ABSTRACT
La enfermedad de Lafora es infrecuente; sin embargo, es una de las causas más comunes de epilepsia mioclónica progresiva. Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 19 años sin comorbilidades y pautas madurativas normales, que inició a los 8 años con convulsiones y que a partir de los 15 años agregó deterioro cognitivo progresivo. Fue internada en nuestra institución con diagnóstico de estatus epiléptico super refractario. Se diagnosticó enfermedad de Lafora, confirmada por la anatomía patológica, y posteriormente se realizó un test genético que informó una variante patogénica del gen EPM2A, que confirmó el diagnóstico. Presentamos una causa de epilepsia mioclónica progresiva, con un pronóstico ominoso y un tratamiento orientado a medidas paliativas, por lo que es importante analizar los diagnósticos diferenciales con otras entidades, a fin de establecer un pronóstico, ofrecer mejor calidad de vida, asistencia médica adecuada y brindar asesoría genética a los familiares.
Lafora's disease is infrequent. However, it is one of the most common causes of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. We present the case of a 19-year-old woman, without comorbidities and normal development that started at 8 years with seizures and that from 15 years, had progressive cognitive deterioration. She was admitted to our institution with a diagnosis of super refractory status epilepticus. The diagnosis of Lafora's disease was made through pathological anatomy, later a genetic test was performed that reported a pathogenic variant of the EPM2A gene, confirming the diagnosis. We present a cause of progressive myoclonic epilepsy, with an ominous prognosis and a treatment oriented to palliative measures, so it is important to analyze the differential diagnoses with other entities, in order to establish a prognosis, offer better quality of life, adequate medical care and provide genetic counseling to family members.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Young Adult , Myoclonic Epilepsies, Progressive/etiology , Lafora Disease/complications , Biopsy , Myoclonic Epilepsies, Progressive/genetics , Lafora Disease/genetics , Lafora Disease/pathology , Diagnosis, Differential , Electroencephalography , Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases, Non-Receptor , Mutation/geneticsABSTRACT
A 19-year-old male patient presented with progressive myoclonic seizures and speech disorder. The patient had photosensitivity, a few episodes of sudden transient blindness, and infrequent complex visual auras, dysarthria and mild ataxia, frequent myoclonic jerks prominently in the legs and severe dementia. Microscopic examination of the axillary skin biopsy revealed periodic acid-Schiff positive inclusion bodies in abluminal side of the apocrine sweat gland acini. Molecular screening showed a homozygous R241X mutation in EPM2A. Genotyping helps in the correct diagnosis of the Lafora disease (LD), which may be difficult to diagnose based on the available histopathological testing only. Our study is an effort to determine the distribution of mutations in LD patients in our region.
ABSTRACT
Skin biopsy is a powerful diagnostic tool in Dermatology. Its use has been extended to other medical specialties, aüowing the diagnosis of several diseases that previously required complex and high risk diagnostic procedures. Skin contains numerous cell types, including blood vessels and peripheral nerves and represents a window to the systemic circulation and nervous system. In this review we discuss the use of skin biopsy to diagnose nervous system diseases in which patients do not exhibit any clinical cutaneous manifestations. We review the usefulness of skin biopsy in cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopaty (CADASIL), some lysosomal storage diseases, Lafora disease and in peripheral neuropathies.
Subject(s)
Humans , CADASIL , Skin/pathology , Biopsy/standards , Lafora Disease/pathology , Lysosomal Storage Diseases/pathology , Peripheral Nervous System Diseases/pathologyABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical manifestions, pathological features and diagnosing methods of Lafora disease. Methods The chnical and pathological features of 5 patients with Lafora disease who were diagnosed by axillary biopsies were systemically studied. The specimen were stained by HE, PAS and AB-PAS methods. Results Four of 5 cases had an onset during adolescence and 1 during adulthood. All cases presented with progressive generalized tonic-clonic seizure, myoclonus and dementia. Emotional disturbance, dysarthria and ataxia appeared in the early course of the disease. Lafora bodys were identified in myoepithelial cells and duct cells of both eccrine sweat glands and apecrine sweat glands in the biopsies of axillary skin. Conclusions Lafora disease could be confirmed by round and oval periodic acid-Schiff- positive inclusions in skin biopsy specimen combined with the proper clinical settings. Both axillary and other skins can be chosen as the sites of biopsy.
ABSTRACT
A review of the main clinical, pathologic and genetic aspects of progressive myoclonus epilepsy Lafora type was undertaken. The diagnosed cases of this disorder in Costa Rica are mentioned.