ABSTRACT
There are currently two available enzyme replacement therapies for Fabry disease and little information regarding efficacy and safety of switching therapies. Between 2009 and 2012 there was a worldwide shortage of agalsidase beta and patients on that enzyme were switched to agalsidase alfa. This retrospective observational study assessed a 2-year period of efficacy and safety in a population of Fabry patients, in Argentina (30 patients) and Venezuela (3 patients), who switched therapies from algasidase beta to agalsidase alfa. Thirty-three patients completed 24-months follow-up after the switch (age 32.4 ± 2.0, range 10.0-55.9 years; male: female 23:10). Measures of renal function such as estimated glomerular filtration rate remained almost unchanged in 31 patients without end stage renal disease over the 2 years after switching and urine protein excretion continued stable. Cardiac functional parameters: left ventricular mass index, interventricular septum, left ventricular posterior wall showed no significant change from baseline in the 33 patients. Quality of life, pain and disease severity scores were mostly unchanged after 24-months and agalsidase alfa was generally well tolerated. Our findings showed there is no significant change in the efficacy measured through the renal or cardiac function, quality of life, pain, disease severity scoring and safety for at least 2 years after switching from agalsidase beta to agalsidase alfa.
Actualmente hay disponibles dos terapias de reemplazo enzimático en enfermedad de Fabry y existe poca información sobre la eficacia y seguridad del cambio de una a la otra. Entre 2009 y 2012 hubo falta a nivel mundial de agalsidasa beta y los pacientes tratados hasta entonces con esa enzima iniciaron tratamiento con agalsidasa alfa. El presente estudio retrospectivo, observacional evaluó la eficacia y seguridad a 2 años en pacientes con enfermedad de Fabry en Argentina (30 pacientes) y Venezuela (3 pacientes), que cambiaron su tratamiento de agalsidasa beta a agalsidasa alfa. Treinta y tres pacientes completaron 24 meses de seguimiento post-cambio (edad 32.4 ± 2.0; rango 10.0-55.9; hombre: mujer 23:10). La función renal, medida con la tasa de filtrado glomerular, se mantuvo sin cambios en 31 pacientes sin enfermedad renal terminal durante 2 años post-cambio. La secreción de proteína en orina continuó estable. Los parámetros de función cardíaca -índice de masa ventricular izquierda, septum interventricular, espesor de la pared posterior ventricular- no mostraron cambios significativos post-cambio de terapia en los 33 pacientes. La calidad de vida, el dolor y la gravedad de la enfermedad se mantuvieron mayormente estables luego de 24 meses, y la agalsidasa alfa fue generalmente bien tolerada. Nuestros resultados muestran que no hay cambios significativos en la eficacia medida por la función renal y cardíaca, en la seguridad y en los valores de la calidad de vida, el dolor o la gravedad de la enfermedad durante al menos 2 años luego del cambio de agalsidasa beta a agalsidasa alfa.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Fabry Disease/drug therapy , alpha-Galactosidase/administration & dosage , Enzyme Replacement Therapy , Drug Substitution , Glomerular Filtration Rate/drug effects , Isoenzymes/therapeutic use , Recombinant Proteins , Retrospective Studies , alpha-Galactosidase/therapeutic use , alpha-Galactosidase/pharmacology , Kidney/drug effects , Latin AmericaABSTRACT
Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by inherited deficiency of the enzyme α-galactosidase A. Enzyme replacement treatment using agalsidase alfa significantly reduces pain, improves cardiac function and quality of life, and slows renal deterioration. Nevertheless, it is a life-long treatment which requires regular intravenous infusions and entails a great burden for patients. Our objective was to evaluate retrospectively the safety and tolerability of the home infusion of agalsidase alfa in patients with Fabry disease in Argentina. We evaluated all the patients with Fabry disease who received home infusion with agalsidase alfa 0.2 mg/kg between January 2005 and June 2011. The program included 87 patients; 51 males (mean age: 30 years) and 36 females (mean age: 34 years). A total of 5229 infusions (mean: 59 per patient; range: 1-150) were administered. A total of 5 adverse reactions were seen in 5 patients (5.7% of patients and 0.9% of the total number of infusions). All were mild in severity and resolved by reducing the rate of infusion and by using antihistaminics. All these 5 patients were positive for IgG antibodies, but none of them presented IgE antibodies and none suffered an anaphylactic shock. In our group 18 patients were switched from agalsidase beta to agalsidase alfa without complications. Home infusion with agalsidase alfa is safe, well tolerated and is associated to high compliance.
La enfermedad de Fabry es un trastorno de almacenamiento lisosomal hereditario ligado al cromosoma X ocasionado por el déficit de la enzima alfa galactosidasa A. La terapia de reemplazo enzimático utilizando agalsidasa alfa reduce significativamente el dolor, mejora la función cardíaca y la calidad de vida y enlentece el deterioro renal. Sin embargo, es un tratamiento de por vida que requiere infusiones intravenosas regulares y supone una gran carga para los pacientes. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar retrospectivamente la tolerabilidad y la seguridad del procedimiento de infusión domiciliaria de agalsidasa alfa en pacientes con enfermedad de Fabry en Argentina. Evaluamos a todos los pacientes con enfermedad de Fabry que recibieron infusiones domiciliarias de 0.2 mg/kg de agalsidasa alfa entre enero del 2005 y junio del 2011. El programa incluyó 87 pacientes; 51 hombres (edad media: 30 años) y 36 mujeres (edad media: 34 años). Se administraron un total de 5229 infusiones (media: 59 por paciente; rango: 1-50). Se observaron un total de 5 reacciones adversas en 5 pacientes (5.7% de los pacientes y 0.9 % del número total de infusiones). Todas fueron de gravedad leve y se resolvieron reduciendo la velocidad de la infusión o usando antihistamínicos. Los 5 pacientes fueron positivos para anticuerpos IgG, pero ninguno presentó anticuerpos IgE o sufrió un shock anafiláctico. En nuestro grupo, 18 pacientes fueron cambiados de agalsidasa beta a agalsidasa alfa sin complicaciones. La infusión domiciliaria de agalsidasa alfa es segura, bien tolerada y logra una alta adherencia al tratamiento.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Enzyme Replacement Therapy/methods , Fabry Disease/drug therapy , Home Infusion Therapy , alpha-Galactosidase/therapeutic use , Argentina , Home Infusion Therapy/adverse effects , Infusions, Intravenous , Isoenzymes/therapeutic use , Retrospective Studies , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Fabry disease is a lysosomal storage disease with an X-linked inheritance pattern, which presents in childhood as acroparaesthesias. Its non-specific symptoms often lead to delays in the diagnosis. We report the case of a 13-year-old boy who presented with typical acroparaesthesia of Fabry disease, his younger brother had gastrointestinal manifestations of the disease and their mother’s symptoms suggested that she is a carrier. Enzyme replacement therapy helped in ameliorating the patient’s symptoms and preventing complications such as renal failure, stroke and cardiovascular disorders.