Acquired Cutis Laxa associated with monoclonal gammapathy or multiple myeloma

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A possible improvment of the symptoms in Acquired Cutis Laxa associated with monoclonal gammapethy or multiple myeloma:

A haematologist from Sao Paulo (Brasil) has had very satisfactory results in two cases with an autolog bone marrow transplant.

For those two patients the results were more than encouraging though we certainly cannot talk about treatment or cure yet.

Many studies and therapeutic trials are still necessary to get there.

Nevertheless this is a huge leap for those patients

cmgg-Pr Bert CALLEWAERT

RESEARCH ON ACQUIRED CUTIS LAXA

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A scientific study on Acquired Cutis Laxa (ACL) is led by

Pr Bert CALLEWAERT

Center for Medical Genetics – Ghent University Hospital

De Pintelaan 185 – B-9000 Gent

Email : Bert.Callewaert@Ugent.be

This type of Cutis Laxa has never been studied before.

It is a great opportunity to learn more about it : how it appears, what are its causes and maybe a first step to treatment.

Worldwide patients with ACL can take part in it. The doors of hope are opening up for them.

ERN-Skin Annual Board Meeting 2020

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2nd October 2020 : ERN-Skin annual Board Meeting was a great success : 4 new affiliated partners joined, coming from 4 countries not yet represented in our ERN ;

the results of the ongoing work,

and especially the annoucement that Cutis Laxa is one of the 10 disorders selected by the coordinators of the subthematic groups that will be prioritized for the developpment of clinical practice guidelines/clinical decision tools-

these show show the dynamism of ERN-Skin.

The patient representatives (ePAGs) presented their work too, especially the « Patient Journey » for several of the disorders concerned by ERN-Skin.

 

ERN-Skin Board Meeting

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On 2nd october 2020, ERN-Skin held its annual Board meeting, online, due to the pandemic. We missed individual discussions but appreciated the very interesting presentations:

2020 success and clinical practice guidelines

Covid-19 observational study                          SPOT 2021 steps

Cutis Laxa success

 

Patient Representatives work in 2019/2020

ERN-SKIN TRAINING SESSION IN GHENT (Belgium)

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16th December : ERN-Skin, training session in Ghent (Belgium).

Organised by Pr Bert Callewaert, this session included a whole chapter dedicated to Cutis Laxa and all the scientific progress about it. See below  “What’s new about Cutis Laxa».

Other pathologies were also presented and patients representatives took part in a panel discussion « Patients’ burden : What healthcare professionals need to know ? ».

What’s new about Cutis Laxa

 

During the training session in Ghent, the first part of the morning was almost totally dedicated to Cutis Laxa.

Several cases were presented by young doctors.

 

An overview talk on Cutis Laxa presented the clinical classification of Cutis Laxa disorders. Cutis laxa has an extensive clinical and molecular heterogeneity.

 

Based on a flowchart addressing the presence or absence of the main clinical symptoms, over 90 % of the people suffering from Cutis Laxa are correctly classified.

The main symptoms are: arterial tortuosity, emphysema, wrinkled/lax skin, neurological issues with or without intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). In addition to those main symptoms, minor criteria are suggested for each type: arachnodactyly, aortic aneurysm, aortic stenosis, respiratory distress, diverticula, hearing loss, large anterior fontanelle, joint contractures, hip dislocation or ataxia.

The classification was based on a ‘learning’ cohort of patients known to the Ghent University Hospital. Refinement of the classification is ongoing based on a confirmation cohort from literature (650 patients).  Patients are classified based upon clinical examination and the main symptoms into major groups. Further refinement based on the minor criteria will eventually be able to predict the causal gen in over 95% of patients.

As an example, a patient with a lax skin, neurologic issues, intrauterine growth retardation as well as hip dislocation and ataxia, associated with ALDH18A1 mutation, will be diagnosed with Autosomal Recessive Cutis Laxa Type 3 or Syndrome De Barsy (ARCL3).

This new classification will help to a quicker diagnosis, interpretation of next-generation sequencing data and provide an opportunity of specific management and care for each type of Cutis Laxa.

Ghent University welcomed this session in its historic buildings.

Pure marvel, as is all the city of Ghent..….

 

RARE DISEASES INTERNATIONAL (RDI) ANNUAL GLOBAL MEETING

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Rare Disease International (RDI) Annual Meeting and Conference, was held on 19th May, online as many others. Here are some screenshots of that important event we attended online from CLI’s home/office.

RDI and WHO : Universal Health Coverage and Rare Diseases

ORPHACODES : Universal name for each disease

RDI Action Plan 2020-2021

Rare Disease Patients and Covid-19

EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON RARE DISORDERS

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European Conference on Rare Disorders (ECRD) on 14th and 15th May which gathered together over 1,500 people from 57 countries, was held online as many other event in 2020.

Even without face to face meetings and gathering it was a real success and we learnt so much.

COVID-19 PANDEMIA

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PATIENTS WITH RARE CUTANEOUS DISORDERS ASSOCIATED WITH  RECOGNISED PULMONARY SYMPTOMS AND/OR MANIFESTATIONS ARE AT RISK

i.e. patients with abnormalities of the connective or elastic tissue, patients with severe denutrition, patients with severe scoliosis and respiratory insufficiency, etc.

HAVE THE SAME RECOMMANDATIONS AS ALL AT RISK PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM A RARE DISORDER.

AND REMEMBER TO :

  • Wash your hands as often as needed
  • Sneeze and/or caugh in your elbow and use a disposable tissue
  • avoid shacking hands and huging
  • Keep a one meter distance from others

 

 

Does “Gaston Lagaff”, cartoon character, have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrom ?

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Humorous, but very serious

Pr Mickaël Dinomais, Professor in Physical and Readaptation Medicine, at the University of Angers (France), published a very interesting article.

He studied the famous French cartoon character “Gaston Lagaff” and, considering all the clinical features and symptoms, could diagnose that he suffers from Ehlers-Danlos Syndrom.

This is a very interesting and entertaining way to describe a disorder.

Read the all article, in French, at :

http://theconversation.com/gaston-lagaffe-a-t-il-un-syndrome-delhers-danlos-130907