Fatigue and exercise intolerance in mitochondrial diseases. Literature revision and experience of the Italian Network of mitochondrial diseases (original) (raw)
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Neuromuscular Disorders, 2019
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Case Reports in Neurological Medicine, 2022
Objectives. Fatigue and exercise intolerance have been only rarely reported as initial- and sole-onset manifestations of a mitochondrial disorder (MID). We present a patient with nonsyndromic MID with fatigue and exercise intolerance as its initial manifestations of the disease. Case Report. A 39 yo female experienced fatigue since age 18 and exercise intolerance since age 21. Later on, she developed Hashimoto thyroiditis, recurrent diffuse headache, and double vision upon exercise. Clinical exam revealed short stature, bilateral ptosis, partially reduced tendon reflexes, and hypertrophic calves. Serum lactate was elevated, and the lactate stress test was abnormal. Workup for suspected MID revealed ragged-red fibers and NADH-deficient muscle fibers, and biochemical investigations revealed a mild complex-I defect. mtDNA sequencing revealed the variant m.3243A>G with a heteroplasmy rate of 70% in the muscle. Conclusions. This case shows that the initial manifestation of a MID can b...
Perceived fatigue is highly prevalent and debilitating in patients with mitochondrial disease
Neuromuscular disorders : NMD, 2015
Perceived fatigue is a prominent symptom in patients with mitochondrial disease but to date its prevalence, impact and aetiology are poorly understood. Our aim was to determine the prevalence and assess for comorbidities associated with clinically relevant fatigue in patients with mitochondrial disease. A cross-sectional postal survey of patients with mitochondrial disease was undertaken using a validated self-completion, patient-reported outcome measures (response rate: 60%; n = 132). The prevalence and perceived functional impact of experienced fatigue were assessed using the Fatigue Impact Scale. Other putative biological mechanisms were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety Depression scale and Epworth sleepiness scale. Data were compared with those for healthy control subjects and patients with Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome matched for age and gender. Sixty-two per cent of patients with mitochondrial disease reported excessive symptomatic fatigue (Fatigue Impac...
Association of mitochondrial dysfunction and fatigue: A review of the literature
Fatigue is often described by patients as a lack of energy, mental or physical tiredness, diminished endurance, and prolonged recovery after physical activity. Etiologic mechanisms underlying fatigue are not well understood; however, fatigue is a hallmark symptom of mitochondrial disease, making mitochondrial dysfunction a putative biological mechanism for fatigue. Therefore, this review examined studies that investigated the association of markers of mitochondrial dysfunction with fatigue and proposes possible research directions to enhance understanding of the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in fatigue. A thorough search using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases returned 1220 articles. After the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 25 articles meeting eligibility criteria were selected for full review. Dysfunctions in the mitochondrial structure, mitochondrial function (mitochondrial enzymes and oxidative/nitrosative stress), mito-chondrial energy metabolism (ATP production and fatty acid metabolism), immune response, and genetics were investigated as potential contributors to fatigue. Carnitine was the most investigated mitochondrial function marker. Dysfunctional levels were reported in all the studies investigating carnitine; however, the specific type of carnitine that was dysfunctional varied. Genetic profiles were the second most studied mitochondrial parameter. Six common pathways were proposed: metabolism, energy production, protein transport, mitochondrial morphology, central nervous system dysfunction and post-viral infection. Coenzyme Q10 was the most commonly investigated mitochondrial enzyme. Low levels of Coenzyme Q10 were consistently associated with fatigue. Potential targets for further investigation were identified as well as gaps in the current literature.
The aerobic forearm exercise test, a non-invasive tool to screen for mitochondrial disorders
Acta neurologica Belgica, 2007
The diagnosis of a mitochondrial disorder is often difficult. Therefore, new approaches and diagnostic criteria are being developed. One of these tests is the aerobic forearm exercise test, a screening tool that can contribute to assess whether or not the patient suffers from a mitochondrial myopathy. With this simple, non-invasive test, the oxidative metabolism of muscle can be evaluated in rest and during exercise. We performed the aerobic forearm exercise test in patients with a mitochondrial disorder and an identified pathogenic gene mutation, in patients with a suspected mitochondrial disorder based on their clinical presentation and biochemical results, but without a molecular diagnosis, and in patients with atypical fatigue and no characteristics of a mitochondrial myopathy. In the first two groups, abnormal oxygen extraction from the blood during exercise was observed in four out of twelve patients. In the third group no abnormalities were found. The number of patients that ...
Habitual Physical Activity in Mitochondrial Disease
PLoS ONE, 2011
Purpose: Mitochondrial disease is the most common neuromuscular disease and has a profound impact upon daily life, disease and longevity. Exercise therapy has been shown to improve mitochondrial function in patients with mitochondrial disease. However, no information exists about the level of habitual physical activity of people with mitochondrial disease and its relationship with clinical phenotype.