Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis presenting with schizophrenia-like disorder:A case report

BACKGROUND Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis(CTX)is a rare autosomal recessive lipid-storage disorder caused by mutations in CYP27A1.Psychiatric manifestations in CTX are rare and nonspecific,and they often lead to considerable diagnostic and treatment delay.CASE SUMMARY A 33-year-old female patient admitted to the psychiatric ward for presentation of delusions,hallucinations,and behavioral disturbance is reported.The patient presented with cholestasis,cataract,Achilles tendon xanthoma,and cerebellar signs in adulthood and with intellectual disability and learning difficulties in childhood.After the characteristic CTX findings on imaging were obtained,a pathological examination of the Achilles tendon xanthoma was refined.Replacement therapy was then initiated after the diagnosis was clarified by genetic analysis.During hospitalization in the psychiatric ward,the nonspecific psychiatric manifestations of the patient posed difficulty in diagnosis.After the patient’s history of CTX was identified,the patient was diagnosed with organic schizophrenia-like disorder,and psychotic symptoms were controlled by replacement therapy combined with antipsychotic medication.CONCLUSION Psychiatrists should be aware of CTX,its psychiatric manifestations,and clinical features and avoid misdiagnosis of CTX for timely intervention.

Chinese patient with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis confirmed by genetic testing: A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis(CTX)is a treatable autosomal recessive inherited metabolic disorder.It results from a deficiency of sterol 27-hydroxylase(CYP27A1),which is a mitochondrial cytochrome P450 enzyme that catalyzes the hydroxylation of cholesterol and modulates cholesterol homeostasis.Patients with CYP27A1 deficiency show symptoms related to excessive accumulation of cholesterol and cholestanol in lipophilic tissues such as the brain,eyes,tendons,and vessels,resulting in juvenile cataracts,tendon xanthoma,chronic diarrhea,cognitive impairment,ataxia,spastic paraplegia,and peripheral neuropathy.CTX is underdiagnosed as knowledge of the disorder is mainly based on case reports.CASE SUMMARY A Chinese family with CTX consisting of one patient and four heterozygous carriers was studied.The patient is a 47-year-old male,who mainly had psychiatric signs but without some cardinal features of CTX such as cataracts,cerebellar ataxia,pyramidal signs and chronic diarrhea.There was a significant increase in the concentration of free fatty acid compared to normal range.Doppler ultrasound of the urinary system showed multiple left kidney stones,a right kidney cyst,and a hypoechoic area in the bladder,which could move with body position.Sagittal and axial magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)of the right ankle joint showed apparent enlargement of the right Achilles tendon and upper medial malleolus flexor tendon,abnormal thickening of the plantar fat,and a small amount of exudation around the fascia in front of the Achilles tendon.Cerebral MRI suggested white matter(WM)demyelination and slight cerebral atrophy.The diagnosis was confirmed by targeted sequencing,which identified compound heterozygous mutations in exon 2 and intron 7 of the CYP27A1 gene(c.435G>T,c.1263+1G>A).Treatment for 3 wk with a combination of lipid-lowering and antipsychotic therapy improved his psychiatric symptoms and normalized the levels of serum free fatty acid.Sediments in the bladder disappeared after therapy.CONCLUSION CYP27A1 genetic analysis should be the definitive method for CTX diagnosis.This case suggests that urinary system diseases may be neglected in CTX patients.The clinical,biological,radiological,and genetic characteristics of CTX are summarized to promote early diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Progressive ataxia of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis with a rare c.255+1G>T splice site mutation:A case report

BACKGROUND Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is an autosomal recessive disorder of lipid metabolism caused by the mutation of the CYP27A1 gene encoding sterol 27-hydroxylase,an essential enzyme for the conversion of cholesterol to chenodeoxycholic and cholic acids.Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is a rare neurological dis-ease with a wide range of clinical symptoms that are easily misdiagnosed.CASE SUMMARY Here we report the clinical,biochemical,and molecular characterization of a 33-year-old female patient with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.The patient developed ataxia and had the typical symptoms of juvenile cataracts,tendon xanthomata,and progressive nervous system dysfunction.Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed bilateral dentate nucleus lesions and white matter abnormalities.This patient was misdiagnosed for 2 years resulting in severe neurological complications.After 2 years of chenodeoxycholic acid treatment,she still presented with ataxia and dysarthria.The pathogenic sites of CYP27A1 were identified as c.255+1G>T and c.1263+1G>T,which were both caused by shear denaturation.CONCLUSION Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis requires a multidisciplinary diagnosis that must be made early to avoid progressive neurological degeneration.c.1263+1G>T is a known mutation,but c.255+1G>T is a rare mutation site.

CYP27A1 mutation in a case of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis:A case report

BACKGROUND Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis(CTX)is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disease caused by mutations in CYP27 A1.It has a low incidence rate,insidious onset,and diverse clinical manifestations.It can be easily misdiagnosed and can go unrecognized by clinicians,leading to delayed treatment and worsened patient outcomes.CASE SUMMARY A 38-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with a history of unabating unstable posture and difficulty in walking for more than 30 years.Subsequently based on the patient’s medical history,clinical symptoms,magnetic resonance imaging and gene sequencing results,he was finally diagnosed with CTX.Due to the low incidence rate of the disease,clinicians have insufficient knowledge of it,which makes the diagnosis process more tortuous and prolongs the diagnosis time.CONCLUSION Prompt diagnosis and treatment of CTX improve patient outcomes.