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Heart transplant and 2-year follow up in a child with generalized arterial calcification of infancy

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Abstract

Generalized arterial calcification of infancy (GACI, OMIM 208000) and pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE, OMIM 264800) are rare autosomal-recessive disorders which represent the opposite ends of the same spectrum of pathologies characterized by progressive ectopic calcification and degeneration of elastic fibers at skin, eyes, and cardiovascular level. Patients with GACI suffer from hypertension, severe myocardial ischemia, and congestive heart failure and often die within 6 months of life. On the other end, PXE is associated with considerable morbidity, rarely with mortality. GACI and PXE are associated with biallelic mutations in ENPP1 and in ABCC6. We report the case of a 4-year-old Italian child submitted to heart transplant, at 18 months old, for end-stage heart failure due to extensive myocardial infarction of the left ventricle and diffuse coronary calcifications. The histology showed generalized arterial calcification and the molecular analysis identified mutations in ABCC6. Two years after transplantation, the child shows good clinical conditions and growth with no recurrence of calcium deposits in the heart.

Conclusion: Bisphosphonate therapy at present is the treatment of choice for systemic arterial involvement in GACI, and heart transplant has proven to be the definitive treatment in case with extensive myocardial infarction, as in our. Molecular analysis is mandatory for a complete diagnosis and familial counseling.

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Abbreviations

CT:

Computed tomography

GACI:

Generalized arterial calcification of infancy

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

PXE:

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully thank Dr. Rosaria Cristantielli (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA) for the English’s revision and Mr. Gabriele Bacile for graphical assistance.

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Correspondence to Paola Francalanci.

Additional information

Communicated by Beat Steinmann

Authors summary

At the present time, bisphosphonate therapy is the treatment of choice for generalized arterial calcification of infancy (GACI). In case of extensive myocardial infarction, like the one presented here, heart transplant represents the definitive treatment. Molecular analysis is mandatory for a complete diagnosis and familial counseling.

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Giovannoni, I., Callea, F., Travaglini, L. et al. Heart transplant and 2-year follow up in a child with generalized arterial calcification of infancy. Eur J Pediatr 173, 1735–1740 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2447-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-014-2447-7

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