Actionability Assertions

Gene Condition (MONDO ID) OMIM ID Final Assertion
DES N/A (0011076) 601419 Moderate Actionability
BAG3 N/A (0013061) 612954 N/A - Insufficient evidence: early rule-out
FLNC N/A (0012289) 609524 Moderate Actionability

Actionability Assertion Rationale

  • The preliminary assertion for DES based on the rubric was strong. However, due to a lack of studies specific to myofibrillar myopathy to clearly inform effectiveness, the experts changed the assertion to moderate. The preliminary assertion for FLNC based on the rubric was moderate, and the experts agreed. There was significant discussion regarding potentially higher actionability with the dilated cardiomyopathy phenotype, which has yet to be assessed for DES and FLNC.

Actionability Scores

Outcome / Intervention Pair Severity Likelihood Effectiveness Nature of Intervention Total Score
Clinically significant cardiac involvement (DES) / Cardiology management 2 3A 2D 3 10AD
Clinically significant cardiac involvement (DES) / ICD implantation 2 3A 2C 2 9AC
Clinically significant cardiac involvement (FLNC) / Cardiology management 2 2A 2D 3 9AD
Clinically significant cardiac involvement (FLNC) / ICD implantation 2 2A 2D 2 8AD
View scoring key
Domain of Actionability Scoring Metric State of the Knowledgebase
Severity: What is the nature of the threat to health to an individual? 3 = Sudden death as a reasonably possible outcome
2 = Reasonable possibility of death or major morbidity
1 = Modest morbidity
0 = Minimal or no morbidity
N/A
Likelihood: What is the chance that the outcome will occur? 3 = >40% chance
2 = 5%-39% chance
1 = 1%-4% chance
0 = <1% chance
A = Substantial evidence or evidence from a high tier (tier 1)
B = Moderate evidence or evidence from a moderate tier (tier 2)
C = Minimal evidence or evidence from a lower tier (tier 3 or 4)
D = Poor evidence or evidence not provided in the report
N = Evidence based on expert contributions (tier 5)
Effectiveness: What is the effectiveness of a specific intervention in preventing or diminishing the risk of harm? 3 = Highly effective
2 = Moderately effective
1 = Minimally effective
0 = Controversial or unknown effectiveness
IN = Ineffective/No interventiona
A = Substantial evidence or evidence from a high tier (tier 1)
B = Moderate evidence or evidence from a moderate tier (tier 2)
C = Minimal evidence or evidence from a lower tier (tier 3 or 4)
D = Poor evidence or evidence not provided in the report
N = Evidence based on expert contributions (tier 5)
Nature of intervention: How risky, medically burdensome, or intensive is the intervention? 3 = Low risk, or medically acceptable and low intensity
2 = Moderate risk, moderately acceptable or intensive
1 = Greater risk, less acceptable and substantial intensity
0 = High risk, poorly acceptable or intensive
N/A
a Do not score the remaining categories

Prevalence of the Genetic Condition

The overall prevalence of myofibrillar myopathy (MFM) is currently undetermined. The prevalence of DES-related MFM has been estimated to be 0.17 in 100,000. However, the prevalence of BAG3- and FLNC- related MFM was not available.
View Citations

D Selcen, et al. (2005) NCBI: NBK1499, Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934, Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Clinical Features (Signs / symptoms)

The diagnosis of MFM is traditionally based on common morphologic features on muscle biopsy. Pathogenic variants in DES, FLNC and BAG3 are responsible for a subset of MFM cases. Cardiac manifestations of MFM include cardiomyopathy (dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive or left ventricular noncompaction) and arrhythmia (atrioventricular conduction block, atrial fibrillation, other tachyarrhythmias and cardiac conduction defects). MFM is characterized by slowly progressive muscle weakness, from distal to proximal lower extremities with eventual involvement of upper extremities, trunk, facial and respiratory muscles as the disease progresses.
View Citations

D Selcen, et al. (2005) NCBI: NBK1499, Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934, Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375, van Spaendonck-Zwarts KY, et al. (2011) PMID: 20718792, Online Medelian Inheritance in Man. (2016) OMIM: 612954, Online Medelian Inheritance in Man. (2016) OMIM: 609524, Online Medelian Inheritance in Man. (2018) OMIM: 601419

Natural History (Important subgroups & survival / recovery)

MFM typically presents in adulthood starting around 30-50 years of age (range 2-77 years); the majority of cases present after age 40 years. However, presentation of BAG3-related MFM characteristically occurs earlier, in the first and second decades of life, and is often fatal. Patients with this subtype typically experience rapid progression and are often severely affected by the second decade and require cardiac transplant, respiratory ventilation, and/or a wheelchair. DES-related MFM can also present as early as the first decade (range: first to sixth decade). In cases of childhood onset, the disease is rapidly progressive and leads to debilitating contractures, cardiomyopathy, and cardiorespiratory failure. Cardiomyopathy is more common in patients with pathogenic variants in DES and BAG3. Cardiac involvement onset in DES-related disease has been observed from first to seventh decades of life, with cardiomyopathy occurring more often in males than females. In DES-related MFM, cardiac involvement often precedes muscle weakness. Respiratory involvement can lead to death. While most cases are heterozygous, some homozygous or compound heterozygous cases have been described with pathogenic variants in DES; these cases manifested earlier and had more rapid progression, while heterozygous carriers in these kindreds were unaffected.
View Citations

D Selcen, et al. (2005) NCBI: NBK1499, Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934, Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375, van Spaendonck-Zwarts KY, et al. (2011) PMID: 20718792, Online Medelian Inheritance in Man. (2016) OMIM: 612954, Online Medelian Inheritance in Man. (2016) OMIM: 609524, Online Medelian Inheritance in Man. (2018) OMIM: 601419

Description of sources of evidence:

Tier 1: Evidence from a systematic review or a meta-analysis or clinical practice guideline clearly based on a systematic review.
Tier 2: Evidence from clinical practice guidelines or broad-based expert consensus with non-systematic evidence review.
Tier 3: Evidence from another source with non-systematic review of evidence with primary literature cited.
Tier 4: Evidence from another source with non-systematic review of evidence with no citations to primary data sources.
Tier 5: Evidence from a non-systematically identified source.

Mode of Inheritance

Autosomal Dominant

There have been reported cases of compound heterozygotes or homozygotes in DES-related MFM.

View Citations

D Selcen, et al. (2005) NCBI: NBK1499, Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934, Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375, van Spaendonck-Zwarts KY, et al. (2011) PMID: 20718792, Online Medelian Inheritance in Man. (2016) OMIM: 612954, Online Medelian Inheritance in Man. (2016) OMIM: 609524, Online Medelian Inheritance in Man. (2018) OMIM: 601419

Prevalence of Genetic Variants

Unknown
No data have been reported on the population prevalence of pathogenic variants in these genes.

Penetrance (Includes any high-risk racial or ethnic subgroups)

Unknown
The overall penetrance of pathogenic variants in these genes is not known.
Tier 3 View Citations

D Selcen, et al. (2005) NCBI: NBK1499

5-39 %
The frequency of some symptoms has been reported, although it is a combination of clinically and molecularly identified patients (via family studies). Penetrance data on the basis of molecular identification alone is not available:For individuals with FLNC-related MFM, the following were observed in a systematic review of case series:

Cardiac involvement: 21/57 (37%)

Respiratory involvement: 14/61 (23%)

Musculoskeletal involvement: 63/70 (90%)For individuals with BAG3-related MFM, the following were observed in a systematic review of case series:

Cardiac involvement: 7/7 (100%)

Respiratory involvement: 6/7 (86%)

Musculoskeletal involvement: 7/7 (100%)
Tier 1 View Citations

Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

>= 40 %
For individuals with DES-related MFM, a systematic review of case series and a meta-analysis of cases reported in the literature (each with over 100 patients but containing overlapping studies/patients), report the following:

Cardiac involvement: 74%-79%

Respiratory involvement: 26%-32%

Musculoskeletal involvement: 74%-86%
Tier 1 View Citations

Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375, van Spaendonck-Zwarts KY, et al. (2011) PMID: 20718792

Relative Risk (Includes any high-risk racial or ethnic subgroups)

Unknown
Information on relative risk was not available.

Expressivity

Inter- and intra-familial variability in symptoms and age of onset is reported. Genotype–phenotype correlations with DES-related MFM are emerging, but they are not yet useful for guiding clinical decisions.
Tier 1 View Citations

Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375, van Spaendonck-Zwarts KY, et al. (2011) PMID: 20718792

Description of sources of evidence:

Tier 1: Evidence from a systematic review or a meta-analysis or clinical practice guideline clearly based on a systematic review.
Tier 2: Evidence from clinical practice guidelines or broad-based expert consensus with non-systematic evidence review.
Tier 3: Evidence from another source with non-systematic review of evidence with primary literature cited.
Tier 4: Evidence from another source with non-systematic review of evidence with no citations to primary data sources.
Tier 5: Evidence from a non-systematically identified source.

Patient Management

Clinicians should refer patients to a multidisciplinary clinic (including cardiology, physical therapy and occupational therapy) designed specifically to care for patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs). This recommendation is based on evidence in the setting of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), indicating that a multidisciplinary approach is associated with improved survival, higher quality of life, increased use of treatments and interventions, and increased use of adaptive equipment.
Tier 2 View Citations

Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934, Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Individuals should undergo a baseline cardiac evaluation. Patients may present with cardiac morbidity or sudden cardiac death (SCD), and serious cardiac manifestations are often identified only with cardiology testing. No effectiveness data was presented in the setting of MFM. However, patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) often have improved quality of life following appropriate cardiac interventions.
Tier 2 View Citations

Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934, Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Cardiac evaluation should be performed before anesthesia/sedation in patients with MFM.
Tier 2 View Citations

Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934

In the setting of reduced ejection fraction (EF), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) are recommended in combination with beta-adrenergic blockade. Though evidence of the effectiveness of these interventions in MFM were not available, early initiation of ACEIs has been shown to prolong survival relative to late initiation in open-label cross-over trials with DMD. Beta blockade initiated in the pre-symptomatic stages of HF in DMD improved survival over blockade initiated after symptomatic HF onset.
Tier 2 View Citations

Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934

Consider ICD placement in an individualized manner, with decisions in DES-related MFM not dependent on EF alone.
Tier 2 View Citations

Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934

In a meta-analysis of 159 DES-related MFM patients, ICD was placed in 7 and pacemaker in 36. Sudden cardiac death occurred in two patients with a pacemaker, suggestive of ventricular tachyarrhythmia, indicating ICD may be a more appropriate consideration in cases due to DES.
Tier 1 View Citations

van Spaendonck-Zwarts KY, et al. (2011) PMID: 20718792

More data are available on ICDs in the settings of cardiac conduction defects due to LMNA pathogenic variants or of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. One prospective cohort study of 19 patients with an LMNA pathogenic variant and an ICD showed that 42% (N=8) received appropriate ICD therapy in response to ventricular tachycardia (N=2) and ventricular fibrillation (N=6) across a 34 month period. A meta-analysis of randomized control trials of patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy reported an overall reduction in mortality with ICD therapy (RR=0.69, 95% CI=0.56-0.86; p=0.002).
Tier 2 View Citations

Epstein AE, et al. (2013) PMID: 23265327, Lindenfeld J, et al. (2010) PMID: 20610207

Clinicians should order pulmonary function testing or refer for pulmonary evaluation to identify and treat respiratory insufficiency at the time of diagnosis and if symptoms develop. Patients with respiratory failure from NMDs often do not have symptoms that precede the onset of respiratory failure, which is often identified only with pulmonary function tests. Historically, non-invasive ventilation was recommended in the setting of respiratory failure in MFM. Newer guidelines withhold making a recommendation about non-invasive ventilation, citing more recent evidence that this treatment may increase mortality.
Tier 2 View Citations

Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Glucocorticoid use should be guided by noncardiac indications for treatment. No data are available on glucocorticoid effectiveness in MFM, though daily glucocorticoid treatment has been shown to reduce the risk of scoliosis in DMD and is the recommended standard of care treatment of DMD.
Tier 2 View Citations

Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934, Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Glucocorticoid treatment in pediatric DMD has been shown to improve muscle strength and respiratory function, prolong walking function, and reduce the need for scoliosis surgery, with 13 of 24 (54%) untreated patients requiring spinal stabilization versus 0 of 30 treated patients (0%).
Tier 5 View Citations

Sussman, M.. (2002) URL: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Clinicians should refer patients experiencing dysphagia, frequent aspiration, or weight loss for swallowing evaluation and/or gastroenterology evaluation to assess and manage swallowing function and aspiration risk. There is evidence from related conditions (including ALS) that maintenance of nutrition and body weight prolongs survival.
Tier 2 View Citations

Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Surveillance

In asymptomatic patients, annual cardiac evaluation with examination, ECG and structural evaluation (echocardiography or cardiac MRI) is reasonable.
Tier 2 View Citations

Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934

Clinicians should obtain periodic pulmonary function testing or periodic referral for pulmonary evaluation to identify and treat respiratory insufficiency.
Tier 2 View Citations

Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Patients should be monitored for the development of spinal deformities to prevent resultant complications and preserve function.
Tier 2 View Citations

Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Circumstances to Avoid

Avoid dehydration, exercising to exhaustion, and supramaximal, high-intensity exercise due to the risk of exercise-induced muscle damage, myoglobinuria, and subsequent overwork weakness.
Tier 2 View Citations

Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Description of sources of evidence:

Tier 1: Evidence from a systematic review or a meta-analysis or clinical practice guideline clearly based on a systematic review.
Tier 2: Evidence from clinical practice guidelines or broad-based expert consensus with non-systematic evidence review.
Tier 3: Evidence from another source with non-systematic review of evidence with primary literature cited.
Tier 4: Evidence from another source with non-systematic review of evidence with no citations to primary data sources.
Tier 5: Evidence from a non-systematically identified source.

Nature of Intervention

Identified interventions include non-invasive surveillance, pharmacotherapy, possible ICD implantation, and anesthetic precautions.
Context: Adult
View Citations

Feingold B, et al. (2017) PMID: 28838934, Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375

Chance to Escape Clinical Detection

Patients with respiratory failure from neuromuscular-related weakness often do not have symptoms that precede the onset of respiratory failure. For DES-related MFM, cardiac involvement can occur prior to the onset of muscle weakness. As such, presenting symptoms can be serious, including sudden cardiac death.
Context: Adult
View Citations

Narayanaswami P, et al. (2014) PMID: 25313375, van Spaendonck-Zwarts KY, et al. (2011) PMID: 20718792

Description of sources of evidence:

Tier 1: Evidence from a systematic review or a meta-analysis or clinical practice guideline clearly based on a systematic review.
Tier 2: Evidence from clinical practice guidelines or broad-based expert consensus with non-systematic evidence review.
Tier 3: Evidence from another source with non-systematic review of evidence with primary literature cited.
Tier 4: Evidence from another source with non-systematic review of evidence with no citations to primary data sources.
Tier 5: Evidence from a non-systematically identified source.
Gene Condition Associations
OMIM Identifier Primary MONDO Identifier Additional MONDO Identifiers
DES 601419 0011076 0018943
BAG3 612954 0013061 0018943
FLNC 609524 0012289 0018943

References List

D Selcen, AG Engel. Myofibrillar Myopathy. (2005) [Updated Oct 29 2012]. In: MP Adam, HH Ardinger, RA Pagon, et al., editors. GeneReviews® [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2026. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1499/

Epstein AE, DiMarco JP, Ellenbogen KA, Estes NA 3rd, Freedman RA, Gettes LS, Gillinov AM, Gregoratos G, Hammill SC, Hayes DL, Hlatky MA, Newby LK, Page RL, Schoenfeld MH, Silka MJ, Stevenson LW, Sweeney MO, Tracy CM, Epstein AE, Darbar D, DiMarco JP, Dunbar SB, Estes NA 3rd, Ferguson TB Jr, Hammill SC, Karasik PE, Link MS, Marine JE, Schoenfeld MH, Shanker AJ, Silka MJ, Stevenson LW, Stevenson WG, Varosy PD. (2013) 2012 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused update incorporated into the ACCF/AHA/HRS 2008 guidelines for device-based therapy of cardiac rhythm abnormalities: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 61(3):e6-75.

Feingold B, Mahle WT, Auerbach S, Clemens P, Domenighetti AA, Jefferies JL, Judge DP, Lal AK, Markham LW, Parks WJ, Tsuda T, Wang PJ, Yoo SJ. (2017) Management of Cardiac Involvement Associated With Neuromuscular Diseases: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 136(13):e200-e231.

Lindenfeld J, Albert NM, Boehmer JP, Collins SP, Ezekowitz JA, Givertz MM, Katz SD, Klapholz M, Moser DK, Rogers JG, Starling RC, Stevenson WG, Tang WH, Teerlink JR, Walsh MN. (2010) HFSA 2010 Comprehensive Heart Failure Practice Guideline. Journal of cardiac failure. 16(6):e1-194.

MYOPATHY, MYOFIBRILLAR, 1; MFM1. Online Medelian Inheritance in Man, OMIM®. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. MIM: 601419, (2018) World Wide Web URL: http://omim.org/

MYOPATHY, MYOFIBRILLAR, 5; MFM5. Online Medelian Inheritance in Man, OMIM®. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. MIM: 609524, (2016) World Wide Web URL: http://omim.org/

MYOPATHY, MYOFIBRILLAR, 6; MFM6. Online Medelian Inheritance in Man, OMIM®. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. MIM: 612954, (2016) World Wide Web URL: http://omim.org/

Narayanaswami P, Weiss M, Selcen D, David W, Raynor E, Carter G, Wicklund M, Barohn RJ, Ensrud E, Griggs RC, Gronseth G, Amato AA. (2014) Evidence-based guideline summary: diagnosis and treatment of limb-girdle and distal dystrophies: report of the guideline development subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the practice issues review panel of the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine. Neurology. 83(16):1453-63.

Sussman, M.. Duchenne muscular dystrophy. J Am Acad Orthop Surg (2002) Accessed: 2018-09-06. URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11929208

van Spaendonck-Zwarts KY, van Hessem L, Jongbloed JD, de Walle HE, Capetanaki Y, van der Kooi AJ, van Langen IM, van den Berg MP, van Tintelen JP. (2011) Desmin-related myopathy. Clinical genetics. 80(4):354-66.

Early Rule-Out Summary

This topic did not pass the early rule out stage due to insufficient evidence for actionability. However, the Actionability Working Group discussed and granted an exception to move this topic forward for a full evidence curation and summary report.

Findings of Early Rule-Out Assessment

  1. Is there a qualifying resource, such as a practice guideline or systematic review, for the genetic condition?
  2. Does the practice guideline or systematic review indicate that the result is actionable in one or more of the following ways?
  3. a. Patient Management

    b. Surveillance or Screening

    c. Circumstances to Avoid

  4. Is it actionable in an undiagnosed adult with the condition?
  5. Is this condition an important health problem?
  6. Is there at least on known pathogenic variant with at least moderate penetrance (≥40%) or moderate relative risk (≥2) in any population?