title: Longitudinal follow-up to evaluate speech disorders in early-treated patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease (IOPD) can be treated by recombinant human acid alpha glucosidase (rhGAA) replacement beginning at birth with excellent survival rates, but they still commonly present with speech disorders. This study investigated the progress of speech disorders in these early-treated patients and ascertained the relationship with treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Speech disorders, including hypernasal resonance, articulation disorders, and speech intelligibility, were scored by speech-language pathologists using auditory perception in seven early-treated patients over a period of 6 years. Statistical analysis of the first and last evaluations of the patients was performed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 29 speech samples were analyzed. All the patients suffered from hypernasality, articulation disorder, and impairment in speech intelligibility at the age of 3 years. The conditions were stable, and 2 patients developed normal or near normal speech during follow-up. Speech therapy and a high dose of rhGAA appeared to improve articulation in 6 of the 7 patients (86%, p = 0.028) by decreasing the omission of consonants, which consequently increased speech intelligibility (p = 0.041). Severity of hypernasality greatly reduced only in 2 patients (29%, p = 0.131).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Speech disorders were common even in early and successfully treated patients with IOPD; however, aggressive speech therapy and high-dose rhGAA could improve their speech disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yin-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wuh-Liang
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hwu
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pao-Chuan
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Torng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ni-Chung
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jeng-Yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: chienyh@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Yin-Hsiu
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chien
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D061345:Early Medical Intervention; D056947:Enzyme Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006009:Glycogen Storage Disease Type II / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D013070:Speech Therapy; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: C509951:GAA protein, human; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases
keywords: Articulation disorder; Enzyme replacement therapy; Hypernasality; Infantile-onset Pompe disease; Speech disorder; Speech intelligibility