Acid maltase deficiency

Other names

Pompe disease

Incidence

It is a rare with an estimated at 1 in every 40,000 births.

Inheritance

It is an inherited and often fatal disorder that disables the heart and skeletal muscles.  It is caused by mutations in a gene that makes an enzyme called acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA). 

Pathophysiology

Normally, the body uses GAA to break down glycogen, a stored form of sugar used for energy.  The enzyme performs its function in intracellular compartments called lysosomes.  Lysosomes are known to function as cellular clearinghouses; they ingest multiple substances including glycogen, which is converted by the GAA into glucose, a sugar that fuels muscles. In Pompe disease, mutations in the GAA gene reduce or completely eliminate this essential enzyme.  Excessive amounts of lysosomal glycogen accumulate everywhere in the body, but the cells of the heart and skeletal muscles are the most seriously affected.  

Prognosis

Acid maltase deficiency Resources
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External links

• Comprehensive information from the National Institute of health.
  

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