Triagem para doença de Fabry – um estudo transversal com uma nova abordagem clínica

Abstract

Introduction: Fabry disease is an inherited disease linked to the X chromosome. It is an innate error in the metabolism of glycosphingolipids. Due to the absence or deficiency of α galactosidase A, accumulation of globotriasylceramid occurs in the tissues, leading to considerable morbidity and mortality. Most of the studies only evaluated men on hemodialysis. Objectives: 1- To evaluate the prevalence of Fabry disease in dialysis centers in Brazil in males and females, initially used a questionnaire and then an computational algorithm that selects the suspected cases for blood collection. 2- To evaluate the presence and importance of the main signs and symptoms in these kidney disease patients. Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis from a multicentric project: Clinical and Epidemiological Analysis of Fabry Disease in Brazilian Dialysis Center: “Brazil Fabry Kidney Project”. The study included 854 dialysis centers throughout Brazil. Patients and family who signed the Informed Consent Term were evaluated. After the questionnaire was applied to the patient, this data was entered into a computerized system. This algorithm separates into discard, those who probably do not have Fabry's disease, into suspects, those who were referred for blood collection and analysis, and those who the system had doubts about and needs the intervention of program creators to decide whether to collect. When detected suspect patients, they had blood collected on filter paper for enzymatic dosing and genetic testing. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed, the likelihood ratio between the symptoms of Fabry disease patients and with kidney disease vs Fabry disease without kidney disease. The likelihood ratio was also performed in the groups of analysis vs discard, collection vs discard and positive vs negatives.

Results: 36442 individuals with kidney disease were screened and 71 patients with Fabry disease were found. Searched 1214 individuals among the relatives of the positive patients and found another 115 individuals with Fabry. There were 37656 patients, 28284 of which were discarded and 9301 referred for analysis. Of them, 186 were positive in the total sample. The Fabry disease prevalence in the population with kidney disease was 0.19% before the questionnaire and the algorithm were used and 0.87% after. Among the relatives was 9.47%. In the total population of the study was 0.49% and in those screened by the algorithm, 2.24%. There was a higher prevalence of women (65.1%), although more men were screened (59.3%). Two groups were separated: Fabry disease with kidney disease (71) and Fabry disease without kidney disease (115). Regarding signs, symptoms and comorbidities, rheumatologic diseases were more frequent (71.8%) followed by heart disease (60.6%), decrease or absence of sweating (42.3%), arterial hypertension (35.2%), depression (28.2%), intolerance to heat and cold (28.2%), pain crises that spread through the body (26.8%), neurological diseases (25.4%), burning sensation in the hands and feet (23.9%), numbness sensation in the hands and feet (22.5%), and recurrent fever (16.9%) in those with kidney disease. Conclusion: We found prevalence close to that described in the literature, when the questionnaire and the algorithm were not used. Using the questionnaire and the algorithm, prevalence rises in all screening population including family members. Considering only the population with kidney disease the prevalence was 0.19% before the questionnaire and algorithm were used and 0.87%, after the questionnaire and algorithm. In the relatives of Fabry disease patients, the prevalence was 9.47%. In total study population was 0.49% before using the questionnaire and algorithm and 2.24% after that. We also found a higher prevalence of the Fabry disease in females. We noticed that the group with kidney disease has more signs and symptoms. We believe that the use of the algorithm increases the sensitivity of the questionnaire, allowing the diagnosis of a greater number of cases, restricting the laboratory analysis to cases of greater risk.