Hemolysis and Neurologic Impairment in PAMI Syndrome: Novel Characteristics of an Elusive Disease

Pediatrics. 2021 Mar;147(3):e20200784. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-0784.

Abstract

PSTPIP1-associated myeloid-related proteinemia inflammatory (PAMI) syndrome is a rare early-onset autoinflammatory disease associated with various hematologic findings, including chronic neutropenia and pancytopenia. We report a unique case of PAMI syndrome in a toddler with transfusion-dependent hemolytic anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, failure to thrive, developmental delay, and multiple malformations. Because of acute inflammatory-driven decompensation, anakinra was started with dramatic improvement of both the hematologic and neurologic involvement. A customized next-generation sequencing panel later identified a de novo pathogenic variant in the PSTPIP1 gene, confirming the diagnosis. Our case illustrates the broad spectrum of phenotypes associated with PAMI syndrome, which should be considered in any case of unexplained cytopenias associated with autoinflammatory stigmata. It is also one of the few reports of neurologic involvement in PSTPIP1-associated inflammatory diseases. Increased awareness of this rare disease and early performance of genetic testing can correctly diagnose PAMI syndrome and prevent disease complications.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abnormalities, Multiple
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics*
  • Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital / blood
  • Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital / drug therapy
  • Atrophy / diagnostic imaging
  • Atrophy / drug therapy
  • Blood Transfusion
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / pathology
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis
  • Chronic Disease
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics*
  • Developmental Disabilities / drug therapy
  • Facies
  • Failure to Thrive / drug therapy
  • Fever / urine
  • Hemolysis* / drug effects
  • Hepatomegaly / diagnostic imaging
  • Hepatomegaly / drug therapy
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / therapeutic use*
  • Lymphadenopathy / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Pancytopenia
  • Phenotype
  • Rare Diseases / blood
  • Rare Diseases / drug therapy
  • Rare Diseases / genetics*
  • Reticulocyte Count
  • Splenomegaly / diagnostic imaging
  • Splenomegaly / drug therapy
  • Syndrome

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein
  • PSTPIP1 protein, human
  • C-Reactive Protein