Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41267078›Full record

ArticleOrphanet journal of rare diseases2025

Burden of caregiving of individuals with GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses in the United States: a qualitative study.

Maria Belen Rodriguez, Ruth Pulikottil-Jacob, Karli Heuer, Nancy Gabriela Perez, Christine Waggoner, Diana Jussila, Chad Gwaltney, Robert Krupnick, Daisy Ng-Mak

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Orphanet journal of rare diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Maria Belen RodriguezSanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Ruth Pulikottil-JacobSanofi, Reading, UK.
Karli HeuerIQVIA, New York, NY, USA.
Nancy Gabriela PerezIQVIA, Mexico City, Mexico.
Christine WaggonerCure GM1 Foundation, Albany, CA, USA.
Diana JussilaNational Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association (NTSAD), Boston, MA, USA.
Chad GwaltneyGwaltney Consulting, Westerly, RI, USA.
Robert KrupnickIQVIA, Boston, MA, USA.
Daisy Ng-MakSanofi, Cambridge, MA, USA. Daisy.Ng-Mak@sanofi.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGM1 and GM2 (Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases) gangliosidoses are rare, autosomal recessive, potentially life-threatening, disabling disorders characterized by progressive neurodegeneration, with no disease-modifying treatment. This qualitative study aimed to understand the humanistic burden of GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses from caregivers' perspectives by expanding knowledge on the day-to-day responsibilities of primary caregivers and the impacts experienced while providing care and support.

methodsFocus groups (90-minute duration) were conducted with caregivers (≥ 18 years) under three separate categories based on the age of the individuals with GM1/GM2 gangliosidoses either in-person (attending Annual National Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases Association [NTSAD] Conference, Colorado, July 2022) or online (recruited through the NTSAD and Cure GM1 Foundation during November-December 2022).

resultsThis study included 29 primary caregivers (mean [range] age: 49.0 [37.0-75.0] years) of individuals (children [24.1%], adolescents [31.0%], and adults [44.8%]) diagnosed with juvenile/late-onset GM1 (41.4%) or GM2 (58.6%) gangliosidoses. The caregivers reported that most individuals required mobility aids (64.3%) and experienced speech difficulties (83.3%); they described their caregiving responsibilities as non-stop, pervasive, and often done without additional support, with marginal variance by disease type or patient age. Supporting activities of daily living was the most prominent responsibility (90.0%), followed by symptom/care management (69.0%), ensuring quality of life (45.0%), and maintaining emotional (24.0%) and physical (10.0%) well-being. Caregiving impacted every facet of life; the caregivers reported 25 different impacts, with constant psychological burden (82.8%), physical ailments/strain (62.1%), anxiety/fear/worry (58.6%), financial difficulties (58.6%), limited time for other family members (55.2%), and limitations on relationships outside family (51.7%) having the most significant effects. The caregivers relied mostly on patient advocacy organizations for resources and expressed the need for financial support, broader disease awareness, and disease-modifying treatments. Although providing care and support deleteriously impacted caregivers' lives, they reported experiencing positive impacts on relationship building, personal development, family cohesion, community support, and life outlook.

conclusionsThis study showed a substantial humanistic burden with long-term impacts among the caregivers of individuals with GM1 and GM2 gangliosidoses. The findings provide important insights to enhance clinical care while advocating for the resources needed to improve caregivers' and patients' lives.

Indexed as

CaregiversGangliosidoses, GM2Gangliosidosis, GM1AdultAgedCost of IllnessFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchUnited StatesBurdenCaregiverGM1 gangliosidosisGM2 gangliosidosesImpactResponsibilitySandhoff diseaseTay–Sachs disease

Identifiers

PMID41267078
PMCPMC12632087

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.