The diagnosis of NPD-A and B is normally clinical, helped by measuring the ASM activity in the blood (white blood cells).
A diagnosis of Niemann-Pick disease is confirmed by analyzing a sample of tissue.
At least five different forms of Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) have been identified.
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Ultimately, the nervous system becomes severely damaged and patients with Types C and D Niemann-Pick disease die.
Some adults with Niemann-Pick disease (Type E) may also show a loss of muscle coordination.
Both Niemann-Pick disease types A and B occur in many ethnic groups; however, they occur more frequently among individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent than in the general population.
A carrier for Niemann-Pick disease typically has a heterozygous genotype, meaning they possess one normal allele and one mutated allele for the NPC1 or NPC2 gene, depending on the specific type of Niemann-Pick disease. This genotype can be represented as "N/n," where "N" denotes the normal allele and "n" the mutated allele. Carriers usually do not exhibit symptoms of the disease but can pass the mutated allele to their offspring.
Treatment consists of supportive care to deal with symptoms and the development of complications.
The different types seem to be related to the activity level of the enzyme sphingomyelinase.
NPD-B patients have an enlarged liver, no neurological involvement, and often survive into adulthood.
No specific definitive treatment is available for patients with any NPD type, and treatment is purely supportive
Types C or D NPD are related to cholesterol transfer out of cells.