Fabry disease--a diagnostic and therapeutic problem

The authors present a patient with Fabry syndrome that remained undiagnosed for several years. Fabry syndrome is a genetic disease related to changes on the X chromosome. Its complex clinical presentation and diverse symptomatology is caused by deficient activity of lysosomal hydrolase alpha-galactosidase enzyme. Defect in the basic alpha-galactosidase molecule implies genetic change, which can be a predisposing factor for the development of atypical and typical forms of this genetic disease. In the presented case, clinical manifestation and hemizygous symptomatology were the evidence of metabolic and genetic irregularity, typical clinical presentation of Fabry disease. Many authors report generalized vasculopathy as a basic characteristic of Fabry disease and a causative factor of multiorgan changes. Some authors indicate that persons with diagnosed asymmetric hypertrophy of the left ventricle have decreased alpha-galactosidase. Cardiac complications, coronary disease, and acute myocardial ischemia are often present in cases of Fabry disease, frequently causing death in such patients. Characteristic central nervous system symptoms with skin-burning sensation and paresthesia were also present in our case. Cerebrovascular complications were caused by changes on small blood vessels. Clinical signs of renal failure were nonspecific, and the diagnosis was based on extrarenal symptoms. Initial renal manifestations were insignificant as asymptomatic proteinuria and microhematuria, due to which our patient was referred to further examination. The level of alpha-galactosidase was significantly decreased. The severity and progression of this disease depends on the level of alpha-galactosidase enzyme in serum and its catabolic effect. More recent studies have showed that deficient enzyme can be synthetic zed and, accordingly our patient has been successfully enrolled in the replacement therapy program.