The Unified Batten Disease Rating Scale (UBDRS) is a reliable instrument that effectively tests for neurologic function in blind and demented patients. In its current form, the UBDRS is useful for monitoring the diverse clinical findings seen in Batten disease.

Juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL; CLN3 disease; Batten disease) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease of childhood. Symptoms typically present at school age with vision loss followed by progressive cognitive decline, motor dysfunction, seizures, and behavior problems. Studies on sex differences in JNCL have yielded mixed results, but parent anecdotes suggest that females experience a more precipitous disease course. Therefore, we sought to determine if sex-based differences exist in JNCL. We used data from the Unified Batten Disease Rating Scale (UBDRS), the Batten Disease Support and Research Association (BDSRA) database, and the PedsQL quality of life (QoL) survey to evaluate sex-based differences in functional independence and time from symptom onset to death. On average, females had JNCL symptom onset one year later and death one year earlier than did males. Despite a later age at onset, females had lower functional capability, earlier loss of independent function, and lower physical QoL. Future research in sex differences in JNCL may help to further understand the biological mechanisms underpinning the disease course and may point to targeted therapies.

Objective: To use the Unified Batten Disease Rating Scale (UBDRS) to measure the rate of decline in physical and functional capability domains in patients with juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) or Batten disease, a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder. We have evaluated the UBDRS in subjects with JNCL since 2002; during that time, the scale has been refined to improve reliability and validity. Now that therapies are being proposed to prevent, slow, or reverse the course of JNCL, the UBDRS will play an important role in quantitatively assessing clinical outcomes in research trials. Methods:We administered the UBDRS to 82 subjects with JNCL genetically confirmed by CLN3 mutational analysis. Forty-four subjects were seen for more than one annual visit. From these data, the rate of physical impairment over time was quantified using multivariate linear regression and repeated-measures analysis. Results:The UBDRS Physical Impairment subscale shows worsening over time that proceeds at a quantifiable linear rate in the years following initial onset of clinical symptoms. This deterioration correlates with functional capability and is not influenced by CLN3 genotype. Conclusion:The UBDRS is a reliable and valid instrument that measures clinical progression in JNCL. Our data support the use of the UBDRS to quantify the rate of progression of physical impairment in subjects with JNCL in clinical trials. Neurology The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are degenerative, autosomal recessive storage diseases with common clinical and pathologic features, including blindness, seizures, dementia, motor decline, and lysosomal accumulation of autofluorescent material (ceroid and lipofuscin).1 The NCLs are categorized by genetic etiology. The juvenile form of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL), also called Batten disease, is the most prevalent NCL. Clinically, JNCL begins with progressive visual loss between 4 and 8 years of age, followed by seizures, then loss of motor coordination and dementia between 10 and 12 years. Death occurs by the third or fourth decade. 1,2 JNCL is due to mutations of the CLN3 3 gene that encodes a ubiquitously expressed protein of unknown function localized to the lysosomal membrane 4,5 ; modeling studies suggest a role in substrate trafficking. 5,6 Most cases of JNCL are caused by an approximately 1-kb deletion in the CLN3 3,7 gene, encompassing exons 7 and 8. Approximately 74% of patients with JNCL are homozygous for this common deletion, and 22% are compound heterozygotes for this deletion and another CLN3 mutation.8 There are no mutations consistently associated with better prognosis. 8 -10 From the University of Rochester (J.M.K., H.A., P.G.R., E. With biological advances, there is hope for rational therapies to prevent, slow, or reverse the course of JNCL. We developed the Unified Batten Disease Rating Scale (UBDRS) to measure disease progression in JNCL.11 We used the UBDRS to evaluate and quantify disease burden in 82 subjects with JNCL from 2002 through 2010...

AIM The primary aim of this investigation was to examine genotype and clinical phenotype differences in individuals with juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) who were homozygous for a common disease-causing deletion or compound heterozygous. The secondary aim was to cross-validate the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Unified Batten Disease Rating Scale (UBDRS), a disease-specific JNCL rating scale.METHOD Sixty individuals (28 males, 32 females; mean age 15y 1mo, SD 4y 9mo, range 5y 8mo-31y 1mo) with JNCL completed the UBDRS.RESULTS No significant genotype and clinical phenotype differences were identified when comparing individuals homozygous for the deletion with a heterogeneous group of compound heterozygous individuals. There were significant correlations among related behaviour items and scales on the CBCL and UBDRS (Spearman's rho ranging from 0.39 [p<0.05] to 0.72 [p<0.01]). Behaviour and physical function ratings were uncorrelated, supporting divergent validity of these two constructs in JNCL.INTERPRETATION Previous reports of genotype and clinical phenotype differences were unsupported in this investigation, which did not find differences between individuals homozygous or heterozygous for the CLN3 deletion. The CBCL, an already validated measure of behaviour problems, appears valid for use in JNCL and cross-validates well with the UBDRS.The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses are fatal, autosomal recessive, lysosomal storage diseases and are the most commonly occurring neurodegenerative diseases of childhood. There are several forms of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (e.g. congenital, infantile, late infantile, and juvenile), which are genetically distinct but share common clinical features, including vision loss, seizures, cognitive and motor decline, premature death, and the accumulation of autofluorescent storage material in neurons and other cells. 1 The age of onset of juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL) is between 4 and 8 years of age and is the most prevalent form of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, with an estimated incidence of 1:12 500 worldwide. 2 JNCL is caused by mutations in the CLN3 gene. The most frequently seen mutation is a 1.02kb deletion that removes exons 7 and 8 of this gene; 80 to 85% of affected children and young adults are homozygous for this deletion. 3 Most of the remaining individuals with JNCL are compound heterozygotes for the common deletion and another mutation. The typical clinical course of JNCL involves vision loss between the ages of 5 and 7 years, followed by seizures, cognitive and behavioural disturbances, and motor decline, although there is variability in the temporal order of symptom onset and rate of disease progression. Adaptive skills and cognitive function are significantly negatively correlated with disease duration. 4,5 Two Finnish studies report potentially slower disease progression among patients who are compound heterozygous for the common deletion. Järvelä et al. 6 reported that individuals homozygous for the CLN3 deletion exhibit...

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