Orbitopatía de Graves en pediatría / Graves’ orbitopathy in pediatrics

Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) is rare in pediatric patients, however is the most common extrathyroid manifestation of Graves’ disease (GD), being present in 30-67% of patients. GO is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder involving orbital connective and fatty tissues as well as the extraocular muscles. In children, GO is less common and less severe than in adults. The most common symptoms are upper eyelid retraction, conjunctival injection, and proptosis and periorbital edema. Severe complications include dysthyroid optic neuropathy, corneal ulceration and eyeball subluxation. The diagnosis is established by clinical, laboratory and imaging findings. There are no management guidelines for GO in children but adult recommendations include the assessment of clinical activity and its severity, to implement the best treatment. Supportive therapies are intended to relieve symptoms and prevent corneal damage in mild cases. Tobacco exposure should also be avoided. The first line of treatment is systemic administration of corticosteroids in active and severe cases. Other options as somatostatin use and retrobulbar radiation have not been used in children, therefore their use is not recommended.

Encefalopatía respondedora a corticoides asociada a tiroiditis autoinmune (SREAT). Una causa no habitual de compromiso de conciencia en pediatría, reporte de 2 casos / Steroid responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis (SREAT): an unusual cause of encephalopathy in children, report of two cases

Introduction: steroid responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis (SREAT) is a rare condition in children. The pathogenesis and etiology of SREAT has not yet been clearly identified. Clinical features include acute or subacute encephalopathy with neuropsychiatric symptoms, associated with abnormally elevated thyroid antibodies (TA) and symptoms improvement with corticosteroid treatment. Methods and Patients: we present 2 clinical cases; the first a 6 years 8 months male with cephalic myoclonic seizures and behavioral changes, the second a 12 years 10 months female with 4 hospitalizations for encephatlopathy, dystonia and psychomotor agitation. In both patients thyroid function tests and TA were compatible with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, this associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms did raise the diagnosis of SREAT. Glucocorticoid therapy was started, the first case showed remission of seizures and behavioral improvement, however the second patient had insufficient response, so second line therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin was introduced with good response. This therapy was supplemented by additional long-term glucocorticoids use but when suspended both patients presented relapsing symptoms. Conclusions: Although SREAT is rarely suspected at presentation, it is necessary to consider this diagnosis in patients with encephalopathy, neuropsychiatric symptoms and elevated TA. Further studies are required to elucidate the pathophysiology of this disease and follow-up work to assess comorbidities and long-term complications in pediatric patients.

Genitorragia en una paciente prepuberal: reporte de un caso y su diagnóstico diferencial / Vaginal bleeding in the prepubescent child: clinical case and differential diagnosis

la genitorragia en pacientes prepuberales es siempre anormal, por lo que requiere estudio. Objetivo: presentar el caso clínico de una paciente prepuberal con genitorragia y revisar en la literatura los diagnósticos diferenciales. Caso clínico: paciente de 10 años con historia de 3 meses de genitorragia sin otros síntomas. Al examen físico mamas Tanner I, vello púbico Tanner II. Genitales externos sin lesiones, himen anular, rojo y delgado. Se descartó pubertad precoz. Se insertó una tórula húmeda en la vagina que dio salida a un trozo de papel higiénico y vello púbico. Después del procedimiento no ha presentado nuevos episodios de sangrado. Conclusión: la genitorragia es un signo alarmante, pero la mayoría de las veces las causas son benignas. En este caso la causa del sangrado fue un cuerpo extraño. Se recomienda derivar a ginecólogo infanto juvenil para evaluación exhaustiva...

Vaginal bleeding in prepubescent girls is always abnormal and needs evaluation. Objective: to present a clinical case and discuss differential diagnosis. Case report: A 10 years old girl with 3 months of vaginal bleeding and no other symptoms. Her breast exam is Tanner stage 1. Her pubic hair is Tanner stage 2, external genitalia were normal; her hymen was red, thin and annular. Precocious puberty was ruled out. By inserting a small sterile catheter into the vagina a piece of pubic hair and toilet paper were easily removed, after that all symptoms resolved. Conclusion: Vaginal bleeding in prepubertal children is an alarming symptom. Our patient vaginal bleeding was due to a vaginal foreign body one of the most common causes. It is recommended that all patients must be referred to a pediatric gynecologist in order to be exhaustively evaluated...