Is the perinatal lethal form of Gaucher disease more common than classic type 2 Gaucher disease?

Eur J Hum Genet. 1999 May-Jun;7(4):505-9. doi: 10.1038/sj.ejhg.5200315.

Abstract

In recent years there has been increased recognition of a severe perinatal lethal form of Gaucher disease, the inherited deficiency of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase. We previously reported a case of severe type 2 Gaucher disease which was seen in a medical center in Rotterdam and now present three new cases from two other families seen at the same center. Mutational analyses of these cases revealed two novel mutations, H311R and V398F, located in exons 8 and 9, respectively. The identification of four cases of lethal type 2 Gaucher disease in a single center seems to be a function of increased awareness of this phenotype, rather than of geographic clustering. The actual incidence of lethal type 2 Gaucher disease may be underestimated, as many cases may have been misclassified as collodion babies or hydrops of unknown cause.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Exons / genetics
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Gaucher Disease / epidemiology*
  • Gaucher Disease / genetics*
  • Gaucher Disease / pathology
  • Glucosylceramidase / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Skin / pathology

Substances

  • Glucosylceramidase