Peter Špalek1, Ivan Martinka1, Slávka Mattošová2, Iveta Mečiarová3, Ivana Urminská1, Miriam Sosková1, Ján Chandoga2
Introduction: Late-onset glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII)/Pompe disease is an inherited autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of lysosomal acid alfa-glucosidase (GAA) activity. Although GSDII is generally characterized by skeletal and respiratory muscle weakness and atrophy, resulting in functional disability and reduced life span, distinct phenotypic diversity is characteristic for late-onset GSDII too. The purpose of our presentation is to underline the difficulties in diagnosing late-onset GSDII. We report on five patients who were initially diagnosed with other diseases. Cases: 4 females and 1 male had their onset of GSDII at a mean age of 39.4 years (range 18-53). All patients had muscle weakness and muscle atrophy, 2 suffered from myalgias and 1 had muscle cramps. Each patient had increased blood creatine kinase (5.01-19.96 ukat/l) and myopathic pattern at needle EMG examination. Our 5 patients were initially misdiagnosed with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, chronic polymyositis, facio-scapulo-humeral muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy and hypothyroid myopathy. Average interval between the onset and correct GSDII diagnosis was 5.6 years (range 3-8). A muscle biopsy with histopathological findings of vacuolar myopathy due to lysosomal glycogen accumulation was an important step in the diagnosis of two patients. The diagnosis of late-onset GSDII was confirmed in all 5 patients through deficient GAA activity in lymphocytes and by mutational analysis of genomic DNA, isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes. All patients receive enzymatic replacement therapy (ERT). Conclusion: Misdiagnosis of GAA deficiency delays the recognition of late-onset Pompe disease. Late diagnosis in advanced stages of the disease may deprive the benefits of ERT. Therefore, early diagnosis of late-onset Pompe disease is of significant importance and the use of dried blood spots should be a routine procedural component of clinical practice.