title: Anderson-Fabry disease: developments in diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: Fabry disease (Anderson-Fabry disease) is an X-linked recessive lysosomal storage disorder resulting from deficient activity of lysosomal hydrolase, alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-Gal A), which leads to progressive accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) in various cells, predominantly endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells, with clinical manifestations affecting major organs including the central nervous system. The incidence has been estimated to 1 per 40,000-60,000 males and 1 per 117,000 in the general population. Symptoms usually occur during childhood or adolescence, occasionally in middle age (according to the level of the enzyme activity). Life-threatening complications often develop in untreated patients. In classic Fabry disease, they include cutaneous, renal, cardiac and cerebrovascular manifestations that lead to premature death. Early recognition of symptoms, enzyme activity levels, concentration of Gb3 levels in the blood, urine and skin biopsies, as well as genetic testing (GLA gene) enable establishment of early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention with enzyme replacement therapy. Early therapy initiation prior to significant disease manifestations or complications may improve patient outcome.
authors: University Department of Neurology, Referral Center for Neurovascular Disorders of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia, Referral Center for Headache of the Ministry of Health of the Republic od Croatia. vanjakes@net.hr
authors: Vanja Basić
authors: VB
authors: Kes
authors: Marijan
authors: M
authors: Cesarik
authors: Iris
authors: I
authors: Zavoreo
authors: Zrinko
authors: Z
authors: Madzar
authors: Vida
authors: V
authors: Demarin
mesh_terms: D000795:Fabry Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans