Dawn Laney, MS, CGC, CCRC, Assistant Professor, and Director of Emory Genetic Clinical Trials Center, discusses research suggesting advanced Fabry patients are at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection.
Fabry disease is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder that results in the cellular buildup of globotriaosylceramide. Characteristic features of Fabry disease include acroparesthesias, angiokeratomas, hypohidrosis, corneal opacity, gastrointestinal problems, tinnitus, and hearing loss. Fabry disease also involves potentially life-threatening complications such as progressive kidney damage, heart attack, and stroke.
Ms. Laney recently presented research at this year’s WORLDSymposium conference on Fabry disease and COVID-19. This research demonstrated that pre-existent tissue injury and inflammation caused by advanced Fabry disease may predispose patients with advanced Fabry to a more severe course of COVID-19 should they be infected. Individuals with more mild forms of Fabry disease did not appear to be at higher risk for a severe course of COVID-19, according to this study. Nonetheless, Ms. Laney advises that all individuals with Fabry disease strictly adhere to government-mandated safety guidelines such as social distancing, frequent hand-washing, and limiting public exposure.
Ms. Laney was lead author of an article outlining recommendations for managing patients with Fabry disease and Covid-19 infections. The article was published in the Clinical Kidney Journal.
For more information about Fabry disease and other lysosomal storage disorders, visit checkrare.com/diseases/lysosomal-storage-disorders/
