Expanding the phenotype of DYNC1H1-associated diseases with a rare variant resulting in spinal muscular atrophy with lower extremity predominance (SMA-LED) and upper motor neuron signs

Background. Spinal muscular atrophy with lower extremity predominance (SMA-LED) is an autosomal dominant disorder. Since SMA-LED affects lower motor neurons, the disease is characterized by weakness and atrophy of lower limb muscles. We present a familial case series of SMA-LED with upper mot...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jessica Lee, Philip Millington, Kavinda Dayasiri, Sithara Ramdas, Sandeep Jayawant, Geetha Anand
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hacettepe University Institute of Child Health 2023-06-01
Series:The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://turkjpediatr.org/article/view/59
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background. Spinal muscular atrophy with lower extremity predominance (SMA-LED) is an autosomal dominant disorder. Since SMA-LED affects lower motor neurons, the disease is characterized by weakness and atrophy of lower limb muscles. We present a familial case series of SMA-LED with upper motor neuron signs associated with a rare variant in DYNC1H1. Case. The index case was referred to Pediatric Neurology at the age of two and half years, due to delayed mobility. The child was diagnosed with congenital vertical talus at birth, which was managed with serial bilateral casting and surgery. The delayed mobility was initially attributed to lower limb weakness secondary to prolonged periods of immobilization from casting of his lower limbs. He had a striking waddling gait and proximal muscle weakness on neurological assessment. He had lower motor neuron signs predominantly in his lower limbs that were in keeping with SMA-LED. Surprisingly, he also demonstrated a brisk crossed adductor response that was not in keeping with an isolated primary neuro-muscular disorder and suggested a mixed upper and lower motor neuron pathology. The inherited neuropathy gene panel revealed a heterozygous sequence change in the DYNC1H1 gene which was present in all affected family members. Conclusions. We present the first report of a familial case series of SMA-LED with upper motor neuron signs associated with an extremely rare variant in DYNC1H1: c.1808A > T (p.Glu603Val). As per the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines for variant classification, we would recommend that this variant be reclassified as `Likely Pathogenic` due to matching 1 moderate (PM1-PM6) and ≥4 supporting (PP1-PP5) criteria in the reported case series.
ISSN:0041-4301
2791-6421