Mucopolysarcharidosis Type IVA | Symptoms & Causes
What are the symptoms of MPS IVA?
Manifestations of MPS IVA fall on a broad spectrum, meaning children may or may not have symptoms. Children with MPS IVA generally do not experience or display symptoms at the time of their birth. Over time, they may develop skeletal abnormalities including:
- scoliosis
- knock-knees (genu valgum)
- chest wall deformity (pectus carinatum)
- arthritis
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease
- short stature
Over time, children may develop additional symptoms, including:
- sleep apnea
- hearing loss or impairment
- visual impairment/corneal clouding
- enlargement of the liver and spleen
- dental abnormalities
- thickening/impairment of the heart valves
- compression of the spinal cord
What causes MPS IVA in children?
MPS IVA is caused due to a deficiency in an enzyme known as N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase. This condition is genetic and is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means that an affected child has received one defective copy of the gene responsible for N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase production from each parent.
Mucopolysarcharidosis Type IVA | Diagnosis & Treatments
How do we treat MPS IVA?
Current approaches to MPS IVA are tailored to specific patients and may include enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and targeted symptom management. Treatment plans require interdisciplinary collaboration and depend greatly on a patient’s specific disease presentation.
How We Care for MPS IVA
At the Boston Children’s Lysosomal Storage Disorders (BoLD) Program, our team of providers is committed to the care of complex patients. As part of Boston Children’s Hospital, we are prepared to meet the challenge of providing multifaceted care by partnering with you and your child to deliver direct care in our BoLD clinic. We work with the broad array of world-class specialists at Boston Children’s to optimize the care we provide your child with MPS IVA.
