Symptom 6. Enlarged Liver and Spleen: The Internal Signatures of Morquio Syndrome
Morquio Syndrome has its unique way of leaving its mark on internal organs, and the liver and spleen are no exceptions. Both these organs can be enlarged in individuals suffering from this rare condition, a symptom often overlooked due to its invisible nature.
Enlarged liver and spleen, medically known as hepatosplenomegaly, is a frequent finding in Morquio Syndrome. Although not visible from the outside, it’s a sign of the body’s ongoing struggle with this metabolic disorder. The enlargement is the result of the body’s inability to break down certain molecules, causing them to accumulate in these organs.
The liver, one of the body’s main detoxifying organs, is tasked with processing and eliminating many waste substances. When an individual has Morquio Syndrome, certain waste molecules cannot be processed properly and start to accumulate. This leads to the liver growing in size, struggling under the burden of these excess substances.
Similarly, the spleen, an organ involved in filtering blood and recycling red blood cells, can also enlarge in Morquio Syndrome. The accumulation of substances that the body cannot break down burdens the spleen as well, causing it to swell.(6)
