P898Association of acroparesthesias and angiokeratomas with the alpha-galactosidase A gene polymorphisms in females with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Clinical implications of different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the alpha-galactosidase A gene (α-GLA) as potential cause of symptoms and organ manifestations similarly to those seen in Fabry disease (FD) remain unclear. Purpose To study the prevalence of FD among patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), as well as to evaluate the impact of polymorphic variants of the α-GLA gene on extracardiac manifestations in females with HCM. Methods The study included 321 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy ≥15 mm. 24 of the 321 patients (males (n=15) and females (n=9)) presented with HCM phenotype and extracardiac features suggestive of FD: acroparesthesias and pain in hands and feet, stroke at a young age, angiokeratomas, kidney damage (microalbuminuria, proteinuria, decreased glomerular filtration rate), suspicion for X-linked inheritance. This patients carried out screening for FD. A combined enzymatic and genetic strategy was used, measuring the activity of α-D-galactosidase A by tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) and genotyping the α-GLA (in females) in dried filter-paper blood spot samples. Results We haven't identified any pathogenic genetic variants in the α-GLA gene. However, in three patients with HCM, the two intronic SNPs within the α-GAL gene (c.640–16A>G [rs2071397] and c.1000–22C>T [rs2071228]) were identified. Patient no. 1, a 64-year-old female, was admitted to our clinic for the diagnosis of obstructive HCM. She also had a transient 2:1 second degree atrioventricular block, an Adams-Stokes attack, angiokeratomas and left median cerebral artery lacunar stroke in middle age. In case no. 2, a 75-year-old female, were verified obstructive HCM, a 1st degree atrioventricular block, paroxysms of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, acroparesthesia, pain in hands and angiokeratomas. In patient no. 3, a 41-year-old female, were established combined phenotypes (nonobstructive hypertrophic + restrictive), acroparesthesia, pain in hands and angiokeratomas. Conclusions In females with HCM, the intronic SNPs (rs2071397 and rs2071228) in the α-GLA gene can be associated with angiokeratomas and acroparesthesias.