Adrenomyeloneuropathy in a subacute combined degeneration suspect: a diagnostic dilemma

Adrenomyeloneuropathy(AMN) is a variant of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) which is a peroxisomal disorder of beta-oxidation that results in accumulation of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) in plasma, central and peripheral nervous systems, adrenal glands and testes leading totheir dysfunction. These conditions are known as the ALD/AMN complex. In this article we discuss a case of AMN with respect to clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment.

Adrenoleucodistrofia tipo adrenomieloneuropatia en un hombre de 32 años: reporte de caso / Adrenomyeloneuropathy type Adrenoleukodystrophy in a 32 years male: a case report

RESUMEN La adrenoleucodistrofia, el trastorno peroxisomal más frecuente, es una condición genética ligada al cromosoma X en la cual se presenta un defecto en la betaoxidación de los ácidos grasos de cadena muy larga dentro del perosixoma, con su consecuente acumulación en diferentes tejidos, lo que lleva a manifestaciones principalmente neurológicas y endocrinológicas. Existe una variabilidad fenotípica de acuerdo con la edad de presentación que incluye la forma adulta llamada adrenomieloneuropatía. A continuación se presenta el caso de un hombre adulto, con múltiples consultas a los servicios de urgencias en relación con síntomas medulares dorsales, con evidencia de insuficiencia suprarrenal y paraclínicos que soportan el diagnóstico de adrenomieloneuropatía.

SUMMARY Adrenoleukodystrophy, the most common peroxisomal disorder, is a genetic condition linked to the X chromosome in which a defect of beta oxidation of very long chain fatty acids occurs within the perosixome with its consequent accumulation in different tissues leading to mainly neurological and endocrinological manifestations; there is a phenotypic variability according to the age of presentation including the adult form called adrenomyeloneuropathy. This case report refers to an adult male with multiple visits to emergency departments in relation to dorsal spinal symptoms with evidence of adrenal insufficiency and paraclinical support the diagnosis of adrenomyeloneuropathy.

A Man with Adult-onset Progressive Spastic Paraparesis: Genetically Confirmed as Novel Mutation of ABCD1 Gene

Spastic paraparesis is caused by various etiologies such as autoimmune, infection, genetic and metabolic disorder. Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) is very rare but one of important causes in spastic paraparesis. We experienced a patient presenting with adult-onset progressive spastic paraparesis, who was diagnosed as AMN with hemizygous c.431C>T (p.A144V), a novel mutation in exon1. The level of very long chain fatty acid should be included in diagnostic work-up for patients presenting with adult-onset progressive spastic paraparesis.

Clinical and Genetic Aspects in Twelve Korean Patients with Adrenomyeloneuropathy

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the characteristics of Korean adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively selected 12 Korean AMN patients diagnosed by clinical analysis and increased plasma content of very long chain fatty acids. RESULTS: All 12 patients were men. Patient ages at symptom onset ranged from 18 to 55 years. Family history was positive in two patients. The phenotype distributions consisted of AMN without cerebral involvement in seven patients, AMN with cerebral involvement in two patients, and the spinocerebellar phenotype in three patients. Nerve conduction studies revealed abnormalities in four patients and visual evoked tests revealed abnormalities in three patients. Somatosensory evoked potential tests revealed central conduction defects in all of the tested patients. Spinal MRI showed diffuse cord atrophy or subtle signal changes in all 12 patients. Brain MRI findings were abnormal in six of the nine tested patients. These brain abnormalities reflected the clinical phenotypes. Mutational analysis identified nine different ABCD1 mutations in 10 of 11 tested patients. Among them, nine have been previously reported and shown to be associated with various phenotypes; one was a novel mutation. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the present study is the first to report on the clinical and mutational spectrum of Korean AMN patients, and confirms various clinical presentations and the usefulness of brain MRI scan.

Severity score system for progressive myelopathy: development and validation of a new clinical scale

Progressive myelopathies can be secondary to inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) such as mucopolysaccharidosis, mucolipidosis, and adrenomyeloneuropathy. The available scale, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, was validated only for degenerative vertebral diseases. Our objective is to propose and validate a new scale addressing progressive myelopathies and to present validating data for JOA in these diseases. A new scale, Severity Score System for Progressive Myelopathy (SSPROM), covering motor disability, sphincter dysfunction, spasticity, and sensory losses. Inter- and intra-rater reliabilities were measured. External validation was tested by applying JOA, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), the Barthel index, and the Osame Motor Disability Score. Thirty-eight patients, 17 with adrenomyeloneuropathy, 3 with mucopolysaccharidosis I, 3 with mucopolysaccharidosis IV, 2 with mucopolysaccharidosis VI, 2 with mucolipidosis, and 11 with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy participated in the study. The mean ± SD SSPROM and JOA scores were 74.6 ± 11.4 and 12.4 ± 2.3, respectively. Construct validity for SSPROM (JOA: r = 0.84, P < 0.0001; EDSS: r = -0.83, P < 0.0001; Barthel: r = 0.56, P < 0.002; Osame: r = -0.94, P < 0.0001) and reliability (intra-rater: r = 0.83, P < 0.0001; inter-rater: r = 0.94, P < 0.0001) were demonstrated. The metric properties of JOA were similar to those found in SSPROM. Several clinimetric requirements were met for both SSPROM and JOA scales. Since SSPROM has a wider range, it should be useful for follow-up studies on IEM myelopathies.

Cerebral Adrenomyeloneuropathy with Trp77-Leu82del Mutation in ABCD1 Gene

Cerebral adrenomyeloneuropathy is a subtype of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy with a mutation of ABCD1; however, there have been no reported cases of cerebral adrenomyeloneuropathy with myelopathy. Here we report a 20-year-old male cerebral adrenomyeloneuropathy patient with myelopathy harboring a deletion mutation of c.225-242 (Trp77-Leu82del) from exon 1 of ABCD1. His spinal cord MRI revealed high signal intensities in the cervical spinal cord. Electrophysiological and histopathologic studies revealed mixed axonal and demyelinating neuropathy.

A Case of Adrenomyeloneuropathy Confirmed by Serum Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Level

A 31-year-old male patient was admitted to the department of neurology for progressive spastic paraparesis and sen-sory deficit in bilateral lower legs. On review of system, he had decreased libido and mild urinary frequency. On neuro-logic examination, he showed paraparesis, lower limb hypesthesia, bilateral hyperactive knee jerk and bilateral positive Babinski sign. The nerve conduction studies were sensori-motor demyelinating polyneuropathy. For spastic paraparesis and peripheral neuropathy, we approached adrenomyeloneuropathy and ascertained elevated serum very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) level. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(4):427~430, 2001)

A Case of Adrenomyeloneuropathy

We report a 37-year-old man with adrenomyeloneuropathy who presented as progressive gait disturbance. He had spastic paraparesis, hyperreflexia with Babinski's signs, a sensory level at T-4, and loss of the vibration sense in the legs. No adrenal insufficiency was noted. There were frontal white matter abnormalities but no cervical spinal lesions on MRI. A nerve conduction study showed distal axonal neuropathy predominantly in the lower extremities. The plas-ma level of the saturated very long chain fatty acids was elevated. (J Korean Neurol Assoc 19(4):431~434, 2001)

Clinical,imaging and pathological characteristics of twin brothers with adrenoleukodystrophy / 临床神经病学杂志

Objective To explore clinic,imageology and pathological characteristics of twin brothers with adrenoleukodystrophy(ADL).Methods Clinical data of twin brothers with ALD and pathological data of one case were analyzed retrospectively.Results Clinical manitestation of elder brother was cerebral ADL,T1-weighted of MRI with low intensity lesion and T2-weighted with high intensity lesion were shown widely in the parietooccipital and postero-corpus callosum white matter.The pathological changes were myelinopothy diffused in the parietooccipital white matter,but U fibber was maintained in the subcortex.Clinical manitestation of the young brother was shown spinal damage.His cerebral MRI was normal.Spinal MRI had shown spinal cord thinning,line-like equal signal was found in the periphery of the lesion.He might be juvenile adrenomyeloneuropathy.Conclusions Although the twin brothers are both suffer from adrenoleukodystrophy,their clinical manifestation,MRI and pathological changes are different.