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow (PEF) in 15 cases after treatment (all P<0.05). According to patients and caregivers subjective reporting, there were various degrees of improvement in coughing, sputum production ability and exercise endurance. No serious adverse events were observed during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term oral administration of salbutamol may improve motor and pulmonary functions in later-onset SMA children with good safety.
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Muscular Atrophy, Spinal , Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood , Male , Female , Humans , Child , Albuterol/therapeutic use , Prospective Studies , Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/drug therapy , Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood/drug therapy , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Thyroid carcinoma (THCA) is the most common malignancy in the endocrine system. Long intergenic non-coding RNA 2454 (LINC02454) exhibits an HMGA2-like expression pattern, but their relationship and roles in THCA are largely unknown. The present purpose was to delineate the roles of LINC02454 in THCA progression and its molecular mechanisms. We collected THCA tissues from patients and monitored patient survival. THCA cell colony formation, migration, and invasion were evaluated. Metastasis was evaluated by examining EMT markers through Western blotting. Gene interaction was determined with ChIP, RIP, RNA pull-down, and luciferase activity assays. A mouse model of a subcutaneous tumor was used to determine the activity of LINC02454 knockdown in vivo. We found that LINC02454 was highly expressed in THCA, and its upregulation was associated with poor survival. The knockdown of LINC02454 repressed colony formation, migration, and invasion. Moreover, loss of LINC02454 inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in mice. HMGA2 promoted LINC02454 transcription via binding to the LINC02454 promoter, and silencing of HMGA2 suppressed malignant behaviors through downregulation of LINC02454. HMGA2 was a novel functional target of LINC02454 in THCA cells, and knockdown of LINC02454-mediated anti-tumor effects was reversed by HMGA2 overexpression. Mechanically, LINC02454 promoted CREB1 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, and CREB1 was subsequently bound to the HMGA2 promoter to facilitate its expression. LINC02454 cis-regulates HMGA2 transcription via facilitating CREB1 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation, and, in turn, HMGA2 promotes LINC02454 expression, thus accelerating thyroid carcinoma progression. Our results support therapeutic targets of LINC02454 and HMGA2 for THCA.
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MicroRNAs , Thyroid Neoplasms , Animals , Humans , Mice , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Movement/genetics , Cell Proliferation/genetics , Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein/genetics , Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein/metabolism , Down-Regulation , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , HMGA2 Protein/genetics , MicroRNAs/genetics , Thyroid Neoplasms/metabolism , Transcriptional Activation , Up-RegulationABSTRACT
With the increasingly worldwide concentration of environmental pollution, exploiting cost-effective adsorbents has been a research hotspot. Here we introduce novel "functional connector" amide-containing gemini surfactants (LDAB, LDAPP, LDAMP and LDABP) and apply to modify Na-vermiculite (Na-Vt) for Congo red (CR) removal. Chain amide as the functional connector in the modifier, increases 6.9 times of CR uptake than traditional organo-Vts, which is further enhanced by tunning the functional group of modifier spacers. Superb uptake of CR on organo-Vts reaches 1214.05, 1375.47 and 1449.80 mg/g, and the removal efficiencies achieve 80.94%, 91.70% and 96.65% on LDAB-Vt, LDAPP-Vt and LDAMP-Vt, respectively. Notably, the maximum experimental adsorption capacity of LDAPP-Vt is 1759.64 mg/g. These experimental values are among the highest reported CR adsorbents. A combination experimental and theoretical analysis is conducted to unveil the structure-adsorptivity relationship: (i) Adsorptivity enhancement of organo-Vts is more effectively by regulating functional chains than the functional spacer. (ii) para-substituted aromatic spacers own the best adsorptive configuration and strongest stability for π-π interaction. (iii) π-π interaction provided by isolated aromatic ring is stronger than biphenyl, whose steric hindrance depresses the adsorptivity. Results in this study not only explain a new "functional connector" strategy to Vt-based adsorbents, but also provide a practical designing strategy for organic adsorbents characterized with high uptake capacity.
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Congo Red , Water Pollutants, Chemical , Adsorption , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Aluminum Silicates , KineticsABSTRACT
AIM: This retro-prospective observational study described the experience in lumbar puncture procedures in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with and without neuromuscular scoliosis in a single center. The technical feasibility of intrathecal nusinersen administration was the main limiting factor. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 457 technically successful intrathecal injections based on a hierarchical strategy in Cobb angle were reviewed in 81 SMA children aged 0.75-13.5 years who were referred for nusinersen injections in our hospital from October 2019 to December 2022. RESULTS: Under local anesthesia, conventional lumbar puncture was performed on 47 patients without spinal deformity (Cobb angle of 0-10°) and 20 patients with moderate scoliosis (Cobb angle of 10-50°). Ultrasound-assisted lumbar puncture was performed on 12 patients with moderate scoliosis but lordosis. A combination of ultrasound imaging and three-dimensional CT under sedation was performed in the remaining 14 patients with severe scoliosis (Cobb angle >50°). No severe complications were found. CONCLUSION: Cobb angle is an important basis for intrathecal administration of nusinersen. It is feasible and suitable to carry out intrathecal nusinersen injection under ultrasound combined with three-dimensional CT imaging for children with severe scoliosis.
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The morbidity and mortality of invasive fungal infections are rising gradually. In recent years, fungi have quietly evolved stronger defense capabilities and increased resistance to antibiotics, posing huge challenges to maintaining physical health. Therefore, developing new drugs and strategies to combat these invasive fungi is crucial. There are a large number of microorganisms in the intestinal tract of mammals, collectively referred to as intestinal microbiota. At the same time, these native microorganisms co-evolve with their hosts in symbiotic relationship. Recent researches have shown that some probiotics and intestinal symbiotic bacteria can inhibit the invasion and colonization of fungi. In this paper, we review the mechanism of some intestinal bacteria affecting the growth and invasion of fungi by targeting the virulence factors, quorum sensing system, secreting active metabolites or regulating the host anti-fungal immune response, so as to provide new strategies for resisting invasive fungal infection.
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Mycoses , Animals , Humans , Mycoses/drug therapy , Fungi , Symbiosis , Intestines , Bacteria , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , MammalsABSTRACT
Candidiasis caused by Candida albicans infection has long been a serious human health problem. The pathogenicity of C. albicans is mainly due to its virulence factors, which are novel targets of antifungal drugs for low risk of resistance development. In this study, we identified a maleimide compound [1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1hydro-pyrrole-2,5-dione, MPD] that exerts effective anti-virulence activity. It could inhibit the process of adhesion, filamentation, and biofilm formation in C. albicans. In addition, it exhibited low cytotoxicity, hemolytic activity, and drug resistance development. Moreover, in Galleria mellonella-C. albicans (in vivo) infection model, the survival time of infected larvae was significantly prolonged under the treatment of MPD. Further, mechanism research revealed that MPD increased farnesol secretion by upregulating the expression of Dpp3. The increased farnesol inhibited the activity of Cdc35, which then decreased the intracellular cAMP content resulting in the inhibition of virulence factors via the Ras1-cAMP-Efg1 pathway. In all, this study evaluated the inhibitory effect of MPD on various virulence factors of C. albicans and identified the underlying mechanisms. This suggests a potential application of MPD to overcome fungal infections in clinics.
Subject(s)
Candida albicans , Candidiasis , Animals , Humans , Candida albicans/metabolism , Virulence Factors/metabolism , Farnesol/pharmacology , Candidiasis/microbiology , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Maleimides/metabolism , Maleimides/pharmacology , Maleimides/therapeutic use , Biofilms , HyphaeABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) can cause multiple system dysfunction, especially lipid metabolic disorders, for which management strategies are currently lacking. Microbes are related to metabolism and the pathogenesis of neurological diseases. This study aimed to preliminarily explore the alterations in the gut microbiota in SMA and the potential relationship between altered microbiota and lipid metabolic disorders. METHODS: Fifteen patients with SMA and 17 gender- and age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Feces and fasting plasma samples were collected. 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and nontargeted metabolomics analysis were performed to explore the correlation between microbiota and differential lipid metabolites. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in microbial diversity (α- and ß-diversity) between the SMA and control groups, with both groups having a relatively similar community structure. However, compared to the control group, the SMA group showed an increased relative abundance of the genera Ruminiclostridium, Gordonibacter, Enorma, Lawsonella, Frisingicoccus, and Anaerofilum and a decreased abundance of the genera Catabacter, Howardella, Marine_Methylotrophic_Group_3, and Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group. The concurrent metabolomic analysis showed that the SMA group had 56 different kinds of lipid metabolite levels than did the control group. Additionally, the Spearman correlation suggested a correlation between the altered differential lipid metabolites and the above-mentioned altered microbiota. CONCLUSIONS: The gut microbiome and lipid metabolites differed between the patients with SMA and the control subjects. The altered microbiota may be related with the lipid metabolic disorders in SMA. However, further study is necessary to clarify the mechanism of lipid metabolic disorders and develop management strategies to improve the related complications in SMA.
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Background: Body composition analysis is a valuable tool for assessing and monitoring the nutritional status of children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This study was designed to compare the consistency of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), as the gold standard method for assessing body composition in clinical practice when treating children with type II and III SMA. Methods: From 2019 to 2021, we performed a retrospective analysis of body composition by DXA and BIA measurement methods in patients with type II and III SMA treated at a Chinese tertiary children's hospital. Fat mass (FM), muscle mass (MM), bone mineral content (BMC), and visceral fat area (VFA) were compared using paired sample t-tests. We calculated Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and Spearman correlation coefficient to verify the correlation between DXA and BIA measurements. Bland-Altman analysis was used to assess the consistency of the two methods. Results: Fifty-seven children with type II and III SMA were recruited. Compared with body composition measured by DXA, the average FM measured by BIA is significantly lower (P <0.001), whereas the average MM, BMC, and VFA measured by BIA are significantly higher (P < 0.001) in children with SMA. Overall, the difference between MM (Delta [BIA-DAX] = 1.6 kg) and FM (Delta [BIA-DAX] = -1.6 kg) measured by DXA and BIA was minor, whereas the difference of VFA (Delta [BIA-DAX] = -43.5 cm) was significantly large. Correlation analysis indicated a substantial correlation of MM (CCC = 0.96 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.93-0.98], r = 0.967 [P < 0.0001]) and FM (CCC = 0.95 [95% CI = 0.92-0.97], r = 0.953 [P < 0.0001]), and poor correlation of BMC (CCC = 0.61 [95% CI = 0.42-0.75], r = 0.612 [P < 0.0001]) and VFA (CCC = 0.54 [95% CI = 0.33-0.70], r = 0.689 [P < 0.0001]) measurements between the two methods. The Bland-Altman analysis suggests that the majority of participants were within LOA. In addition, differences in MM and VFA measurements between BIA and DAX increased according to patients' increasing height, whereas differences in FM and BMC did not differ with height. Conclusion: BIA overestimates MM and underestimates the FM, BMC, and VFA in children with SMA compared with DXA measurements. Overall, the non-invasive, easy-to-use, and repeatable BIA measurements were found to be in good agreement with DXA measurements, especially for FM and MM, which are essential parameters for the nutritional evaluation of children with SMA.