title: Effect of enzyme therapy and prognostic factors in 69 adults with Pompe disease: an open-label single-center study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in adults with Pompe disease, a progressive neuromuscular disorder, is of promising but variable efficacy. We investigated whether it alters the course of disease, and also identified potential prognostic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients in this open-label single-center study were treated biweekly with 20 mg/kg alglucosidase alfa. Muscle strength, muscle function, and pulmonary function were assessed every 3-6 months and analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine patients (median age 52.1 years) were followed for a median of 23 months. Muscle strength increased after start of ERT (manual muscle testing 1.4 percentage points per year (pp/y); hand-held dynamometry 4.0 pp/y; both p < 0.001). Forced vital capacity (FVC) remained stable when measured in upright, but declined in supine position (-1.1 pp/y; p = 0.03). Muscle function did not improve in all patients (quick motor function test 0.7 pp/y; p = 0.14), but increased significantly in wheelchair-independent patients and those with mild and moderate muscle weakness.Relative to the pre-treatment period (49 patients with 14 months pre-ERT and 22 months ERT median follow-up), ERT affected muscle strength positively (manual muscle testing +3.3 pp/y, p < 0.001 and hand-held dynamometry +7.9 pp/y, p < 0.001). Its effect on upright FVC was +1.8 pp/y (p = 0.08) and on supine FVC +0.8 (p = 0.38). Favorable prognostic factors were female gender for muscle strength, and younger age and better clinical status for supine FVC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that ERT positively alters the natural course of Pompe disease in adult patients; muscle strength increased and upright FVC stabilized. Functional outcome is probably best when ERT intervention is timely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology & Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Juna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Nadine A M E
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: van der Beek
authors.forename: Wim C J
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hop
authors.forename: Francois P J
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Karstens
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wokke
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Visser
authors.forename: Baziel G M
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: van Engelen
authors.forename: Jan B M
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kuks
authors.forename: Anneke J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Kooi
authors.forename: Nicolette C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Notermans
authors.forename: Catharina G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.forename: Jan J G M
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Verschuuren
authors.forename: Michelle E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kruijshaar
authors.forename: Arnold J J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Reuser
authors.forename: Pieter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van Doorn
authors.forename: Ans T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: van der Ploeg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006009:Glycogen Storage Disease Type II / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: C509951:GAA protein, human; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases