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- $Unique_ID{BRK03456}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Andersen Disease}
- $Subject{Andersen Disease Amylopectinosis Andersen Glycogenosis Brancher
- Deficiency Glycogen Storage Disease IV Glycogenosis Type IV Von Gierke Disease
- Forbes Disease Hers Disease Glycogen Storage Disease VIII}
- $Volume{}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (C) 1987, 1990, 1991 National Organization for Rare Disorders,
- Inc.
-
- 394:
- Andersen Disease
-
- ** IMPORTANT **
- It is possible the main title of the article (Andersen Disease) 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
-
- Amylopectinosis
- Andersen Glycogenosis
- Brancher Deficiency
- Glycogen Storage Disease IV
- Glycogenosis Type IV
-
- Information on the following diseases can be found in the Related
- Disorders section of this report:
-
- Von Gierke Disease
- Forbes Disease
- Hers Disease
- Glycogen Storage Disease VIII
-
- 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.
-
-
- Andersen Disease is a glycogen storage disease inherited through
- recessive genes. Symptoms of this disorder are caused by a lack of a
- brancher enzyme. Alpha-1, 4-glucan 6-glucosyltransferase is abnormal in the
- liver, skin, fibroblasts, and other tissue. The lack of this enzyme causes
- an abnormality in the structure of the main carbohydrate storage material
- (glycogen). Andersen Disease is characterized by scarring of the liver
- (cirrhosis) which may lead to liver failure.
-
- Symptoms
-
- A baby with Andersen Disease appears to be normal at birth. The first
- symptom usually is a failure to thrive. The baby's rate of growth and mental
- progress stops at a certain point. There is little weight gain and a lack of
- muscle tone, but the liver and spleen continue to enlarge. The course of
- Andersen Disease is marked by progressive cirrhosis of the liver,
- accumulation of fluid in body tissues (edema), and sometimes an accumulation
- of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites). Findings of abnormal glycogen in
- nerve tissue suggests that the nervous system may also be involved.
-
- Causes
-
- Andersen Disease is inherited through recessive genes. A deficiency of the
- brancher enzyme causes a structural abnormality in glycogen. Progressive
- scarring (cirrhosis) and enlargement of the liver and spleen may occur as a
- result. (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
-
- All Glycogen Storage Diseases together affect less than 1 in 40,000 persons
- in the United States. Andersen Disease usually begins during infancy. It
- affects males and females in equal numbers.
-
- Related Disorders
-
- Glycogen Storage Diseases are caused by inborn errors of metabolism in which
- the balance between stored energy (glycogen) and available energy (sugar or
- glucose) is disturbed. Too much glycogen tends to be stored in the liver and
- muscles. Too little sugar is available in the blood.
-
- The following diseases are similar to Andersen Disease. Comparisons may
- be useful for a differential diagnosis:
-
- Von Gierke Disease is a glycogen storage disease. This hereditary
- metabolic disorder is caused by an inborn lack of either the enzyme glucose-
- 6-phosphatase or the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate translocase. These enzymes
- are needed to convert the main carbohydrate storage material (glycogen) into
- sugar (glucose) which the body uses for its energy needs. A deficiency of
- these enzymes causes deposits of excess glycogen in the liver and kidney
- cells.
-
- Forbes Disease (Glycogenosis III; Cori Disease) is another genetic
- glycogen storage disease. This disorder is caused by a lack of a debrancher
- (dextrin-1-6-glucosidase) enzyme. This enzyme deficiency causes excess
- amounts of glycogen to be deposited in the liver and muscles. The nerves in
- the back of the legs and on the sides of the heel and foot (sural nerves)
- also accumulate excess glycogen. The heart may be involved in some cases.
-
- Hers Disease (Hepatophosphorylase Deficiency Glycogenosis) is a mild
- genetic form of glycogen storage disease. The disorder is caused by a
- deficiency of the enzyme liver phosphorylase. Hers Disease is characterized
- by enlargement of the liver (hepatomegaly), moderately low blood sugar
- (hypoglycemia), elevated levels of acetone and other ketone bodies in the
- blood (ketosis), and moderate growth retardation. Symptoms are not always
- evident during childhood. Children may be able to lead normal lives. In
- other cases, severe symptoms may be present.
-
- Glycogen Storage Disease VIII is a sex-linked genetic disorder caused by
- a deficiency of the enzyme liver phosphorylase kinase. The disorder is
- characterized by slightly low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Excess amounts of
- glycogen (the stored form of energy that comes from carbohydrates) are
- deposited in the liver, causing enlargement of the liver (hepatomegaly).
-
- For more information on the above disorders, choose "Von Gierke,"
- "Forbes," "Hers," and "Glycogen Storage Disease VIII" as your search terms in
- the Rare Disease Database.
-
- Therapies: Standard
-
- Prenatal diagnosis is possible for Andersen Disease. Genetic counseling may
- be helpful to families of children with this disorder.
-
- Treatment of the disorder is aimed at treating the liver cirrhosis and
- associated problems. It consists of a low protein diet and salt restriction
- if swelling (edema) occurs or fluid accumulates in the abdomen (ascites).
- Further treatment of Andersen Disease is symptomatic and supportive.
-
- Therapies: Investigational
-
- Liver transplantation has been used experimentally as an intervention for
- Andersen Disease. More research is needed before this procedure can be
- recommended as a useful therapy.
-
- Dr. Y.T. Chen at Duke University Medical Center, at the request of the
- Glycogen Storage Disease Association, is collecting DNA from patients with
- Glycogen Storage Disease Type I to form a DNA bank for GSDI. Interested
- patients may contact the Glycogen Storage Diseases Association for further
- information. The address and phone number of the organization are listed in
- the Resources section of this report.
-
- This disease entry is based upon medical information available through
- February 1991. 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 Anderson Disease, please contact:
-
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
- P.O. Box 8923
- New Fairfield, CT 06812-1783
- (203) 746-6518
-
- Association for Glycogen Storage Diseases
- Box 896
- Durant, IA 52747
- (319) 785-6038
-
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
- Box NDDIC
- Bethesda, MD 20892
- (301) 468-6344
-
- Research Trust for Metabolic Diseases in Children
- Golden Gates Lodge, Weston Rd.
- Crewe CW1 1XN, England
- Telephone: (0270) 250244
-
- 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
-
- LIVER-SPLEEN SCINTIGRAPHY IN GLYCOGEN STORAGE DISEASE (GLYCOGENOSES): S.
- Heyman; Clinical Nuclear Medicine (December 1985: issue 10,12). Pp. 839-
- 843.
-
- A JUVENILE VARIANT OF GLYCOGENOSIS IV (ANDERSEN DISEASE): A.S. Guerra,
- et al.; European Journal of Pediatrics (August 1986: issue 145,3). Pp. 179-
- 181.
-
- NERVOUS SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT IN TYPE IV GLYCOGENOSIS: K.R. McMaster, et
- al.; Archives of Pathol Lab Med (March 1979: issue 103,3). Pp. 105-111.
-
- LIVER TRANSPLANTATION FOR TYPE IV GLYCOGEN STORAGE DISEASE, R. Selby, MD,
- et al.; N Eng J Med., (January 3, 1991, issue 324 (1)). Pp. 39-42.
-
-