Gaucher disease

Gaucher disease (GD) encompasses a continuum of clinical findings from a perinatal-lethal disorder to an asymptomatic type. The characterization of three major clinical types (1, 2, and 3) and two clinical forms (perinatal-lethal and cardiovascular) is useful in determining prognosis and management. Cardiopulmonary complications have been described with all the clinical phenotypes, although varying in frequency and severity. Type 1GD is characterized by the presence of clinical or radiographic evidence of bone disease (osteopenia, focal lytic or sclerotic lesions, and osteonecrosis), hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, thrombocytopenia, lung disease, and the absence of primary central nervous system disease. Type 2 GD is characterized by primary central nervous system disease with onset before age two years, limited psychomotor development, and a rapidly progressive course with death by age two to four years. Type 3 GD is characterized by primary central nervous system disease with childhood onset, a more slowly progressive course, and survival into the third or fourth decade. The perinatal-lethal form is associated with ichthyosiform or collodion skin abnormalities or with nonimmune hydrops fetalis. The cardiovascular form is characterized by calcification of the aortic and mitral valves, mild splenomegaly, corneal opacities, and supranuclear ophthalmoplegia.

Full text of GeneReview (by section):

Summary

GeneReview Scope

Diagnosis

Clinical Characteristics

Genetically Related (Allelic) Disorders

Differential Diagnosis

Management

Genetic Counseling

Resources

Molecular Genetics

Chapter Notes

References

Authors:

Derralynn A Hughes

Gregory M Pastores

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