: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a common inborn error of amino acid metabolism in which the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase, which converts phenylalanine to tyrosine, is functionally impaired due to pathogenic variants in the PAH gene. Thirty-four Brazilian patients with a biochemical diagnosis of PKU, from 33 unrelated families, were analyzed through next-generation sequencing in the Ion Torrent PGM™ platform. Phenotype-genotype correlations were made based on the BioPKU database. Three patients required additional Sanger sequencing analyses. Twenty-six different pathogenic variants were identified. The most frequent variants were c.1315+1G>A (n = 8/66), c.473G>A (n = 6/66), and c.1162G>A (n = 6/66). One novel variant, c.524C>G (p.Pro175Arg), was found in one allele and was predicted as likely pathogenic by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) criteria. The molecular modeling of p.Pro175Arg indicated that this substitution can affect monomers binding in the PAH tetramer, which could lead to a change in the stability and activity of this enzyme. Next-generation sequencing was a fast and effective method for diagnosing PKU and is useful for patient phenotype prediction and genetic counseling.

Introduction: Although it has been said that 'health is priceless', it certainly has its costs. In the last decades, the growing expenditure on health has raised concerns about better management of resources destined for this purpose. Among the factors related to the increase in health costs, changes in morbidity and mortality patterns in contemporary societies are evident, which can be explained by the reduction in infectious and contagious diseases and the increase in chronic degenerative ones. Hereditary Angioedema is a chronic disease that requires regular medical follow-up and treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the direct and indirect costs of Hereditary Angioedema with C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) treatment in specialized centers in Brazil. Methods: The present study is part of the National Network for Rare Diseases. It has a prospective and retrospective design that aims to understand and measure the Care Value Journey (CVJ) of patients with C1-INH-HAE in Brazil. It was carried out in 116 patients of 7 reference centers. Questionnaires were applied to patients/caregivers, one retrospective and one prospective (v1), containing general data about the patient; diagnosis, treatment, productivity, costs and evolution of the disease. In addition, interviews were conducted with nurses, doctors and administrators allocated in the centers to understand the reality of the resources used within the protocols used for management of C1-INH-HAE in each institution. Results: The most frequently used drug for long-term prophylaxis was oxandrolone [25/116; 21,5%], followed by danazol [14/116; 12.6%] and tranexamic acid [14/116; 12.06%]. The average monthly cost of oxandrolone was US$ 19.94; danazol, US$ 24.05 and tranexamic acid, US$ 8.61. Icatibant Acetate was the most commonly used medication for on demand treatment [14/116; 12.06%], with a mean use of 3 shots every 4 months for each patient. This drug was obtained through lawsuit and the cost per application was US$ 1,416.26. The total cost of this patient's care journey, including medical appointments, exams and medications was US$ 23,391.31 per year. Loss of productivity at work, which is an indirect cost, must also be taken into account in a pharmacoeconomic study. The time spent in a 1-year follow-up of a patient with C1-INH-HAE, taking into account medical appointments and exams, was 372.5 minutes. This time can reflect on absenteeism at work and school. The assessment of productivity loss, assessed using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment - General Health (WPAI-GH) questionnaire, was answered by 7 caregivers and 87 patients. Of these, 46 patients and 4 caregivers answered that they were employed. The percentage of commitment during work (presenteeism) was 32.4% and the absenteeism (time lost from work) was 17.2%. Conclusion: The direct and indirect costs that patients with C1-INH-HAE have with the treatment of the disease are excessively high considering the socioeconomic level of Brazilian population. More investments in pharmacoeconomic studies are needed to think of strategies that minimize these costs

Introdução: De acordo com a Organização Mundial de Saúde, é considerada uma doença rara (DR) aquela que afeta até 65 pessoas em cada 100.000 indivíduos, sendo 80% delas com causa genética. Essas enfermidades, além de impactarem a vida do indivíduo, geram consequências clínicas, sociais e econômicas no contexto das famílias e da sociedade, como por exemplo o deslocamento para centros de referência. Existem dados limitados sobre a distância percorrida até serviços de referência por pacientes com DR. Objetivos: Conhecer a naturalidade, o local de residência e a distância percorrida pelos pacientes com diagnóstico ou suspeita de DR para atendimento no Serviço de Referência de Doenças Raras (SRDR) no Rio Grande do Sul. Metodologia: Estudo quantitativo e retrospectivo do Projeto Rede Nacional das Doenças Raras (RARAS), com dados do SRDR Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. Resultados: Dos 1026 pacientes com DR avaliados no período, 50,4% são do sexo masculino e 49,6%, do sexo feminino. Todos os pacientes nasceram no território brasileiro. Quanto à região de nascimento, a maioria nasceu na região Sul, (991, 96,7%), seguido da região Sudeste (18, 1,8%), Centro-oeste (6, 0,6%), Nordeste (6, 0,6%) e Norte (4, 0,4%). A maioria dos pacientes reside em Porto Alegre e Grande Porto Alegre (56,9%), enquanto somente 2,7% residem em outras unidades federativas, sendo as mais frequentes Santa Catarina (1,5%), Minas Gerais (0,5%) e Mato Grosso (0,2%). A distância média percorrida pelos pacientes do município de residência até o SRDR foi de 137,8±255,4 Km, sendo a maior distância 3.778,7 km (Recife) e a menor 0km (Porto Alegre). Conclusão: Pacientes com DR necessitam de atendimento especializado e multidisciplinar em sua jornada, desde o diagnóstico até o tratamento, sendo esse muitas vezes para toda vida. Apesar de a maioria dos pacientes residirem em Porto Alegre e região metropolitana, observamos um grande fluxo de pacientes de cidades do interior do Rio Grande do Sul e outros estados até a capital Porto Alegre, onde se concentram os profissionais e serviços especializados em DR. Essa distância percorrida muitas vezes interfere na jornada do paciente com DR e dificulta seu diagnóstico ou tratamento, bem como impacta na economia e qualidade de vida de seus cuidadores. Esses dados reforçam a importância de ampliar o acesso e o número de centros especializados em DR no interior do estado e também em outras regiões do país.