Spinal muscular atrophy and Farber disease due to ASAH1 variants: A case report

Genetic variations in the ASAH1 gene are associated with a spectrum of disorders ranging from Farber disease (FD) to spinal muscular atrophy with or without progressive myoclonic epilepsy (SMA-PME). FD presents most commonly in infants with subcutaneous joint nodules, progressive arthritis and granulomas of the larynx and epiglottis leading to a hoarse cry. SMA-PME is characterized by childhood onset progressive weakness due to motor neuron disease followed by progressive epilepsy, tremor, and sensorineural hearing loss. We present a case of a 4-year-old boy with phenotypic features of both FD and SMA who was found to have two previously unreported heterozygous variants in the ASAH1 gene.