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- $Unique_ID{BRK04162}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency}
- $Subject{Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency Nonspherocytic Hemolytic Anemia,
- Congenital, with diminished activity or kinetic abnormalities of erythrocyte
- pyruvate kinase Anemia, Hereditary Non-Spherocytic Hemolytic Anemia,
- Hereditary Spherocytic Hemolytic Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency
- (G-6-PD)}
- $Volume{}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (C) 1987, 1988, 1990 National Organization for Rare Disorders,
- Inc.
-
- 465:
- Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
-
- ** IMPORTANT **
- It is possible the main title of the article (Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency)
- is not the name you expected. Please check the SYNONYMS listing on the next
- page to find alternate names, disorder subdivisions, and related disorders
- covered by this article.
-
- Synonyms
-
- Nonspherocytic Hemolytic Anemia, Congenital, with diminished activity or
- kinetic abnormalities of erythrocyte pyruvate kinase
-
- Information on the following disorders can be found in the Related
- Disorders section of this report:
-
- Anemia, Hereditary Non-Spherocytic Hemolytic
- Anemia, Hereditary Spherocytic Hemolytic
- Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (G-6-PD)
-
- General Discussion
-
- ** REMINDER **
- The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for
- educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment
- purposes. If you wish to obtain more information about this disorder, please
- contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the "Resources"
- section of this report.
-
-
- Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency is a hereditary blood disorder characterized
- by a deficiency of the enzyme pyruvate kinase. This enzyme deficiency causes
- hemoglobin to be separated from the red blood cells (hemolytic anemia).
-
- Symptoms
-
- Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency is characterized by hemolytic anemia. An excess
- of young red blood cells (reticulocytes) usually occurs. The anemia is
- chronic and may vary from mild to severe. Enlargement of the spleen
- (splenomegaly) may occur, and gallstones may sometimes develop. After
- infections, the anemia tends to become more severe. In rare cases, leg
- ulcers may develop.
-
- Causes
-
- Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency is a hereditary disorder, transmitted by autosomal
- recessive genes. Different forms of the enzyme exist. (Human traits
- including the classic genetic diseases, are the product of the interaction of
- two genes for that condition, one received from the father and one from the
- mother. In recessive disorders, the condition does not appear unless a
- person inherits the same defective gene from each parent. If one receives
- one normal gene and one gene for the disease, the person will be a carrier
- for the disease, but usually will show no symptoms. The risk of transmitting
- the disease to the children of a couple, both of whom are carriers for a
- recessive disorder, is twenty-five percent. Fifty percent of their children
- will be carriers, but healthy as described above. Twenty-five percent of
- their children will receive both normal genes, one from each parent and will
- be genetically normal.)
-
- Affected Population
-
- The incidence of Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency is less than 1% of the
- population. Males and females are affected in equal numbers. Most affected
- persons identified thus far have been of European origin.
-
- Related Disorders
-
- Hereditary Non-Spherocytic Hemolytic Anemia is thought to be a heterogeneous
- group of disorders characterized by red blood cell defects situated entirely
- within these cells (intrinsic). The abnormal spheroid shaped red cells known
- as spherocytes are not present in this type of hemolytic anemia. Symptoms of
- Hereditary Non-spherocytic Hemolytic Anemia include moderate anemia,
- intermittent yellowing of the skin (jaundice) and occasionally an enlarged
- spleen (splenomegaly). (For more information, choose "nonspherocytic anemia"
- as your search term in the Rare Disease Database.)
-
- Hereditary Spherocytic Hemolytic Anemia (Hereditary Spherocytosis) is
- characterized by the presence of red blood cells with a greater than normal
- thickness giving them a spherical shape (spherocytes). Excessive red blood
- cell destruction occurs which causes anemia, jaundice and a feeling of
- discomfort (malaise). The severity of the disorder varies greatly among
- patients. (For more information on this disorder, choose "spherocytic
- anemia" as your search term in the Rare Disease Database.)
-
- Glucose-6-Phosphatase Dehydrogenase Deficiency (G-6-PD) may be caused by
- sensitivity to certain drugs in some patients. It is usually inherited
- through sex-linked genes. Symptoms are caused by a deficiency of the enzyme
- Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase. Separation of hemoglobin from the red
- blood cells (hemolysis) may be triggered in older red blood cells by exposure
- to certain drugs or other substances that produce peroxide and cause
- oxidation of hemoglobin in the red blood cells. These substances include the
- drugs primaquine, aspirin, sulfonamides, nitrofurans, phenacetin,
- naphthalene, some vitamin K derivatives, and fava beans. Acute viral or
- bacterial infections, or diabetic acidosis may also precipitate hemolysis.
- Anemia, jaundice and the presence of immature red blood cells (reticulocytes)
- may develop. Chronic inborn hemolysis in the absence of drugs may occur in
- some persons of European heredity.
-
- Therapies: Standard
-
- Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency anemia is usually treated with blood transfusions.
- In severe cases among infants and young children, surgical removal of the
- spleen may help control this disorder. Other treatment is symptomatic and
- supportive.
-
- Therapies: Investigational
-
- Research is underway to find ways to replace missing enzymes (enzyme
- replacement therapy) in people who are affected by Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
- and other types of enzyme deficiency disorders.
-
- This disease entry is based upon medical information available through
- March 1990. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep
- every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate.
- Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most
- current information about this disorder.
-
- Resources
-
- For more information on Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency, please contact:
-
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
- P.O. Box 8923
- New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783
- (203) 746-6518
-
- NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
- 9000 Rockville Pike
- Bethesda, MD 20892
- (301) 496-4236
-
- For genetic information and genetic counseling referrals, please contact:
-
- March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
- 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
- White Plains, NY 10605
- (914) 428-7100
-
- Alliance of Genetic Support Groups
- 35 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 440
- Chevy Chase, MD 20815
- (800) 336-GENE
- (301) 652-5553
-
- References
-
- THE METABOLIC BASIS OF INHERITED DISEASE, 5th ed.: John B. Stanbury, et al.,
- eds.; McGraw Hill, 1983. Pp. 1611-1614.
-
- HEMOLYTIC ANEMIAS AND ERYTHROCYTE ENZYMOPATHIES: Valentine; Annals
- Intern Med (August 1985: issue 103(2)). Pp. 245-257.
-
-