Long‐term effects of migalastat therapy in clinical practice are currently unknown. We evaluated migalastat efficacy and biomarker changes in a prospective, single‐center study on 14 patients with Fabry disease (55 ± 14 years; 11 men). After 1 year of open‐label migalastat therapy, patients showed significant changes in alpha‐galactosidase‐A activity (0.06–0.2 nmol/minute/mg protein; P = 0.001), left ventricular myocardial mass index (137–130 g/m 2 ; P = 0.037), and serum creatinine (0.94–1.0 mg/ dL ; P = 0.021), accounting for deterioration in estimated glomerular filtration rate (87–78 mL/minute/1.73 m 2 ; P = 0.012). The enzymatic increase correlated with myocardial mass reduction ( r = −0.546; P = 0.044) but not with renal function ( r = −0.086; P = 0.770). Plasma globotriaosylsphingosine was reduced in therapy‐naive patients (10.9–6.0 ng/mL; P = 0.021) and stable (9.6–12.1 ng/mL; P = 0.607) in patients switched from prior enzyme‐replacement therapy. These first real‐world data show that migalastat substantially increases alpha‐galactosidase‐A activity, stabilizes related serum biomarkers, and improves cardiac integrity in male and female patients with amenable Fabry disease mutations.

Fabry's disease (FD) is an X‐linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficient activity of the lysosomal enzyme α‐galactosidase A (α‐Gal A) leading to intracellular accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3). Patients with amenable mutations can be treated with migalastat, a recently approved oral pharmacologic chaperone to increase endogenous α‐Gal A activity. We assessed safety along with cardiovascular, renal, and patient‐reported outcomes and disease biomarkers in a prospective observational multicenter study after 12 months of migalastat treatment under “real‐world” conditions. Fifty‐nine (28 females) patients (34 (57.6%) pretreated with enzyme replacement therapy) with amenable mutations were recruited. Migalastat was generally safe and well tolerated. Females and males presented with a reduction of left ventricular mass index (primary end point) (−7.2 and −13.7 g/m2, P = 0.0050 and P = 0.0061). FD‐specific manifestations and symptoms remained stable (all P > 0.05). Both sexes presented with a reduction of estimated glomerular filtration rate (secondary end point) (−6.9 and −5.0 mL/minute/1.73 m2; P = 0.0020 and P = 0.0004, respectively), which was most prominent in patients with low blood pressure (P = 0.0271). α‐Gal A activity increased in male patients by 15% from 29% to 44% of the normal wild‐type activity (P = 0.0106) and plasma lyso‐Gb3 levels were stable in females and males (P = 0.3490 and P = 0.2009). Reevaluation of mutations with poor biochemical response revealed no marked activity increase in a zero activity background. We conclude that therapy with migalastat was generally safe and resulted in an amelioration of left ventricular mass. In terms of impaired renal function, blood pressure control seems to be an unattended important goal.

α-Galactosidase A genotype N215S does not lead to the development of a classical Fabry phenotype but induces a specific cardiac variant of Fabry disease mimicking nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The lack of prominent noncardiac impairment leads to a significant delay in diagnosis and Fabry-specific therapy.

Aims Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase A (GLA/AGAL) resulting in lysosomal accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3). Patients with amenable GLA mutations can be treated with migalastat, an oral pharmacologic chaperone increasing endogenous AGAL activity. In this prospective observational multicenter study safety as well as cardiovascular, renal, and patient-reported outcomes and disease biomarkers were assessed after 12 and 24 months of migalastat treatment under “real world” conditions. Methods and results 54 patients (26 females) (33 of these [61.1%] pre-treated with enzyme replacement therapy) with amenable mutations were analyzed. Treatment was generally safe and well tolerated. 153 events per 1,000 patient-years were detected. Overall left ventricular mass index decreased after 24 months (all: -7.5 ± 17.4 g/m2, p = 0.0118; females: -4.6 ± 9.1 g/m2, p = 0.0554; males: -9.9 ± 22.2 g/m2, p = 0.0699). After 24 months, females and males presented with a moderate yearly loss of eGFR (-2.6 and -4.4 ml/min/1.73 m2 per year; p = 0.0317 and p = 0.0028, respectively). FD-specific manifestations/symptoms remained stable (all p > 0.05). 76.9% of females and 50% of males suffered from pain, which has not improved under treatment. FD-specific disease scores (DS3 and MSSI) remained stable during treatment. AGAL activities and plasma lyso-Gb3 values remained stable, although some male patients presented with increasing lyso-Gb3 levels over time. Conclusions Treatment with migalastat was generally safe and resulted in most patients in an amelioration of left ventricular mass. However, due to the heterogeneity of FD phenotypes, it is advisable that the treating physician monitors the clinical response regularly.

Fabry disease is a rare inborn error of the enzyme α-galactosidase (α-Gal) and results in lysosomal substrate accumulation in tissues with a wide range of clinical presentations. The disease has attracted a lot of interest over the last years, in particular since enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has become widely available in 2001. With rising awareness and rising numbers of (diagnosed) patients, physicians encounter new challenges. Over 900 α-Gal gene mutations are currently known, some with doubtful clinical significance, posing diagnostic and prognostic difficulties for the clinician and a lot of uncertainty for patients. Another challenge are patients who develop neutralising antibodies to ERT, which possibly leads to reduced therapy effectiveness. In this article, we summarise the latest developments in the science community regarding diagnostics and management of this rare lysosomal storage disorder and offer an outlook to future treatments.

BackgroundFabry disease (FD) is an X-linked recessive hereditary lysosomal storage disorder which results in the accumulation of globotriaosylceramid (Gb3) in tissues of kidney and heart as well as central and peripheral nervous system.Besides prominent renal and cardiac organ involvement, cochlear symptoms like high-frequency hearing loss and tinnitus are frequently found with yet no comprehensive data available in the literature.ObjectiveTo examine hearing loss in patients with FD depending on cardiac and renal function.Material and methodsSingle-center study with 68 FD patients enrolled between 2012 and 2016 at the Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery of the University of Würzburg. Every subject underwent an oto-rhino-laryngological examination as well as behavioral, electrophysiological and electroacoustical audiological testing. High-frequency thresholds were evaluated by using a modified PTA6 (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8) and HF-PTA (6, 8 kHz). Renal function was measured by eGFR, cardiac impairment was graduated by NYHA class.ResultsSensorineural hearing loss was detected in 58.8% of the cohort, which occurred typically in sudden episodes and affected especially high frequencies. Hearing loss is asymmetric, beginning unilaterally and affecting the contralateral ear later. Tinnitus was reported by 41.2%. Renal and cardiac impairment influenced the severity of hearing loss (p < 0.05).ConclusionsHigh frequency hearing loss is a common problem in patients with FD. Although not life-threatening, it can seriously reduce quality of life and should be taken into account in diagnosis and therapy. Optimized extensive hearing assessment including higher frequency thresholds should be used.

BackgroundFabry Disease (FD) is an X-linked hereditary lysosomal storage disorder which leads to a multisystemic intralysosomal accumulation of globotriaosylceramid (Gb3). Besides prominent renal and cardiac organ involvement, patients commonly complain about vestibulocochlear symptoms like high-frequency hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo. However, comprehensive data especially on vertigo remain scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and characteristics of vertigo and hearing loss in patients with FD, depending on renal and cardiac parameters and get hints about the site and the pattern of the lesions.MethodsSingle-center study with 57 FD patients. Every patient underwent an oto-rhino-laryngological examination as well as videonystagmography and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) and audiological measurements using pure tone audiometry and auditory brainstem response audiometry (ABR). Renal function was measured by eGFR, cardiac impairment was graduated by NYHA class.ResultsMore than one out of three patients (35.1%) complained about hearing loss, 54.4% about vertigo and 28.1% about both symptom. In 74% a sensorineural hearing loss of at least 25 dB was found, ABR could exclude any retrocochlear lesion. Caloric testing showed abnormal values in 71.9%, VEMPs were pathological in 68%. A correlation between the side or the shape of hearing loss and pathological vestibular testing could not be revealed.ConclusionsHearing loss and vertigo show a high prevalence in FD. While hearing loss seems due to a cochlear lesion, peripheral vestibular as well as central nervous pathologies cause vertigo. Thus, both the site of lesion and the pathophysiological patterns seem to differ.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13023-018-0882-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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