Postnatal management of preterm infants with spinal muscular atrophy: experience from German newborn screening

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Regina Trollmann - , Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (Autor:in)
  • Jessika Johannsen - , Universität Hamburg (Autor:in)
  • Katharina Vill - , Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) (Autor:in)
  • Cornelia Köhler - , Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Autor:in)
  • Andreas Hahn - , Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (Autor:in)
  • Sabine Illsinger - , Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH) (Autor:in)
  • Astrid Pechmann - , Universitätsklinikum Freiburg (Autor:in)
  • Maja von der Hagen - , Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Abteilung für Neuropädiatrie (Autor:in)
  • Wolfgang Müller-Felber - , Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) (Autor:in)

Abstract

Background: The introduction of newborn screening (NBS) for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has increased the early diagnosis of 5q-associated SMA in presymptomatic and symptomatic preterm infants. National and international recommendations for treating preterms and newborns < 38 weeks of gestational age are unavailable. Our retrospective multicentre study aimed to evaluate the postnatal clinical course of preterm infants with 5q-associated SMA diagnosed since the implementation of NBS in Germany in 2021 and to summarize the German experience regarding the decision-making process for available treatment regimens for preterm infants with ≤ 3 survival of motor neuron 2 (SMN2) copies. Results: Twelve preterm infants with 5q-associated SMA and a mean gestational age of 34.0 weeks (range: 26.1–36.8) and birth weight of 2022 g (range: 645–3370) were reported from 8/20 German SMA NBS follow-up centers using a pseudonymized questionnaire. Confirmatory diagnosis, including SMN2 copy number, was completed on average on postnatal day 13. All patients had a biallelic deletion of exon 7 or exons 7 and 8 of the survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, with SMN2 copy numbers of two in 10 patients and three in two patients. The neonatal course was complicated by respiratory distress due to prematurity (n = 2), sepsis (n = 2), and jaundice (n = 2). At birth, 11 preterm infants (91.6%) were presymptomatic. However, the neurological status of one patient deteriorated at five weeks of age (postconceptional age of 41.8 weeks) prior to the start of treatment. Disease-modifying treatments were initiated in all patients at a mean postconceptional age of 38.8 weeks, with the majority receiving onasemnogene abeparvovec (83.3%, including 2 patients with prior risdiplam bridge therapy). Notably, consensus among participating experts from German neuromuscular centers resulted in 83.3% of patients receiving disease-modifying treatment at term. Conclusions: Premature infants with SMA require interdisciplinary care in close collaboration with the neuromuscular center. SMA NBS facilitates early initiation of disease-modifying therapy, ideally during the presymptomatic phase, which significantly influences the prognosis of the newborn.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer353
FachzeitschriftOrphanet journal of rare diseases
Jahrgang19
Ausgabenummer1
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Dez. 2024
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

PubMed 39327607

Schlagworte

Schlagwörter

  • 5q-SMA, Newborn screening, Nusinersen, Onasemnogene Abeparvovec, Preterm infants, Risdiplam, SMA treatment, Spinal muscular atrophy