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Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, 44(DEE44)

MedGen UID:
934667
Concept ID:
C4310700
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: DEE44; Epileptic encephalopathy, early infantile, 44
 
Gene (location): UBA5 (3q22.1)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0014933
OMIM®: 617132

Definition

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-44 (DEE44) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of refractory infantile spasms or myoclonus usually in the first weeks or months of life, up to about 12 months of age. Affected infants may have normal or mildly delayed development before the onset of seizures, but thereafter show developmental stagnation and severe neurologic impairment. EEG in some patients shows hypsarrhythmia, consistent with a clinical diagnosis of West syndrome. Additional features include poor feeding and poor overall growth with microcephaly, axial hypotonia with peripheral hypertonia or spasticity, abnormal movements, limited eye contact, and profoundly impaired intellectual development with absent language. Many patients require tube feeding, and some die in childhood (summary by Muona et al., 2016; Colin et al., 2016). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350. [from OMIM]

Clinical features

From HPO
Short stature
MedGen UID:
87607
Concept ID:
C0349588
Finding
A height below that which is expected according to age and gender norms. Although there is no universally accepted definition of short stature, many refer to "short stature" as height more than 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender (or below the 3rd percentile for age and gender dependent norms).
Failure to thrive
MedGen UID:
746019
Concept ID:
C2315100
Disease or Syndrome
Failure to thrive (FTT) refers to a child whose physical growth is substantially below the norm.
Feeding difficulties
MedGen UID:
65429
Concept ID:
C0232466
Finding
Impaired ability to eat related to problems gathering food and getting ready to suck, chew, or swallow it.
Gastroesophageal reflux
MedGen UID:
1368658
Concept ID:
C4317146
Finding
A condition in which the stomach contents leak backwards from the stomach into the esophagus through the lower esophageal sphincter.
Athetosis
MedGen UID:
2115
Concept ID:
C0004158
Disease or Syndrome
A slow, continuous, involuntary writhing movement that prevents maintenance of a stable posture. Athetosis involves continuous smooth movements that appear random and are not composed of recognizable sub-movements or movement fragments. In contrast to chorea, in athetosis, the same regions of the body are repeatedly involved. Athetosis may worsen with attempts at movement of posture, but athetosis can also occur at rest.
Dystonic disorder
MedGen UID:
3940
Concept ID:
C0013421
Sign or Symptom
An abnormally increased muscular tone that causes fixed abnormal postures. There is a slow, intermittent twisting motion that leads to exaggerated turning and posture of the extremities and trunk.
Spasticity
MedGen UID:
7753
Concept ID:
C0026838
Sign or Symptom
A motor disorder characterized by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes with increased muscle tone, exaggerated (hyperexcitable) tendon reflexes.
Seizure
MedGen UID:
20693
Concept ID:
C0036572
Sign or Symptom
A seizure is an intermittent abnormality of nervous system physiology characterised by a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
Intellectual disability, severe
MedGen UID:
48638
Concept ID:
C0036857
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Severe mental retardation is defined as an intelligence quotient (IQ) in the range of 20-34.
Encephalopathy
MedGen UID:
39314
Concept ID:
C0085584
Disease or Syndrome
Encephalopathy is a term that means brain disease, damage, or malfunction. In general, encephalopathy is manifested by an altered mental state.
Cerebral atrophy
MedGen UID:
116012
Concept ID:
C0235946
Disease or Syndrome
Atrophy (wasting, decrease in size of cells or tissue) affecting the cerebrum.
Hypoplasia of the corpus callosum
MedGen UID:
138005
Concept ID:
C0344482
Congenital Abnormality
Underdevelopment of the corpus callosum.
Cerebellar atrophy
MedGen UID:
196624
Concept ID:
C0740279
Disease or Syndrome
Cerebellar atrophy is defined as a cerebellum with initially normal structures, in a posterior fossa with normal size, which displays enlarged fissures (interfolial spaces) in comparison to the foliae secondary to loss of tissue. Cerebellar atrophy implies irreversible loss of tissue and result from an ongoing progressive disease until a final stage is reached or a single injury, e.g. an intoxication or infectious event.
Delayed myelination
MedGen UID:
224820
Concept ID:
C1277241
Finding
Delayed myelination.
Reduced eye contact
MedGen UID:
303190
Concept ID:
C1445953
Finding
Difficulty in looking at another person in the eye.
Absent speech
MedGen UID:
340737
Concept ID:
C1854882
Finding
Complete lack of development of speech and language abilities.
Irritability
MedGen UID:
397841
Concept ID:
C2700617
Mental Process
A proneness to anger, i.e., a condition of being easily bothered or annoyed.
Secondary microcephaly
MedGen UID:
608952
Concept ID:
C0431352
Finding
Head circumference which falls below 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender because of insufficient head growth after birth.
Generalized hypotonia
MedGen UID:
346841
Concept ID:
C1858120
Finding
Generalized muscular hypotonia (abnormally low muscle tone).
Mask-like facies
MedGen UID:
140860
Concept ID:
C0424448
Finding
A lack of facial expression often with staring eyes and a slightly open mouth.

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Brock DC, Abbott M, Reed L, Kammeyer R, Gibbons M, Angione K, Bernard TJ, Gaskell A, Demarest S
Epilepsy Res 2023 Jul;193:107167. Epub 2023 May 12 doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2023.107167. PMID: 37230012
Coughlin CR 2nd, Tseng LA, Abdenur JE, Ashmore C, Boemer F, Bok LA, Boyer M, Buhas D, Clayton PT, Das A, Dekker H, Evangeliou A, Feillet F, Footitt EJ, Gospe SM Jr, Hartmann H, Kara M, Kristensen E, Lee J, Lilje R, Longo N, Lunsing RJ, Mills P, Papadopoulou MT, Pearl PL, Piazzon F, Plecko B, Saini AG, Santra S, Sjarif DR, Stockler-Ipsiroglu S, Striano P, Van Hove JLK, Verhoeven-Duif NM, Wijburg FA, Zuberi SM, van Karnebeek CDM
J Inherit Metab Dis 2021 Jan;44(1):178-192. Epub 2020 Dec 1 doi: 10.1002/jimd.12332. PMID: 33200442
Miano S, Ferri R
Paediatr Drugs 2010 Apr 1;12(2):75-84. doi: 10.2165/11316140-000000000-00000. PMID: 20218744

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Absalom NL, Liao VWY, Johannesen KMH, Gardella E, Jacobs J, Lesca G, Gokce-Samar Z, Arzimanoglou A, Zeidler S, Striano P, Meyer P, Benkel-Herrenbrueck I, Mero IL, Rummel J, Chebib M, Møller RS, Ahring PK
Nat Commun 2022 Apr 5;13(1):1822. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-29280-x. PMID: 35383156Free PMC Article
Moreno-De-Luca A, Millan F, Pesacreta DR, Elloumi HZ, Oetjens MT, Teigen C, Wain KE, Scuffins J, Myers SM, Torene RI, Gainullin VG, Arvai K, Kirchner HL, Ledbetter DH, Retterer K, Martin CL
JAMA 2021 Feb 2;325(5):467-475. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.26148. PMID: 33528536Free PMC Article
Coughlin CR 2nd, Tseng LA, Abdenur JE, Ashmore C, Boemer F, Bok LA, Boyer M, Buhas D, Clayton PT, Das A, Dekker H, Evangeliou A, Feillet F, Footitt EJ, Gospe SM Jr, Hartmann H, Kara M, Kristensen E, Lee J, Lilje R, Longo N, Lunsing RJ, Mills P, Papadopoulou MT, Pearl PL, Piazzon F, Plecko B, Saini AG, Santra S, Sjarif DR, Stockler-Ipsiroglu S, Striano P, Van Hove JLK, Verhoeven-Duif NM, Wijburg FA, Zuberi SM, van Karnebeek CDM
J Inherit Metab Dis 2021 Jan;44(1):178-192. Epub 2020 Dec 1 doi: 10.1002/jimd.12332. PMID: 33200442
Christensen J, Grønborg TK, Sørensen MJ, Schendel D, Parner ET, Pedersen LH, Vestergaard M
JAMA 2013 Apr 24;309(16):1696-703. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.2270. PMID: 23613074Free PMC Article
Schmidt B, Roberts RS, Davis P, Doyle LW, Barrington KJ, Ohlsson A, Solimano A, Tin W; Caffeine for Apnea of Prematurity Trial Group
N Engl J Med 2007 Nov 8;357(19):1893-902. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa073679. PMID: 17989382

Diagnosis

Donnan AM, Schneider AL, Russ-Hall S, Churilov L, Scheffer IE
Neurology 2023 Apr 18;100(16):e1712-e1722. Epub 2023 Feb 7 doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207080. PMID: 36750385Free PMC Article
Moreno-De-Luca A, Millan F, Pesacreta DR, Elloumi HZ, Oetjens MT, Teigen C, Wain KE, Scuffins J, Myers SM, Torene RI, Gainullin VG, Arvai K, Kirchner HL, Ledbetter DH, Retterer K, Martin CL
JAMA 2021 Feb 2;325(5):467-475. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.26148. PMID: 33528536Free PMC Article
Coughlin CR 2nd, Tseng LA, Abdenur JE, Ashmore C, Boemer F, Bok LA, Boyer M, Buhas D, Clayton PT, Das A, Dekker H, Evangeliou A, Feillet F, Footitt EJ, Gospe SM Jr, Hartmann H, Kara M, Kristensen E, Lee J, Lilje R, Longo N, Lunsing RJ, Mills P, Papadopoulou MT, Pearl PL, Piazzon F, Plecko B, Saini AG, Santra S, Sjarif DR, Stockler-Ipsiroglu S, Striano P, Van Hove JLK, Verhoeven-Duif NM, Wijburg FA, Zuberi SM, van Karnebeek CDM
J Inherit Metab Dis 2021 Jan;44(1):178-192. Epub 2020 Dec 1 doi: 10.1002/jimd.12332. PMID: 33200442
Najm IM, Sarnat HB, Blümcke I
Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2018 Feb;44(1):18-31. doi: 10.1111/nan.12462. PMID: 29359399
Christensen J, Grønborg TK, Sørensen MJ, Schendel D, Parner ET, Pedersen LH, Vestergaard M
JAMA 2013 Apr 24;309(16):1696-703. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.2270. PMID: 23613074Free PMC Article

Therapy

Knupp KG, Scheffer IE, Ceulemans B, Sullivan J, Nickels KC, Lagae L, Guerrini R, Zuberi SM, Nabbout R, Riney K, Agarwal A, Lock M, Dai D, Farfel GM, Galer BS, Gammaitoni AR, Polega S, Davis R, Gil-Nagel A
Epilepsia 2023 Jan;64(1):139-151. Epub 2022 Nov 9 doi: 10.1111/epi.17431. PMID: 36196777Free PMC Article
Coughlin CR 2nd, Tseng LA, Abdenur JE, Ashmore C, Boemer F, Bok LA, Boyer M, Buhas D, Clayton PT, Das A, Dekker H, Evangeliou A, Feillet F, Footitt EJ, Gospe SM Jr, Hartmann H, Kara M, Kristensen E, Lee J, Lilje R, Longo N, Lunsing RJ, Mills P, Papadopoulou MT, Pearl PL, Piazzon F, Plecko B, Saini AG, Santra S, Sjarif DR, Stockler-Ipsiroglu S, Striano P, Van Hove JLK, Verhoeven-Duif NM, Wijburg FA, Zuberi SM, van Karnebeek CDM
J Inherit Metab Dis 2021 Jan;44(1):178-192. Epub 2020 Dec 1 doi: 10.1002/jimd.12332. PMID: 33200442
Deutz U, Heussen N, Weigt-Usinger K, Leiz S, Raabe C, Polster T, Daniela S, Moll C, Lücke T, Krägeloh-Mann I, Hollmann H, Häusler M
Neuropediatrics 2018 Jun;49(3):185-192. Epub 2018 Feb 27 doi: 10.1055/s-0038-1635121. PMID: 29486504
Christensen J, Grønborg TK, Sørensen MJ, Schendel D, Parner ET, Pedersen LH, Vestergaard M
JAMA 2013 Apr 24;309(16):1696-703. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.2270. PMID: 23613074Free PMC Article
Schmidt B, Roberts RS, Davis P, Doyle LW, Barrington KJ, Ohlsson A, Solimano A, Tin W; Caffeine for Apnea of Prematurity Trial Group
N Engl J Med 2007 Nov 8;357(19):1893-902. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa073679. PMID: 17989382

Prognosis

de Valles-Ibáñez G, Hildebrand MS, Bahlo M, King C, Coleman M, Green TE, Goldsmith J, Davis S, Gill D, Mandelstam S, Scheffer IE, Sadleir LG
Epilepsia Open 2022 Mar;7(1):170-180. Epub 2021 Nov 18 doi: 10.1002/epi4.12553. PMID: 34717047Free PMC Article
Bayat A, Kløvgaard M, Johannesen KM, Barakat TS, Kievit A, Montomoli M, Parrini E, Pietrafusa N, Schelhaas J, van Slegtenhorst M, Miya K, Guerrini R, Tranebjærg L, Tümer Z, Rubboli G, Møller RS
Epilepsy Res 2021 Feb;170:106530. Epub 2020 Dec 9 doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2020.106530. PMID: 33508693
Pavone P, Corsello G, Ruggieri M, Marino S, Marino S, Falsaperla R
Ital J Pediatr 2018 May 15;44(1):54. doi: 10.1186/s13052-018-0491-z. PMID: 29764460Free PMC Article
Christensen J, Grønborg TK, Sørensen MJ, Schendel D, Parner ET, Pedersen LH, Vestergaard M
JAMA 2013 Apr 24;309(16):1696-703. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.2270. PMID: 23613074Free PMC Article
Schmidt B, Roberts RS, Davis P, Doyle LW, Barrington KJ, Ohlsson A, Solimano A, Tin W; Caffeine for Apnea of Prematurity Trial Group
N Engl J Med 2007 Nov 8;357(19):1893-902. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa073679. PMID: 17989382

Clinical prediction guides

Donnan AM, Schneider AL, Russ-Hall S, Churilov L, Scheffer IE
Neurology 2023 Apr 18;100(16):e1712-e1722. Epub 2023 Feb 7 doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207080. PMID: 36750385Free PMC Article
Knupp KG, Scheffer IE, Ceulemans B, Sullivan J, Nickels KC, Lagae L, Guerrini R, Zuberi SM, Nabbout R, Riney K, Agarwal A, Lock M, Dai D, Farfel GM, Galer BS, Gammaitoni AR, Polega S, Davis R, Gil-Nagel A
Epilepsia 2023 Jan;64(1):139-151. Epub 2022 Nov 9 doi: 10.1111/epi.17431. PMID: 36196777Free PMC Article
Deutz U, Heussen N, Weigt-Usinger K, Leiz S, Raabe C, Polster T, Daniela S, Moll C, Lücke T, Krägeloh-Mann I, Hollmann H, Häusler M
Neuropediatrics 2018 Jun;49(3):185-192. Epub 2018 Feb 27 doi: 10.1055/s-0038-1635121. PMID: 29486504
Inokuchi JI, Go S, Yoshikawa M, Strauss K
Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2017 Oct;1861(10):2485-2493. Epub 2017 May 30 doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2017.05.025. PMID: 28571946
Schmidt B, Roberts RS, Davis P, Doyle LW, Barrington KJ, Ohlsson A, Solimano A, Tin W; Caffeine for Apnea of Prematurity Trial Group
N Engl J Med 2007 Nov 8;357(19):1893-902. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa073679. PMID: 17989382

Recent systematic reviews

Rondão MBA, Hsu BRRHS, Centeno RS, de Aguiar PHP
Seizure 2023 Aug;110:58-68. Epub 2023 Jun 3 doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.04.020. PMID: 37327751
Iranmehr A, Dabbagh Ohadi MA, Chavoshi M, Jahanbakhshi A, Slavin KV
Neurosurg Focus 2022 Oct;53(4):E8. doi: 10.3171/2022.7.FOCUS22296. PMID: 36183177
Englman C, Malpas CB, Harvey AS, Maixner WJ, Yang JY
J Clin Neurosci 2021 Sep;91:1-8. Epub 2021 Jun 27 doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2021.06.035. PMID: 34373012
Coughlin CR 2nd, Tseng LA, Abdenur JE, Ashmore C, Boemer F, Bok LA, Boyer M, Buhas D, Clayton PT, Das A, Dekker H, Evangeliou A, Feillet F, Footitt EJ, Gospe SM Jr, Hartmann H, Kara M, Kristensen E, Lee J, Lilje R, Longo N, Lunsing RJ, Mills P, Papadopoulou MT, Pearl PL, Piazzon F, Plecko B, Saini AG, Santra S, Sjarif DR, Stockler-Ipsiroglu S, Striano P, Van Hove JLK, Verhoeven-Duif NM, Wijburg FA, Zuberi SM, van Karnebeek CDM
J Inherit Metab Dis 2021 Jan;44(1):178-192. Epub 2020 Dec 1 doi: 10.1002/jimd.12332. PMID: 33200442
Bromley R, Weston J, Adab N, Greenhalgh J, Sanniti A, McKay AJ, Tudur Smith C, Marson AG
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014 Oct 30;2014(10):CD010236. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010236.pub2. PMID: 25354543Free PMC Article

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