Successful treatment of painful crises of Fabry disease with low dose morphine

Fabry disease is an X-linked disorder characterized in childhood by angiokeratoma, corneal opacities, and pain. At age 7 years our patient began experiencing an intermittent intense "burning" sensation within his feet and hands (acroparesthesias). Treatment with aspirin, acetaminophen, acetominophen with codeine, and phenytoin was unsuccessful. Carbamazepine and phenytoin reduced the frequency and duration of painful crises to 3-4 times annually. A treatment plan was developed consisting of a low-dose morphine infusion with increasing dosage until pain was relieved. Over the subsequent 28 months, we have had experienced treating 7 crises with morphine given as 0.06 mg/kg IV push, followed by a continuous infusion of 0.02 mg/kg/hr with amitriptyline 0.25 mg/kg at bedtime. Pain control is immediate, with the infusion gradually tapered after 24 hours.