Emotional disorders in multiple sclerosis (MS) are frequently described as difficulties in recognizing facial expressions, rarely in the experience dimension. Moreover, interaction between emotional ...disorders and cognitive or psychological disorders remains little documented. The aim of this study is to explore emotions in MS in emotion recognition and emotional experience and compare these data with cognitive, psychological, and disease aspects. Twenty-five women with MS (MS group) and 27 healthy controls (control group) matched for age, sex, and education were assessed for emotion recognition (Florida Affect Battery) and emotional experience (International Affective Picture System Photographs). Participants were also assessed for cognitive and psychological aspects. Compared to the control group, the MS group had more difficulty in recognizing emotions, and their subjective evaluations when presented IAPS pictures were more scattered, globally increased. Emotional dimensions were each correlated with executive functions but neither correlated with alexithymia, depression, anxiety, or MS characteristics. In conclusion, MS patients present difficulties in identifying emotion and their emotional experience appears to be increased. These disorders are correlated with cognition but remain independent of psychological or disease aspects. Considering the implications that emotional disorders may have, it seems essential to take these aspects into account in clinical practice.
Background and purpose
Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease, an untreatable hereditary polyneuropathy, may mimic chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), a treatable neuropathy.
...Methods
In this retrospective study, we analyzed the characteristics of CMT patients misdiagnosed as CIDP at 16 university hospitals in three countries, compared these patients with a reference group of CIDP patients, and estimated the cost of misdiagnosis.
Results
Among 1104 CIDP cases, we identified 35 CMT patients misdiagnosed as CIDP (3.2%). All were initially diagnosed with definite or probable CIDP (European Federation of Neurological Societies/Peripheral Nerve Society criteria), and mutations in PMP22, MPZ, and 10 other CMT genes were found in 34%, 31%, and 35% of cases, respectively. In comparison with a reference group of 35 CIDP patients, CMT patients were younger (median age at disease onset = 39 vs. 56 years) and more frequently had motor weakness at disease onset (80% vs. 29%), hearing loss (14% vs. 0%), normal brachial plexus imaging (70% vs. 40%), lower cerebrospinal fluid protein content (median = 0.5 vs. 0.8 g/L), and lower treatment response (20% vs. 69%). Treatment cost in these 35 misdiagnosed patients was estimated at 4.6 million euros (M€), whereas the cost of CMT genetic analysis in 1104 patients was estimated at 2.7 M€.
Conclusions
In this study, 35 of 1104 (3.2%) patients initially diagnosed with CIDP had CMT. Importantly, the cost of treating these 35 misdiagnosed patients was significantly higher than the cost of performing CMT genetic analysis in 1104 patients (4.6 M€ vs. 2.7 M€), suggesting that CMT genetic investigations should be more widely used before diagnosing CIDP.
Amongst 1,104 CIDP cases, we identified 35 CMT patients misdiagnosed as CIDP (3.2%). In comparison with a reference group of 35 CIDP patients, CMT patients were younger, had more frequently motor weakness at disease onset, hearing loss, lower cerebrospinal fluid protein content, and lower treatment response. The cost of treating these 35 misdiagnosed patients was significantly higher than the cost of performing CMT genetic analysis in 1,104 patients (4.6 M€ vs 2.7 M€).
Background and purpose
In this retrospective study involving 14 university hospitals from France and Switzerland, the aim was to define the clinicopathological features of chronic neuropathies with ...anti‐disialosyl ganglioside immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies (CNDA).
Results
Fifty‐five patients with a polyneuropathy evolving for more than 2 months and with at least one anti‐disialosyl ganglioside IgM antibody, that is, anti‐GD1b, ‐GT1b, ‐GQ1b, ‐GT1a, ‐GD2 and ‐GD3, were identified. Seventy‐eight percent of patients were male, mean age at disease onset was 55 years (30–76) and disease onset was progressive (82%) or acute (18%). Patients presented with limb sensory symptoms (94% of cases), sensory ataxia (85%), oculomotor weakness (36%), limb motor symptoms (31%) and bulbar muscle weakness (18%). Sixty‐five percent of patients had a demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy electrodiagnostic profile and 24% a sensory neuronopathy profile. Anti‐GD1b antibodies were found in 78% of cases, whilst other anti‐disialosyl antibodies were each observed in less than 51% of patients. Other features included nerve biopsy demyelination (100% of cases), increased cerebrospinal fluid protein content (75%), IgM paraprotein (50%) and malignant hemopathy (8%). Eighty‐six percent of CNDA patients were intravenous immunoglobulins‐responsive, and rituximab was successfully used as second‐line treatment in 50% of cases. Fifteen percent of patients had mild symptoms and were not treated. CNDA course was progressive (55%) or relapsing (45%), and 93% of patients still walked after a mean disease duration of 11 years.
Conclusion
Chronic neuropathies with anti‐disialosyl ganglioside IgM antibodies have a recognizable phenotype, are mostly intravenous immunoglobulins‐responsive and present with a good outcome in a majority of cases.
Introduction
Fatty‐acid oxidation disorders (FAODs) are recessive genetic diseases.
Materials and methods
We report here clinical and paraclinical data from a retrospective study of 44 adults with ...muscular FAODs from six French reference centers for neuromuscular or metabolic diseases.
Results
The study cohort consisted of 44 adult patients: 14 with carnitine palmitoyl transferase 2 deficiency (32%), nine with multiple acyl‐CoA deficiency (20%), 13 with very long‐chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (30%), three with long‐chain 3‐hydroxyacyl‐CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (7%), and five with short‐chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (11%). Disease onset occurred during childhood in the majority of patients (59%), with a mean age at onset of 15 years (range = 0.5–35) and a mean of 12.6 years (range = 0–58) from disease onset to diagnosis. The principal symptoms were acute muscle manifestations (rhabdomyolysis, exercise intolerance, myalgia), sometimes associated with permanent muscle weakness. Episodes of rhabdomyolysis were frequent (84%), with a mean creatinine kinase level of 68,958 U/L (range = 660–300,000). General metabolic complications were observed in 58% of patients, respiratory manifestations in 18% of cases, and cardiological manifestations in 9% of cases. Fasting acylcarnitine profile was used to orient genetic explorations in 65% of cases. After a mean follow‐up of 10 years, 33% of patients were asymptomatic and 56% continued to display symptoms after exercise. The frequency of rhabdomyolysis decreased after diagnosis in 64% of cases.
Conclusion
A standardized register would complete this cohort description of muscular forms of FAODs with exhaustive data, making it possible to assess the efficacy of therapeutic protocols in real‐life conditions and during the long‐term follow‐up of patients.
Background and purpose
Preparations for clinical trials of unfolded protein response (UPR) inhibitors (such as Sephin1) that target the upregulated UPR in patients with Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease ...(CMT) carrying MPZ mutations are currently underway. The inclusion criteria for these trials are still being formulated. Our objective was to characterize the relation between genotypes and phenotypes in patients with CMT caused by MPZ mutations, and to refine the inclusion criteria for future trials.
Methods
Clinical and neurophysiological data of CMT patients with MPZ mutations were retrospectively collected at 11 French reference centers.
Results
Forty‐four mutations in MPZ were identified in 91 patients from 61 families. There was considerable heterogeneity. The same mutation was found to cause either axonal or demyelinating neuropathy. Three groups were identified according to the age at disease onset. CMT Examination Score (CMTES) tended to be higher in the early (≤22 years) and adult (23–47 years) onset groups (mean CMTESv2 = 10.4 and 10.0, respectively) than in the late onset group (>47 years, mean CMTESv2 = 8.6, p = 0.47). There was a significant positive correlation between CMTESv2 and the age of patients in Groups I (p = 0.027) and II (p = 0.023), indicating that clinical severity progressed with age in these patients.
Conclusions
To optimize the selection of CMT patients carrying MPZ mutations for the upcoming trials, inclusion criteria should take into account the pathophysiology of the disease (upregulated UPR). Recruited patients should have a mild to moderate disease severity and a disease onset at between 18 and 50 years, as these patients exhibit significant disease progression over time.
In a cohort of 91 french CMT patients carrying MPZ mutations, we reported 17 new mutations among 44. We observed three groups of patients according to their age of disease onset (I : <22, II : 22‐47, III : >47). In groups I and II patients had a more severe phenotype. Disease severity was correlated with age in these groups suggesting that disease severity would progress with time. Based on our clinical and electrophysiological observations we suggested that CMT adult patients carrying MPZ mutations aged from 18 to 50 should be included in upcoming clinical trials.
Mutations in the Early-Growth Response 2 (EGR2) gene cause various hereditary neuropathies, including demyelinating Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease type 1D (CMT1D), congenital hypomyelinating ...neuropathy type 1 (CHN1), Déjerine-Sottas syndrome (DSS), and axonal CMT (CMT2).
In this study, we identified 14 patients with heterozygous EGR2 mutations diagnosed between 2000 and 2022.
Mean age was 44 years (15-70), ten patients were female (71%), and mean disease duration was 28 years (1-56). Disease onset was before age 15 years in 9 cases (64%), after age 35 years in 4 cases (28%), and 1 patient aged 26 years was asymptomatic (7%). All symptomatic patients had pes cavus and distal lower limbs weakness (100%). Distal lower limbs sensory symptoms were observed in 86% of cases, hand atrophy in 71%, and scoliosis in 21%. Nerve conduction studies showed a predominantly demyelinating sensorimotor neuropathy in all cases (100%), and 5 patients needed walking assistance after a mean disease duration of 50 years (47-56) (36%). Three patients were misdiagnosed as inflammatory neuropathy and treated with immunosuppressive drugs for years before diagnosis was corrected. Two patients presented with an additional neurologic disorder, including Steinert's myotonic dystrophy and spinocerebellar ataxia (14%). Eight EGR2 gene mutations were found, including 4 previously undescribed.
Our findings demonstrate EGR2 gene-related hereditary neuropathies are rare and slowly progressive demyelinating neuropathies with 2 major clinical presentations, including a childhood-onset variant and an adult-onset variant which may mimic inflammatory neuropathy. Our study also expands the genotypic spectrum of EGR2 gene mutations.
X-Linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1 (CMTX1) is characterized by gender differences in clinical severity. Women are usually clinically affected later and less severely than men. However, their ...clinical presentation appears to be heterogenous. Our aim was to extend the phenotypic description in a large series of women with CMTX1.
We retrospectively evaluated 263 patients with CMTX1 from 11 French reference centers. Demographic, clinical, and nerve conduction data were collected. The severity was assessed by CMT Examination Score (CMTES) and Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale (ONLS) scores. We looked for asymmetrical strength, heterogeneous motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), and motor conduction blocks (CB).
The study included 137 women and 126 men from 151 families. Women had significantly more asymmetric motor deficits and MNCV than men. Women with an age of onset after 19 years were milder. Two groups of women were identified after 48 years of age. The first group represented 55%, with women progressing as severely as men, however, with a later onset age. The second group had mild or no symptoms. Some 39% of women had motor CB. Four women received intravenous immunoglobulin before being diagnosed with CMTX1.
We identified two subgroups of women with CMTX1 who were over 48 years of age. Additionally, we have demonstrated that women with CMTX can exhibit an atypical clinical presentation, which may result in misdiagnosis. Therefore, in women presenting with chronic neuropathy, the presence of clinical asymmetry, heterogeneous MNCV, and/or motor CB should raise suspicion for X-linked CMT, particularly CMTX1, and be included in the differential diagnosis.
ABSTRACT
Introduction
Chronic muscle pain affects approximately 10% of the general population. It is unknown whether electromyographic (EMG) examination or muscle biopsy is most useful in this ...situation.
Methods
In a 7‐year, single‐center prospective study we investigated the EMG and muscle pathology characteristics of patients with: (1) diffuse muscle pain lasting >1 year; (2) normal clinical examination; (3) normal extensive blood tests; and (4) no evidence of a coexisting disorder.
Results
One hundred eighty consecutive patients were enrolled. In 178 patients (99%), EMG studies and muscle biopsies were normal. In 2 patients (1%), EMG studies demonstrated myotonia, and muscle biopsy showed mild myopathic features; 1 patient had myotonic dystrophy type 2, and the other had SCN4A‐related muscle channelopathy.
Conclusions
In this prospective study, EMG was an excellent screening test for diagnosing muscle disease in clinically normal patients with chronic diffuse muscle pain, and muscle biopsy was not useful. Muscle Nerve 54: 321–324, 2016
Skin biopsy is the most relevant tool to diagnose small-fiber neuropathy. A well-documented normal dataset for intraepidermal nerve fiber in the distal leg is required to improve its diagnostic ...value.
Three hundred healthy subjects were enrolled in the study, after clinical and biological screening to exclude neurological and systemic pathologies. A distal leg biopsy was taken and intraepidermal nerve fiber density after protein gene product-9.5 immunocytochemistry with brightfield microscopy was determined. Morphological variations of intraepidermal nerve fibers, previously described in small-fiber neuropathies, were analyzed. One hundred biopsies were also analyzed at the ultrastructural level.
The median number of fibers was lower in men compared to women and decreased with age. Using statistical modeling taking into account age and gender, we calculated the 5th percentile of intraepidermal nerve fiber density as follows: 7.6156-0.0769 x age (years) + 1.5506 x gender (woman = 1; man = 0). We observed a low frequency of large swellings or horizontal branchings but an increasing frequency of small swellings of intraepidermal nerve fibers and irregular distribution along the dermal-epidermal junction with age. Axonal diameter of unmyelinated fibers of the papillary dermis did not vary with age or gender. Ultrastructural analysis also showed that fiber endings in close apposition to Merkel cells should not be mistaken for small-fiber swellings.
Our dataset allows accurate calculation of the normal density of intraepidermal nerve fibers for each year of age and provides original morphological observations that improve the diagnostic value of skin biopsy in the distal leg for small-fiber neuropathy.
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