Endocrine disorders in primary mitochondrial disease

Abstract

Context: Endocrine disorders are common in individuals with mitochondrial disease. To develop evidence-based screening practices in this high-risk population, updated age-stratified estimates of the prevalence of endocrine conditions are needed. Objective: To measure the point prevalence of selected endocrine disorders in individuals with mitochondrial disease. Design, Setting, and Patients: The North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium Patient Registry is a large, prospective, physician-curated cohort study of individuals with mitochondrial disease. Participants (n = 404) are of any age, with a diagnosis of primary mitochondrial disease confirmed by molecular genetic testing. Main Outcome Measures: Age-specific prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), abnormal growth and sexual maturation (AGSM), hypoparathyroidism, and hypothyroidism. Results: The majority of our sample was pediatric ( < 18 years; 60.1%), female (56.9%), and white (85.9%). DM affected 2% of participants aged < 18 years [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.4% to 5.7%] and 24.4% of adult participants (95% CI: 18.6% to 30.9%). DM prevalence was highest in individuals with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and strokelike episodes syndrome (MELAS; 31.9%, of whom 86.2% had the m.3243A > G mutation). DM occurred more often with mitochondrial DNA defects (point mutations and/or deletions) than with nuclear DNA mutations (23.3% vs 3.7%, respectively; P < 0.001). Other prevalence estimates were 44.1% (95% CI: 38.8% to 49.6%) for AGSM; 0.3% (95% CI: 0% to 1.6%) for hypoparathyroidism; and 6.3% (95% CI: 4% to 9.3%) for hypothyroidism. Conclusion: DM and AGSM are highly prevalent in primary mitochondrial disease. Certain clinical mitochondrial syndromes (MELAS and Kearns-Sayre/Pearson syndrome spectrum disorders) demonstrated a higher burden of endocrinopathies. Clinical screening practices should reflect the substantial prevalence of endocrine disorders in mitochondrial disease.