How I treat Gaucher disease

Blood. 2011 Aug 11;118(6):1463-71. doi: 10.1182/blood-2011-04-308890. Epub 2011 Jun 13.

Abstract

This review presents a cohesive approach to treating patients with Gaucher disease. The spectrum of the clinical presentation of the disease is broad, yet heretofore there was only one disease-specific treatment. In the past 2 years, a global shortage of this product has resulted in reassessment of the "one enzyme-one disease-one therapy" mantra. It has also showcased the multiple levels that engage the patient, the treating physician, and the third-party insurer in providing adequate treatment to all symptomatic patients. The key points summarizing the way I manage my patients include accurate enzymatic diagnosis with mutation analysis (for some prognostication and better carrier detection in the family), a detailed follow-up every 6-12 months (with an option to see consultants and attention to comorbidities), and initiation of enzyme replacement therapy according to symptoms or deterioration in clinically significant features or both. I do not treat patients with very mild disease, but I consider presymptomatic therapy for patients at risk, including young women with poor obstetric history. I prefer the minimal-effective dose rather than the maximally tolerated dose, and when the difference between high-dose and lower-dose regimens is (merely statistically significant but) clinically meaningless, minimizing the burden on society by advocating less-expensive treatments is ethically justified.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Enzyme Replacement Therapy / methods*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gaucher Disease / diagnosis*
  • Gaucher Disease / drug therapy*
  • Gaucher Disease / genetics
  • Genetic Counseling
  • Genotype
  • Glucosylceramidase / genetics
  • Glucosylceramidase / metabolism
  • Glucosylceramidase / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Mutation

Substances

  • Glucosylceramidase