Síndrome de Proteus y síndrome de West en lactante femenina / Proteus Syndrome and West Syndrome in female infant

Introducción: El síndrome de Proteus es un raro síndrome hamartomoso congenito con manifestaciones neuroectodérmicas, de carácter progresivo y grado de severidad variable. Objetivo: Presentar un caso clínico donde se combinan dismorfias faciales, crecimiento excesivo de una hemicara, macrocráneo y manifestaciones neurológicas. Presentación del caso: lactante de 10 meses, femenina, con antecedentes de embarazo de riesgo, hija de madre adolescente, con exposición fetal a tabaco, marihuana y alcohol; nació con macrocefalia, dismorfia facial con hemihipertrofia derecha y nevó hiperpigmentado que comenzó con espasmos infantiles desde el primer mes vida y se diagnosticó síndrome west de etiología estructural con hemimegancefalia derecha. Cumple los criterios clínicos de síndrome de Proteus y tuvo una respuesta favorable con control de los espasmos, mejoría de la hipsarritmia y del desarrollo psicomotor, con tratamiento combinado de hormona adenocorticotrópica y vigabatrina. Conclusiones: el síndrome de Proteus se caracteriza por crecimiento exagerado en varios tejidos (epidérmico, conectivo, óseo, adiposo y endotelial) durante la embriogénesis, por lo que las manifestaciones clínicas suelen ser evidentes desde el nacimiento o en los primeros años de vida, se relaciona con un grupo de casos con malformaciones del sistema nervioso central y síndrome de West(AU)

Introduction: Proteus syndrome is a rare congenital hamartoma syndrome with neuroectodermal manifestations of progressive kind and a degree of variable severity. Objective: To present a clinical case where facial diysmorphias, the excessive growth of a hemicara, a macro-skull, and neurological manifestations are combined. Case presentation: A 10-month-old female infant with a history of risky pregnancy, daughter of a teenage mother, with fetal exposure to tobacco, marijuana and alcohol. She was born with macrocephaly, facial dysmorphia with right hemihypertrophy, hyperpigmented nevus that started with infantile spasms from the first month of life; and West syndrome of structural etiology with right hemimegalencephaly was diagnosed. The patient meets the clinical criteria of Proteus syndrome and she had a favorable response to the combined treatment of adrenocorticotropic hormone and Vigabatrin with control of spasms, improvement of hypsarrhythmia and psychomotor development. Conclusions: Proteus syndrome is characterized by exaggerated growth in various tissues (epidermal, connective, bone, adipose and endothelial) during embryogenesis, so that clinical manifestations are usually evident from birth or in the first years of life. It is related with a group of cases with malformations of the central nervous system and West syndrome(AU)

Síndrome transicional: del síndrome de West al síndrome de Lennox-Gastaut / Transional syndrome: from West to Lennox-Gastaut syndromes

El síndrome de West o espasmos infantiles, es una encefalopatía epiléptica clasificada como epilepsias y síndromes generalizados. Hay múltiples informes de la evolución de síndrome de West a síndrome de Lennox-Gastaut de un 25 hasta 60%, sin reconocerse una causa específica. Se ha comunicado que pueden ser solo una entidad epiléptica dependiente de la edad y que estaría en relación con el grado de inmadurez cerebral. En esta revisión retrospectiva de 130 casos de espasmos infantiles, solo 14 (10.7%) evolucionaron a Lennox-Gastaut. El haber recibido en todos los casos vigabatrina como tratamiento nos hace suponer que la baja incidencia podría estar relacionada con el uso de este fármaco. Dado que la vigabatrina tiene una acción gabaérgica y aumenta los niveles de ACTH podría explicar esta relación, pero esto deberá confirmarse con el mejor conocimiento de los mecanismos íntimos de estas graves encefalopatías.

West syndrome or infantile spasms is an epileptic encephalopathy, classified as generalized epilepsies and syndromes. There are multiple reports of the evolution from West to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome of 25 up to 60%, without a specific cause is determined. It has been reported that they may be only an epileptic entity age dependent that it would be in relation to the degree of brain immaturity. In this retrospective review of 130 cases of West syndrome, only 14 (10.7%) evolved to Lennox-Gastaut. Having received in all cases vigabatrin as a treatment, makes us suppose that the low incidence could be related to the use of this drug. Given that vigabatrin has a gabaergic action and increased levels of ACTH, may explain this relationship but this must be confirmed with the best knowledge of the intimate mechanisms of these serious epileptic encephalopathies.

Hipoplasia pontocerebelosa secundaria a deleción en el gen CASK: Caso clínico / Pontocerebellar hypoplasia secondary to CASK gene deletion: Case report

Introducción: La hipoplasia pontocerebelosa (HPC) es la reducción del tamaño del cerebelo y la protuberancia secundaria a una alteración en su desarrollo, pudiendo ser provocado por enfermedades neurodegenerativas de causa genética, de las que se conocen 10 subtipos (PCH 1-10), malformaciones corticales, enfermedades metabólicas y enfermedades genéticas. Objetivo: Presentar el caso de una niña con microcefalia, HPC y Síndrome de West, en que el estudio genético permitió llegar al diagnóstico de una deleción en el cromosoma X. Caso clínico: Lactante de 7 meses al diagnóstico, sin antecedentes familiares ni obstétricos de interés, perímetro cefálico (PC) al nacimiento en -1.5 desviaciones estándar (DE). Evolucionó con escasa progresión ponderal y estancamiento del crecimiento del PC, retraso del desarrollo psicomotor, caracterizado por ausencia de fijación de la mirada e hipotonía con reflejos osteotendinosos conservados, y epilepsia refractaria. En los potenciales evocados auditivos se demostró compromiso de las vías pontomesencefálicas y en las neuroimágenes HPC. El estudio genético Array de Hibridación Genómica Comparada (aCGH) demostró deleción parcial heterocigota en el cromosoma X, afectando al gen CASK. Conclusiones: Ante el amplio diagnóstico diferencial que plantea las HPC, las nuevas técnicas citogenéticas han permitido mejorar la clasificación y en algunos casos establecer su etiología, pudiendo ofrecer en estos casos un adecuado asesoramiento genético a las familias.

Introduction: Pontocerebellar hypoplasia (PCH) is a reduction of the size of the cerebellum and pons secondary to an alteration in its development, and can be caused by neurodegenerative diseases of genetic origin, of which there are known 10 subtypes (PCH 1-10), cortical malformations, metabolic and genetic diseases. Objective: To present the case of a child with microcephaly, PCH and West syndrome, in which the genetic study allowed to make the diagnosis of a deletion on chromosome X. Case report: This is a female infant of 7-month at diagnosis, without family or obstetric history of interest, head circumference at birth -1.5 standard deviations (SD). She had little weight and growth in head circumference progression. In addition, physical examination revealed no fixating gaze, hypotonia with preserved deep tendon reflexes. Progressively developed refractary seizures. Brainsteam Auditory Evoked Potential demonstrated involvement of pontomesencefphalic ways and neuroimaging Pontocerebellar hypoplasia. The genetic study (aCGH) showed heterozygous deletion on the X chromosome, affecting the CASK gene. Conclusions: Given the wide differential diagnosis proposed at the PCH, new cytogenetic techniques have improved the classification of HPC and in some cases establish their etiology, so in these cases can provide appropriate genetic counseling to families.

The clinical profile and outcome of children with West syndrome in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa: A 10-year retrospective review

Background. West syndrome (WS) is a rare epileptic encephalopathy of infancy. There is currently no research on the incidence or prevalence of WS in Africa.Methods. We aimed to describe the outcome of children with WS at a quaternary-level hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (SA). This was a retrospective chart review conducted on patients diagnosed with WS over a 10-year period. Eight children (males, n=7; African, n=6; Asian, n=2) identified with WS out of 2 206 admitted with epilepsy. The median age (range) at diagnosis was 7.5 (1 - 9) months. The average time between onset of epileptic spasms and diagnosis was 3.1 months.Results. Six patients had abnormal neuroimaging (atrophy (n=2); corpus callosum agenesis (n=2); tuberous sclerosis (n=1); focal dysplasia (n=1)). Drug management included sodium valproate (n=8), topiramate (n=7) and levetiracetam (n=3). Subsequent definitive treatment was intramuscular adrenocorticotrophic hormone (n=3), vigabatrin (n=2) and oral prednisone (n=4). Four (50%) patients had complete seizure remission (neuromigratory disorder (n=2); tuberous sclerosis (n=1); and idiopathic (n=1)) and 4 had partial remission (neonatal complications (n=3); idiopathic (n=1).Discussion. Most of our patients had symptomatic WS, with 50% remission on treatment. Outcomes were poorer in our study when compared with those in published data.Conclusion. Further collaborative studies are still needed to evaluate the true impact and prevalence of WS in SA

El electroencefalograma en el síndrome de West y otras entidades clínicas relacionadas / Electroencephalogram in the West syndrome and other related clinical entities

Se realiza una revisión de las características electroencefalográficas de los espasmos infantiles, espasmos epilépticos o síndrome de West, y otras entidades relacionadas con este. Se enfatiza en los patrones más frecuentes, fundamentalmente en los 2 tipos de hipsarritmia: clásica y periódica o fragmentada, observados en el síndrome anteriormente mencionado. Se comenta en relación con el trazado de suppression-burst o paroxismos-supresión, y su correlación con los síndromes de Ohtahara, y Aicardi y Goutières, descritos respectivamente en 1976 y 1978. Se aclara que estos 2 patrones no son exclusivos de estos síndromes, y pueden ser observados en otras entidades en el neonato, como la encefalopatía anóxica isquémica, la meningitis neonatal bacteriana y trastornos metabólicos, entre otros.

A review was made on the encephalographic characteristics of infantile spasms, epileptic spasms, or West syndrome, and other related entities. Emphasis was made on the most frequent patterns, mainly the two types of hypsarrhythmia, classical and periodic, and fragmented, which are observed in this syndrome. Likewise, comments were made on the suppression-burst or burst-suppression tracing and its correlation with Ohtahara, and Aicardi and Goutières syndromes that were described in 1976 and 1978, respectively. It was clarified that these two patterns are not exclusive of these syndromes and may be also observed in other illnesses affecting the neonates such as anoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, neonatal bacterial meningitis and metabolic disorders, among others.

Tuberous sclerosis with rhabdomyoma.

Tuberous sclerosis is a neurocutaneous syndrome characterized by abnormalities of both the integument and central nervous system. We present a case of tuberous sclerosis with rhabdomyoma in the heart. This was a 1½-year-old female child with infantile spasms and rhabdomyoma in heart with mother having neurocutaneous markers of tuberous sclerosis. Magnetic resonance imaging brain and electroencephalography findings were consistent with diagnosis.

Encefalopatía epiléptica infantil temprana (EEIT): manifestación clínica, etiología y tratamiento neonatal, a propósito de un caso / Early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (EEIT): clinical manifestations, etiology and neonatal treatment: apropos of a case

La EEIT es un Síndrome Epiléptico que se manifiesta en los primeros meses de vida a través de espasmos tónicos de difícil control y un patrón electrofisiológico de tipo paroxismos-supresión (PS). No es habitual este tipo de patología en centros materno-infantiles. No obstante ello, su aparición esporádica nos obliga a realizar el diagnóstico diferencial con otras formas de epilepsia neonatal más frecuentes. El reconocimiento del cuadro clínico, la semiología, el diagnóstico y tratamiento, es el objetivo de esta presentación.

Identification of a Novel Mutation in the ATP7A Gene in a Korean Patient with Menkes Disease

Menkes disease is an infantile-onset X-linked recessive neurodegenerative disorder caused by diverse mutations in a copper-transport gene, ATP7A. Affected patients are characterized by progressive hypotonia, seizures, failure to thrive and death in early childhood. Here, we report a case of Menkes disease presented by intractable seizures and infantile spasms. A 3-month-old male infant had visited our pediatric clinic for lethargy, floppy muscle tone, poor oral intake and partial seizures. His hair was kinky, brown colored and fragile. Partial seizures became more frequent, generalized and intractable to antiseizure medications. An EEG showed frequent posteriorly dominant generalized spikes that were consistent with a generalized seizure. From a genetic analysis, a c.2743C>T (p.Gln915X) mutation was detected and diagnosed as Menkes disease. The mutation is a novel one that has not been previously reported as a cause of Menkes disease.

Clinical profile and response to oral prednisolone in infantile spasm

To evaluate the clinical profile and response to oral prednisolone in infantile spasms. Case series. Neurology Department, The Children Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan, from July 2005 to June 2007. Fifty patients of infantile spasms were studied. Age, gender, age at onset of seizures, type of spasms [flexor, extensor or mixed], history of intrapartum asphyxia, developmental history, dysmorphic facial features, any hypopigmented/ hyperpigmented skin lesions, computed tomogram and electroencephalogram findings and response to oral prednisolone was noted. Data was analyzed statistically by SPSS 10. Descriptive statistics was used to find out frequencies and percentages of all above mentioned variables. Chi-square test was applied to determine the association between these variables and response to treatment. P-value of less than 0.05 was taken significant. Male to female ratio was 2.1:1. Mean age of babies was 6.5 +/- 3.35 months. Mean age at onset of seizures was 5.35 +/- 3.52 months. Flexor spasms was seen in 32 [64%], extensor spasms in 8 [16%] and mixed spasms in 10 babies [20%]. Symptomatic infantile spasms were noted in 48 [96%] babies while two babies [4%] were having cryptogenic infantile spasm. History of intrapartum asphyxia was noted in 54% of symptomatic cases. Favourable response to oral prednisolone was seen in 27 babies [54%]. Except male gender, none of the other variable reached the statistical significance for favourable response to treatment. Infantile spasms were found more common in males, flexor spasms were the commonest type noted. Symptomatic spasm was noted in 96% of cases and intrapartum asphyxia was the commonest cause of symptomatic group. Response to oral prednisolone was noted in more than half of cases of infantile spasms

Síndrome de Aicardi: relato de caso e achados radiológicos / Aicardi syndrome: a case report and radiologic findings

Neste trabalho relatam-se os achados da síndrome de Aicardi, um distúrbio de etiologia desconhecida composta por espasmos múltiplos, lacunas coriorretinianas e agenesia do corpo caloso. Os autores apresentam um caso desta síndrome, com clínica e achados de ressonância magnética característicos. A doença, apesar de considerada rara, apresenta achados de imagem característicos. Nos últimos anos, a importância da ressonância magnética tem aumentado expressivamente,uma vez que demonstra outros achados além da agenesia do corpo caloso, tornando o papel do radiologista muito importante na suspeição diagnóstica desta enfermidade.

The authors report the findings of Aicardi syndrome, a disease of unknown etiology composed of multiple spasms, chorioretinal lacunae and agenesis of the corpus callosum. They present a caseof Aicardi syndrome with characteristic clinical presentation and magnetic resonance imaging findings. The disease, despite being considered rare, has characteristic imaging findings. Over the past years magnetic resonance imaging has improved its ability in demonstratingother findings besides agenesis of the corpus callosum, making the radiologist's role very important in the diagnostic suspicion of this disease.

Cerebral gigantism with West syndrome.

A case of cerebral gigantism (Sotos syndrome) with West syndrome in a one-year-old male child is reported. The case had a large stature, typical facies and neurodevelopmental delay along with infantile spasms, which were refractory to treatment with valproate and clonazepam.

Vigabatrin therapy in infantile spasms.

RATIONALE: To determine the clinical outcome and side effects of vigabatrin (VGB) in the treatment of infantile spasms (IS) and its long-term outcome. METHOD: All children with IS treated with vigabatrin were studied. Clinical data regarding age of onset, duration of IS before therapy started, recurrence of IS, types of seizures that relapse, clinical outcome and side effects were monitored. RESULTS: 36 children (17 girls, 19 boys) with IS participated in the study. The mean age of onset of IS was 115.55 +/- 67.3 days old (range, 15 to 300 days). Six were cryptogenic IS and 30 were symptomatic IS. The etiologies of symptomatic IS in this study were tuberous sclerosis, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)/periventricular leukomalacia, porencephaly, partial agenesis of corpus callosum, hemimegalencephaly, cortical dysplasia, and microcephaly. 66.67 per cent (24 of 36) of patients responded to VGB within a mean 2.95 +/- 2.25 days (range, 1 to 7 days). In those who responded to VGB, 3 patients developed recurrent IS within 69.3 +/- 46.7 days (range, 30 to 121 days). Five patients developed epilepsy with different types of seizure during long-term follow-up. The mean duration of subsequent epilepsy after cessation of IS was 16.4 months (range, 5 months to 3 years 10 months). The mean duration of follow-up was 2.74 years (range, 1.09 years to 5.76 years). 10 patients were successfully weaned off VGB after a mean IS free period of 22.5 +/- 5.5 months (range, 12 to 27 months). Transient drowsiness was seen in 4 patients. Three patients had transient abnormal sleep patterns and irritability. Visual field abnormalities were not found but difficult to assess fully in this study. CONCLUSION: VGB therapy has a high response rate for the control of IS and is well tolerated in most children. All patients who responded to VGB and were spasm free for more than one year were successfully weaned off VGB therapy. Because serious side effects such as visual field abnormalities are difficult to monitor, the authors propose that VGB could be withdrawn or switched to another AED after a spasm-free period of more than one year.

Síndrome de Aicardi: relato de caso / Aicardi syndrome: case report

Relatamos um caso de síndrome de Aicardi completa em criança do sexo feminino de 2 meses de idade com defeitos lacunares da coróide, espasmos em flexäo, agenesia de corpo caloso e alteraçöes eletrencefalográficas do tipo hipsarritmia assimétrica e alterna atendida no Serviço de Neuropediatria e Neurofisiologia clínica do Hospital de Base de Säo José do Rio Preto, SP.

Espasmos infantis: experiência em treze casos / Infantile spasms: experience in 13 cases

Os espasmos infantis são crises típicas da primeira infância e constituem patologia grave, com prognóstico sombrio. Apresentamos a experiência no tratamento de 13 casos novos atendidos no Serviço de Neurologia Infantil do Centro Geral de Pediatria FHEMIG de Belo Horizonte no ano de 1997, bem como revisão da literatura sobre o assunto. Após propedêutica adequada encontramos 12 casos considerados sintomáticos e 1 criptogenético. Todos os casos foram tratados com ACTH durante 6 semanas, associado a drogas antiepilépticas orais de manutenção em mono ou politerapia. Os resultados com o ACTH foram excelentes num momento inicial, com resposta completa em todos os casos e efeitos colaterais que não contra-indicaram o tratamento. Porém houve índice de recorrência de 55 por cento, sendo usada como droga de segunda linha a vigabatrina em 5 casos, com controle de 4 deles. Todos os casos apresentaram atraso do desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor.

Esclerose tuberosa: relato de caso com estudo histopatológico e ultraestrutural / Tuberous sclerosis: case report with histopathological and ultrastructural study

O complexo esclerose tuberosa constitui grupo de desordens autossômicas dominantes caracterizadas por hamartomas e lesoes neoplásicas benignas que invariavelmente acometem o sistema nervoso central. Relatamos um caso de esclerose tuberosa que é o primeiro com descriçao dos achados ultraestruturais na literatura latino-americana. A paciente era feminina, tinha 2 anos de idade e apresentava síndrome de West nao responsiva ao tratamento clínico com vigabatrina, trileptal e clonazepan, sendo submetida a lobectomia frontal esquerda. Os achados histopatológicos e ultraestruturais foram condizentes com esclerose tuberosa. Estes resultados aproximam-se daqueles discutidos na literatura e auxiliam na eventual compreensao desta controversa facomatose, bem como alertam para a apresentaçao clínica como síndrome de West.