The Institute for Myelin and Glia Exploration's Clinical Database of Patients With Krabbe Disease, A World-Wide Registry

The purported incidence of Krabbe disease is 1/250,000 live births. It is believed that 80-90% of affected children will have the early-infantile form of the disease. Other forms of the disease, however, occur throughout life. Unfortunately neither enzyme activity levels nor specific genetic mutation reliably predict phenotype. Since the only treatment for Krabbe disease is bone marrow transplantation, it is crucial to be able to identify prognostic factors, which will accurately predict the disease course. At this time the medical literature is limited regarding the clinical signs and symptoms of the later-onset forms of Krabbe disease, as well as their age of onset, and survival of these individuals.

Early-infantile Krabbe disease has a uniformly fatal outcome if untreated, and later-onset forms remain at-risk for developing symptoms. The only available treatment, pooled cord-blood transplantation, has a 10-20% mortality rate.

The vast majority of children who screen positively for Krabbe disease during newborn screening have an uncertain prognosis. No single diagnostic test available currently can accurately predict the onset of symptoms. Consequently, improved phenotypic understanding will enhance the diagnostic paradigm for Krabbe disease, and will facilitate more timely diagnosis and treatment.

The information collected in the registry will be used to improve accuracy of diagnosis, and to prevent children who are not destined to develop Krabbe from being subjected unnecessarily to treatment.

The hypotheses to be tested include: