RUSSIAN PEDIATRIC EXPERIENCE ON ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IMIGLUCERASE FOR LONG-TERM ENZYME REPLACEMENT THERAPY OF GAUCHER DISEASE TYPE 1 IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Background: Today the gold standard for the treatment of Gaucher’s disease (GD) is an enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) which allows to stop the main clinical manifestations of the disease and to improve the quality of life in patients. In Russian pediatric practice, there are no publications which assess the effects of long-term ERT in children with GD type 1.Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of imiglucerase for the treatment of Gaucher’s disease of type 1 in child population of the Russian Federation.Materials and methods: An evaluation of the effectiveness of enzyme replacement therapy was carried out by analyzing the monitoring data of 60 patients who were entered in the Russian pediatric registry of Gaucher disease at the National Scientific and Practical Center for Children’s Health for the period 2013−2016. Patients received continuous infusions of imiglucerase at a dose of 30−60 U/kg/2 weeks. Among of 60 children with Gaucher’s disease type 1, in 35 (group I) were recorded the dynamics of clinical and laboratory-instrumental indices during three years of therapy and in 25 (group II) ― an assessment of changes in quality of life parameters according to the PedsQL questionnaire within one year of treatment.Results: In group I, statistically significant changes for all key parameters (p0.001) were detected: median hemoglobin level and platelet count increased from 106 to 128 g/l and from 85 to 165×109/l, respectively; median chitotriosidase level decreased from 8303 to 1680 nmol/h/mL; median linear size of length and width of the spleen decreased by 54.5% and 40.0%, respectively, and the right lobe of the liver by 15%; parameters of physical development (height and weight) improved and median bone mineral density Z-score for the lumbar spine increased from -1.3 to -0.3. In group II: basing on the answers of children and parents, a statistically significant improvement (p0,05) of physical, emotional, and social functioning and the total score of quality of life was observed in 17 children aged 5−18 years; according to the parents’ answers, the increase of physical functioning was detected in 8 children aged 2−4 years.Conclusions: The timely appointment of ERT with imiglucerase in adequate dose and the regular infusion regime allows achievement of the key points of the treatment within 3 years and significant improvement of the quality of life parameters in children with GD type 1 in a year.