Pompe disease is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by alpha-glucosidase deficiency. The disease is characterized by accumulation of glycogen in the lysosomes. The accumulation has unique ultrastructural features which enable a prenatal diagnosis by electron microscopy. We describe prenatal electron microscopic testing in a fetus of a mother whose previous child died of Pompe disease. The dise...

The patient was a 15 year-old girl who turned out at the Physical Therapy Clinic presenting progressive scoliosis and angle of 50o Coob by X-Ray. She complained of back pain, headache and weakness of shoulder and pelvic girdle. Physical therapy evaluation came across features of delayed motor development and undernourishment, together with generalized muscle weakness (grade = 4) which was obser...

Pompe disease is a systemic metabolic disorder characterized by lack of acid-alpha glucosidase (GAA) resulting in ubiquitous lysosomal glycogen accumulation. Respiratory and ambulatory dysfunction are prominent features in patients with Pompe yet the mechanism defining the development of muscle weakness is currently unclear. Transgenic animal models of Pompe disease mirroring the patient phenot...

BACKGROUND Early initiation of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase is an effective treatment for patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease (IOPD) but cannot prevent a slow progression of myopathy. Albuterol has been shown to be helpful in adult patients with Pompe disease, and therefore, we administered an open-label adjunctive therapy with albuterol...

Pompe disease (OMIM 232300) is an AR glycogenosis due to deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-glucosidase (GAA). As a result, glycogen storage occurs in muscles and patients present a wide clinical spectrum ranging from early onset severe cardiomyopathy (EOPD) to adult onset forms (LOPD). Severe loss of GAA activity correlates with early onset and severe phenotypes. Residual enzyme activity...

Pompe disease is a form of muscular dystrophy due to lysosomal storage of glycogen caused by deficiency of acid α-glucosidase (GAA). Respiratory failure in Pompe disease has been attributed to respiratory muscle dysfunction. However, evaluation of spinal tissue from Pompe patients and animal models indicates glycogen accumulation and lower motoneuron pathology. We hypothesized that restoring GA...