Lessons from two cases: is Fabry disease the correct diagnosis?

Fabry disease (FD) is an X linked inherited lysosomal storage disorder with complex multisystem involvement; it is caused by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase. Deficient enzyme activity leads to a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations consisting of dermatological, ophthalmological, cardiovascular, and urinary and central nervous system findings. As a result, FD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of many systemic diseases. Diagnosis of FD can arise from careful clinical and instrumental investigations, together with family history data and accurate interpretation of genetic and enzymatic analyses. Lack of knowledge on clinical findings of the disease and inept investigation methods unfortunately result in erroneous diagnosis. We present two patients who were referred to our clinic with a suspicion of ED and finally diagnosed as glycogen storage disorder type III and ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, respectively.