Adult polyglucosan body disease

Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2001 Apr;125(4):519-22. doi: 10.5858/2001-125-0519-APBD.

Abstract

We describe a case of adult polyglucosan body disease with characteristic clinical symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, upper motor neuron signs, and bowel and bladder dysfunction. Sural nerve biopsy revealed diagnostic intra-axonal polyglucosan bodies. On electron microscopic examination, the inclusions were located mainly within myelinated nerve fibers and consisted of branched filaments that were 6 to 8 nm wide. The diagnosis of adult polyglucosan body disease was confirmed by a skin biopsy from the axilla showing similar inclusions in myoepithelial cells of apocrine glands. This report provides additional evidence that skin biopsy, to date advocated by a single case report only, may be a less invasive and simpler diagnostic alternative to sural nerve or brain biopsies.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Apocrine Glands / metabolism
  • Apocrine Glands / pathology
  • Axons / metabolism
  • Axons / ultrastructure
  • Basal Ganglia Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Basal Ganglia Diseases / metabolism
  • Biopsy
  • Glucans / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Inclusion Bodies / metabolism
  • Inclusion Bodies / ultrastructure
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Skin / pathology
  • Sural Nerve / metabolism
  • Sural Nerve / pathology*

Substances

  • Glucans