Segmental Spinal Muscular Atrophy Localised to the Lower Limbs: First case from Oman

Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2017 Aug;17(3):e355-e357. doi: 10.18295/squmj.2017.17.03.018. Epub 2017 Oct 10.

Abstract

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic lower motor neuron disease. It usually involves all of the skeletal muscles innervated by the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord. In rare cases, there is also localised involvement of the spinal cord. We report a 10-year-old boy who presented to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, in 2015 with muscle weakness restricted to the lower limbs. The presence of a homozygous deletion within the survival of motor neuron 1 gene confirmed the diagnosis of SMA. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of an Omani patient with segmental SMA involving only the lower limbs. Treatment for this rare and relatively benign form of SMA is symptomatic and includes physiotherapy.

Keywords: Case Report; Muscle Weakness; Oman; Pes Cavus; Segmental; Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood; Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Gene Deletion*
  • Hand
  • Humans
  • Lower Extremity
  • Male
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / diagnosis
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / epidemiology
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / genetics*
  • Oman / epidemiology
  • Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein / genetics*
  • Talipes Cavus

Substances

  • Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein