title: The co-existence of Fabry and celiac diseases: a case report.
abstract: We present a patient with Fabry disease with remarkable diagnostic findings and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. An 11-year-old girl was admitted to hospital with weight loss, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, flank pain, acroparesthesia, and painful extremities. Her mother had end-stage renal failure secondary to Fabry disease. On physical examination, she had growth retardation. Ophthalmological examination showed characteristic whorl-like corneal opacities and Fabry disease was confirmed with low alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-gal A) activity. Her painful attacks were treated with carbamazepine, but vomiting and nausea continued. Laboratory studies revealed positive serum anti-endomysium and anti-gliadin antibodies. Small intestinal biopsy showed subtotal villous atrophy compatible with gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Following treatment with a gluten-free diet, her gastrointestinal symptoms completely disappeared within a few weeks and then she had catch-up growth. In her long-term follow-up, proteinuria appeared and renal involvement was confirmed by characteristic renal biopsy findings. Following these clinicopathological findings, enzyme replacement therapy was started. In conclusion, although heterozygous females can be asymptomatic or are expected to have a mild course of the disease, a severe clinical course in our patient in the 2nd decade is of particular interest. In addition, Fabry disease occurring with gluten-sensitive enteropathy, a very rare co-existence, is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Metabolism and Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Besevler, Ankara 06500, Turkey. tumerleyla@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tümer
authors.forename: Fatih S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Ezgü
authors.forename: Alev
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasanoğlu
authors.forename: Buket
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dalgiç
authors.forename: Sevcan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bakkaloğlu
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Memiş
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dursun
mesh_terms: D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D000795:Fabry Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D040181:Genetic Diseases, X-Linked / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D000519:alpha-Galactosidase / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000519:alpha-Galactosidase