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Juan C. Rubio, MSc; Alejandro Lucia, MD, PhD; Israel Fernández-Cadenas, MSc; Ana Cabello, MD, PhD; Alberto Blázquez, MSc; Josep Gámez, MD, PhD; Antoni L. Andreu, PhD; Miguel A. Martín, PhD; Joaquin Arenas, PhD

Arch Neurol. 2006;63:1782-1784.

Background  McArdle disease is a common metabolic disorder characterized by marked exercise intolerance, premature fatigue during exertion, myalgia, and cramps. Despite the wide knowledge of the molecular basis of McArdle disease, few studies have used a physiological approach or explored the possibility of improving the exercise capacity of these patients.

Objectives  To describe 3 unrelated patients with McArdle disease with a novel mutation in the PYGM gene and to assess the physical capacity in 1 of them.

Design  Using molecular genetic approaches, we identified the underlying molecular defect in 3 patients with McArdle disease. Physical performance was evaluated in 1 patient by means of an exercise tolerance test on a bicycle ergometer.

Setting  Two university hospitals. Exercise physiology studies were performed in a university department.

Patients  The 3 patients showed common features of McArdle disease. They were definitively diagnosed by histochemistry, biochemistry, or molecular genetic analysis.

Results  All of the 3 patients were genetic compounds for the common Arg50Stop mutation and a novel c.13_14delCT mutation in the PYGM gene. The peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak) of the patient who performed the exercise test was only 20.2 mL · kg^–1 · min^–1.

Conclusions  Together with the novel mutation, there is a markedly decreased exercise capacity in a patient with McArdle disease, which could account for the profound alteration in the capacity for performing normal activities of daily living in this subpopulation.

Author Affiliations: Centro de Investigación (Messrs Rubio and Blázquez and Drs Martín and Arenas) and Servicio de Neuropatología (Dr Cabello), Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, and Universidad Europea de Madrid (Dr Lucia), Madrid, Spain; and Centre d'Investigacions en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular (Mr Fernández-Cadenas and Dr Andreu) and Servicio de Neurología (Dr Gámez), Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.

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