Long-term impact of tongue reduction on speech intelligibility, articulation and oromyofunctional behaviour in a child with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.

The purpose of the present case study was to determine the long-term impact of partial glossectomy (using the keyhole technique) on overall speech intelligibility and articulation in a Dutch-speaking child with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS). Furthermore the present study is meant as a contribution to the further delineation of the phonation, resonance, articulation and language characteristics and oral behaviour in a child with BWS. Detailed information on the speech and language characteristics of children with BWS may lead to better guidance of pediatric management programs. The child's speech was assessed 9 years after partial glossectomy with regard to ENT characteristics, overall intelligibility (perceptual consensus evaluation), articulation (phonetic and phonological errors), voice (videostroboscopy, vocal quality), resonance (perceptual, nasometric assessment), language (expressive and receptive) and oral behaviour. A class III malocclusion, an anterior open bite, diastema, overangulation of lower incisors and an enlarged but normal symmetric shaped tongue were present. The overall speech intelligibility improved from severely impaired (presurgical) to slightly impaired (5 months post-glossectomy) to normal (9 years postoperative). Comparative phonetic inventory showed a remarkable improvement of articulation. Nine years post-glossectomy three types of distortions seemed to predominate: a rhotacism and sigmatism and the substitution of the alveolar /z/. Oral behaviour, vocal characteristics and resonance were normal, but problems with expressive syntactic abilities were present. The long-term impact of partial glossectomy, using the keyhole technique (preserving the vascularity and the nervous input of the remaining intrinsic tongue muscles), on speech intelligibility, articulation, and oral behaviour in this Dutch-speaking child with congenital macroglossia can be regarded as successful. It is not clear how these expressive syntactical problems demonstrated in this child can be explained. Certainly they are not part of a more general developmental delay, hearing problems or cognitive malfunctioning. To what extent the presence of expressive syntactical problems is a possible aspect of the phenotypic spectrum of children with BWS is subject for further research. Multiple variables, both known and unknown can affect the long-term outcome after partial glossectomy in a child with BWS. The timing and type of the surgical technique, hearing and cognitive functioning are known variables in this study. But variables such as children's motivation, the contribution of the motor-oriented speech therapy, the parental articulation input and stimulation and other family, school and community factors are unknown and are all factors which can influence speech outcome after partial glossectomy. Detailed analyses in a greater number of subjects with BWS may help further illustrate the long-term impact of partial glossectomy.

Diabetes and peripheral vascular disease.

The risk of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is increased in diabetic patients, occurs earlier and is often more severe and diffuse. Endothelial dysfunction, vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction, inflammation and hypercoagubility are the key factors in diabetic arteriopathy. The presence of PVD, apart from its increased risk of claudication, ischemic ulcers, gangrene and possible amputation, is also a marker for generalized atherosclerosis and a strong predictor for cardiovascular ischemic events. However, despite the recognition that PVD is associated with increased ischemic event rates and death, particularly in diabetic patients, this specific manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis is largely underdiagnosed and undertreated. In type-1 diabetes, early intensive insulin treatment reduces both microvascular (nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy) and macrovascular complications of diabetes (DCCT/EDIC study). In type-2 diabetes, UKPDS showed that tight glucose control reduces micro- and macrovascular complications, when therapy is started early after diagnosis and that early intervention has long lasting protective effects. However recently published trials (ADVANCE, ACCORD and VADT) pointed out that lowering glycemic targets to nearly normal glycaemia does not further reduce cardiovascular events in individuals with longstanding type 2 diabetes and that hypoglycaemia is to be avoided in individuals with ischemic heart disease. Finally, the small but important Steno-2 trial demonstrated that to significantly reduce peripheral vascular disease, ischemic events and mortality in type-2 diabetes, intensified multifactorial treatment of all modifiable risk factors is needed. Therefore, to prevent micro- and macrovascular complications, like PVD, in type-1 and type-2 diabetes, intensive therapy, targeting glycemia and all other modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, should be initiated as soon after diagnosis as possible and maintained in a safe way throughout life.

[Paralytic ileus secondary to podophyllin poisoning]. / Ileus paralytique secondaire à une intoxication à la podophylline.

The authors report a case of general and local poisoning after erroneous intravaginal administration of podophyllin for warts. The clinical course mainly showed a 10 day paralytic ileus, vaginal and urethral lesions and a severe peripheral neurological illness: paresthesia, dysesthesia and ataxia. The authors stress the potential toxicity of podophyllin and recommend great caution in using this product.