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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 characterized 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.
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.
Epileptic encephalopathy
MedGen UID:
452596
Concept ID:
C0543888
Disease or Syndrome
A condition in which epileptiform abnormalities are believed to contribute to the progressive disturbance in cerebral function. Epileptic encephalaopathy is characterized by (1) electrographic EEG paroxysmal activity that is often aggressive, (2) seizures that are usually multiform and intractable, (3) cognitive, behavioral and neurological deficits that may be relentless, and (4) sometimes early death.
Global developmental delay
MedGen UID:
107838
Concept ID:
C0557874
Finding
A delay in the achievement of motor or mental milestones in the domains of development of a child, including motor skills, speech and language, cognitive skills, and social and emotional skills. This term should only be used to describe children younger than five years of age.
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.
Reduced eye contact
MedGen UID:
303190
Concept ID:
C1445953
Finding
A reduced frequency or duration of eye contact.
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 tendency to become easily bothered or annoyed.
Infantile spasms
MedGen UID:
854616
Concept ID:
C3887898
Disease or Syndrome
Infantile spasms represent a subset of "epileptic spasms". Infantile Spasms are epileptic spasms starting in the first year of life (infancy).
Delayed CNS myelination
MedGen UID:
867393
Concept ID:
C4021758
Anatomical Abnormality
Delayed myelination in the central nervous system.
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.
Axial hypotonia
MedGen UID:
342959
Concept ID:
C1853743
Finding
Muscular hypotonia (abnormally low muscle tone) affecting the musculature of the trunk.
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

Fang C, Yang L, Xiao F, Yan K, Zhou W
Epilepsy Res 2024 May;202:107363. Epub 2024 Apr 17 doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2024.107363. PMID: 38636407
D'Gama AM, Mulhern S, Sheidley BR, Boodhoo F, Buts S, Chandler NJ, Cobb J, Curtis M, Higginbotham EJ, Holland J, Khan T, Koh J, Liang NSY, McRae L, Nesbitt SE, Oby BT, Paternoster B, Patton A, Rose G, Scotchman E, Valentine R, Wiltrout KN; Gene-STEPS Study Group; IPCHiP Executive Committee, Hayeems RZ, Jain P, Lunke S, Marshall CR, Rockowitz S, Sebire NJ, Stark Z, White SM, Chitty LS, Cross JH, Scheffer IE, Chau V, Costain G, Poduri A, Howell KB, McTague A
Lancet Neurol 2023 Sep;22(9):812-825. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(23)00246-6. PMID: 37596007
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

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

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
Nissenkorn A, Kluger G, Schubert-Bast S, Bayat A, Bobylova M, Bonanni P, Ceulemans B, Coppola A, Di Bonaventura C, Feucht M, Fuchs A, Gröppel G, Heimer G, Herdt B, Kulikova S, Mukhin K, Nicassio S, Orsini A, Panagiotou M, Pringsheim M, Puest B, Pylaeva O, Ramantani G, Tsekoura M, Ricciardelli P, Lerman Sagie T, Stark B, Striano P, van Baalen A, De Wachter M, Cerulli Irelli E, Cuccurullo C, von Stülpnagel C, Russo A
Epilepsia 2023 Apr;64(4):866-874. Epub 2023 Feb 20 doi: 10.1111/epi.17530. PMID: 36734057
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

Diagnosis

D'Gama AM, Mulhern S, Sheidley BR, Boodhoo F, Buts S, Chandler NJ, Cobb J, Curtis M, Higginbotham EJ, Holland J, Khan T, Koh J, Liang NSY, McRae L, Nesbitt SE, Oby BT, Paternoster B, Patton A, Rose G, Scotchman E, Valentine R, Wiltrout KN; Gene-STEPS Study Group; IPCHiP Executive Committee, Hayeems RZ, Jain P, Lunke S, Marshall CR, Rockowitz S, Sebire NJ, Stark Z, White SM, Chitty LS, Cross JH, Scheffer IE, Chau V, Costain G, Poduri A, Howell KB, McTague A
Lancet Neurol 2023 Sep;22(9):812-825. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(23)00246-6. PMID: 37596007
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
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

Nissenkorn A, Kluger G, Schubert-Bast S, Bayat A, Bobylova M, Bonanni P, Ceulemans B, Coppola A, Di Bonaventura C, Feucht M, Fuchs A, Gröppel G, Heimer G, Herdt B, Kulikova S, Mukhin K, Nicassio S, Orsini A, Panagiotou M, Pringsheim M, Puest B, Pylaeva O, Ramantani G, Tsekoura M, Ricciardelli P, Lerman Sagie T, Stark B, Striano P, van Baalen A, De Wachter M, Cerulli Irelli E, Cuccurullo C, von Stülpnagel C, Russo A
Epilepsia 2023 Apr;64(4):866-874. Epub 2023 Feb 20 doi: 10.1111/epi.17530. PMID: 36734057
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

Prognosis

Viswanathan S, Oliver KL, Regan BM, Schneider AL, Myers CT, Mehaffey MG, LaCroix AJ, Antony J, Webster R, Cardamone M, Subramanian GM, Chiu ATG, Roza E, Teleanu RI, Malone S, Leventer RJ, Gill D, Berkovic SF, Hildebrand MS, Goad BS, Howell KB, Symonds JD, Brunklaus A, Sadleir LG, Zuberi SM, Mefford HC, Scheffer IE
Ann Neurol 2024 Nov;96(5):932-943. Epub 2024 Aug 2 doi: 10.1002/ana.27041. PMID: 39096015Free PMC Article
D'Gama AM, Mulhern S, Sheidley BR, Boodhoo F, Buts S, Chandler NJ, Cobb J, Curtis M, Higginbotham EJ, Holland J, Khan T, Koh J, Liang NSY, McRae L, Nesbitt SE, Oby BT, Paternoster B, Patton A, Rose G, Scotchman E, Valentine R, Wiltrout KN; Gene-STEPS Study Group; IPCHiP Executive Committee, Hayeems RZ, Jain P, Lunke S, Marshall CR, Rockowitz S, Sebire NJ, Stark Z, White SM, Chitty LS, Cross JH, Scheffer IE, Chau V, Costain G, Poduri A, Howell KB, McTague A
Lancet Neurol 2023 Sep;22(9):812-825. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(23)00246-6. PMID: 37596007
Koh HY, Smith L, Wiltrout KN, Podury A, Chourasia N, D'Gama AM, Park M, Knight D, Sexton EL, Koh JJ, Oby B, Pinsky R, Shao DD, French CE, Shao W, Rockowitz S, Sliz P, Zhang B, Mahida S, Moufawad El Achkar C, Yuskaitis CJ, Olson HE, Sheidley BR, Poduri AH; BCH Neurology Referral and Phenotyping Group
JAMA Netw Open 2023 Jul 3;6(7):e2324380. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.24380. PMID: 37471090Free PMC Article
Peariso K, Arya R, Glauser T, Abend NS, Barcia Aguilar C, Amengual-Gual M, Anderson A, Appavu BL, Brenton JN, Carpenter J, Chapman KE, Clark J, Gaillard WD, Gaínza-Lein M, Goldstein J, Goodkin H, Grinspan Z, Guerriero RM, Horn PS, Huh L, Kahoud R, Kelley SA, Kossoff EH, Kapur K, Lai YC, Marquis BO, McDonough T, Mikati MA, Morgan L, Novotny E, Ostendorf AP, Payne ET, Piantino J, Riviello J, Sands T, Stafstrom CE, Tasker RC, Tchapyjnikov D, Vasquez A, Wainwright MS, Wilfong A, Williams K, Loddenkemper T; for Pediatric Status Epilepticus Research Group (pSERG)
Neurology 2023 Aug 1;101(5):e546-e557. Epub 2023 Jun 9 doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207472. PMID: 37295955Free 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

Clinical prediction guides

van der Veen S, Tse GTW, Ferretti A, Garone G, Post B, Specchio N, Fung VSC, Trivisano M, Scheffer IE
Neurology 2023 Nov 7;101(19):e1884-e1892. Epub 2023 Sep 25 doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207808. PMID: 37748886Free PMC Article
Maroofian R, Kaiyrzhanov R, Cali E, Zamani M, Zaki MS, Ferla M, Tortora D, Sadeghian S, Saadi SM, Abdullah U, Karimiani EG, Efthymiou S, Yeşil G, Alavi S, Al Shamsi AM, Tajsharghi H, Abdel-Hamid MS, Saadi NW, Al Mutairi F, Alabdi L, Beetz C, Ali Z, Toosi MB, Rudnik-Schöneborn S, Babaei M, Isohanni P, Muhammad J, Khan S, Al Shalan M, Hickey SE, Marom D, Elhanan E, Kurian MA, Marafi D, Saberi A, Hamid M, Spaull R, Meng L, Lalani S, Maqbool S, Rahman F, Seeger J, Palculict TB, Lau T, Murphy D, Mencacci NE, Steindl K, Begemann A, Rauch A, Akbas S, Aslanger AD, Salpietro V, Yousaf H, Ben-Shachar S, Ejeskär K, Al Aqeel AI, High FA, Armstrong-Javors AE, Zahraei SM, Seifi T, Zeighami J, Shariati G, Sedaghat A, Asl SN, Shahrooei M, Zifarelli G, Burglen L, Ravelli C, Zschocke J, Schatz UA, Ghavideldarestani M, Kamel WA, Van Esch H, Hackenberg A, Taylor JC, Al-Gazali L, Bauer P, Gleeson JJ, Alkuraya FS, Lupski JR, Galehdari H, Azizimalamiri R, Chung WK, Baig SM, Houlden H, Severino M
Brain 2023 Dec 1;146(12):5031-5043. doi: 10.1093/brain/awad257. PMID: 37517035Free PMC Article
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
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

Recent systematic reviews

Gras M, Bearden D, West J, Nabbout R
Epilepsia Open 2024 Aug;9(4):1176-1191. Epub 2024 Jun 22 doi: 10.1002/epi4.12975. PMID: 39093319Free PMC Article
Fang C, Yang L, Xiao F, Yan K, Zhou W
Epilepsy Res 2024 May;202:107363. Epub 2024 Apr 17 doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2024.107363. PMID: 38636407
Schmidlechner T, Zaddach M, Heinen F, Cornell S, Ramantani G, Rémi J, Vollmar C, Kunz M, Borggraefe I
J Neurol 2024 Jan;271(1):177-187. Epub 2023 Sep 28 doi: 10.1007/s00415-023-12002-8. PMID: 37770569Free PMC Article
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
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

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