BACKGROUND: Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD), due to mutations in the sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 1 (SMPD1) gene, is divided into infantile neurovisceral ASMD (Niemann-Pick type A), chronic neurovisceral ASMD (intermediate form, Niemann-Pick type A/B) and chronic visceral ASMD (Niemann-Pick type B). We conducted a long-term observational, single-center study including 16 patients with chronic visceral ASMD. RESULTS: 12 patients were diagnosed in childhood and 4 others in adulthood, the oldest at the age of 50. The mean time of follow-up was approximately 10 years (range: 6 months - 36 years). Splenomegaly was noted in all patients at diagnosis. Hepatomegaly was observed in 88% of patients. Moderately elevated (several-fold above the upper limit of normal values) serum transaminases were noted in 38% of patients. Cherry-red spots were found in five Gypsy children from one family and also in one adult Polish patient, a heterozygote for p.delR610 mutation. Dyslipidemia was noted in 50% of patients. Interstitial lung disease was diagnosed in 44% of patients. Plasmatic lysosphingomyelin (SPC) was elevated in all the patients except one with p.V36A homozygosity and a very mild phenotype also presenting with elevated plasmatic SPC-509 but normal chitotriosidase activity. The most common variant of SMPD1 gene was p.G166R. We found a previously unreported variant in exon 2 (c.491G > T, p.G164 V) in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic visceral ASMD could constitute a slowly progressing disease with a relatively good outcome. The combined measurement of lysosphingomyelin (SPC) and lysospingomyelin-509 (SPC-509) is an essential method for the assessment of ASMD course.

Department of Genetics Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology Warsaw Poland

Department of Inherited Metabolic Diseases Research Center for Medical Genetics Moscow Russian Federation

Department of Pediatrics Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases The Children's Memorial Health Institute Warsaw Poland

Institute of Inherited Metabolic Disorders 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University and General University Hospital Prague Czech Republic

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