| Literature DB >> 29391032 |
Ana Gales1, Marion Masingue2, Stephanie Millecamps3, Stephane Giraudier4,5,6, Laure Grosliere2, Claude Adam1, Claudio Salim7, Vincent Navarro1,8, Yann Nadjar9.
Abstract
5,10-Methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) deficiency is a genetic disorder that can occur at any age and can be easily detected by increased homocysteinemia. In adolescence/adult onset forms, the clinical picture is often complex with association of various neurological features and thrombosis.Here we report the cases of two adult siblings who experienced focal epilepsy at 18 years old as a first disease manifestation, without other symptom during several years. Upon diagnosis, both patients received metabolic treatment comprising B9, B12 and betaine which has stopped the occurrence of seizures, allowing discontinuation of anti-epileptic drugs.Among 24 reviewed adolescent/adult onset patients with MTHFR deficiency in the literature, clinical manifestations included gait disorder (96%, from motor central or peripheral origin), cognitive decline (74%), epileptic syndromes (50%), encephalopathy (30%), psychotic symptoms (17%), and thrombotic events (21%). A total of 41% presented a single neurological manifestation that could stay isolated during at least 3 years, delaying achievement of the diagnosis. Brain MRI showed a mostly periventricular white matter changes in 71% of cases. All patients stabilized or improved following metabolic treatment.Despite being rare, adolescence/adult onset MTHFR deficiency can nevertheless be successfully treated. Therefore, homocysteinemia should be tested in various unexplained neuro-psychiatric syndromes like epilepsy or spastic paraparesis, even if isolated, since waiting for completion of the clinical picture is likely to increase the risk of irreversible neurological damage.Entities:
Keywords: All epilepsy/seizures; Clinical neurology examination; Gait disorders/ataxia; MRI; Metabolic disease
Mesh:
Substances:
Year: 2018 PMID: 29391032 PMCID: PMC5796584 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-018-0767-9
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Orphanet J Rare Dis ISSN: 1750-1172 Impact factor: 4.123
Fig. 1Electroencephalogram (patient n°1). Bilateralfronto-temporal spike-and-waves (arrow), followed by a left temporo-frontal spike (arrow head) on a symmetric alpha (8 Hz) background activity (longitudinal montage)
Fig. 2Brain MRI showing white matter changes (patient n°2). Periventricular and subcortical hyper signals with sparing of the U fibers (Axial T2 FLAIR)
Characteristics of adolescence/adult onset MTHFR deficient patients (N = 24 patients)
| Mean age at neurological onset ( | 22.4 (+/− 12.1, 11–54) | |
| Age at diagnosis ( | 28.8 (+/− 15.3, 11–67) | |
| Age at description ( | 30 (+/− 16.2, 12–69) | |
| Thrombosis | 5/24 (21%) | |
| Mild learning disabilities | 6/21 (29%) | |
| Acuteness of occurrence of at least one neurological symptoma | 11/20 (55%) | |
| Neurological presentationb | Gait disorder 11/24 (46%) | LL Weakness 10/10 (100%). 3/10 associated with UL weakness. 1/10 with left sided weakness |
| UMN signs 7/7 (100%) | ||
| Spasticity 5/6 (83%) | ||
| Peripheral Neuropathy 3/4 (75%) | ||
| Ataxia 4/8 (50%) | ||
| Epilepsy 7/24 (29%) | GTCS 4/7 (57%), 1 with myoclonus mimicking JME | |
| Absence 1/7 (14%) | ||
| Focal seizures 2/7 (28%) | ||
| Cognitive decline 5/24 (21%) | ||
| Psychosis 3/24 (12%) | ||
| Encephalopathy 1/24 (4%) | ||
| Stroke 1/24 (4%) | ||
| Neurological symptoms till last follow up | Gait disorder 23/24 (96%) | LL Weakness 21/23 (91%). 6/23 associated with UL weakness. 1/10 with left sided weakness |
| UMN signs 19/19 (100%) | ||
| Spasticity 14/17 (82%) | ||
| Peripheral Neuropathy 10/14 (71%) | ||
| Ataxia 7/20 (35%) | ||
| Epilepsy 12/24 (50%) | GTCS 5/9 (55%), 1 with myoclonus in a context of PME (same patient presenting as JME) | |
| Absence 1/9 (11%) | ||
| Focal seizures 3/9 (33%) | ||
| Cognitive decline 17/23 (74%) | ||
| Psychosis 4/24 (17%) | ||
| Encephalopathy 6/20 (30%) | ||
| Other | Obsessions ( | |
| Delay between first neurological manifestation and occurrence of other neurological symptomc | 2.8 +/− 2.9, 0–9 | |
| Evolution under treatment | Improvement 15/18 (83%) | |
| Stabilization 3/18 (17%) | ||
| Cerebral MRI | White matter abnormalities 12/17 (70%) | |
| Normal 3/17 (18%) | ||
| Cerebral atrophy 7/17 (41%) | ||
| Spinal cord MRI | Normal 3/6 (50%) | |
| SCA 2/6 (33%) | ||
| PCHS 1/6 (17%) | ||
| Biological data | Initial homocysteinemia ( | 177.3 +/− 49.5, 115–320 |
| Initial methioninemia | Low 13/17 (77%), Normal 4/17 (23%) | |
| Homocysteinemia after treatment ( | 76.1 +/−22.2, 50–118 | |
Encephalopathy was defined as an acute or sub-acute onset of cognitive decline with drowsiness and/or confusion
aSeizures and strokes were not considered in this row
bFour patients had mixed neurological presentations and were counted twice (patientsn°9; 15; 16; and 19)
cSymptoms considered: gait disorder, cognitive disorder, epilepsy, psychosis, encephalopathy, and stroke
Fig. 3Initial clinical presentation and evolution of symptoms in adolescence/adult onset MTHFR deficiency (N = 24 patients). The initial clinical symptom(s) is/are indicated on the left. The delay for onset of other symptoms is represented by the box length, and within the box (in years), followed by the nature of the symptoms. Patients were classified from the shortest to the longest delays of onset of other symptoms