[Neurological follow-up of the preterm infant]. / Seguimiento neurológico del recién nacido pretérmino.

AIMS: Our aim was to evaluate the presence, type and severity of neurological sequelae in infants born prematurely. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted in which we reviewed the patient records of 179 patients with a history of prematurity who visited the Child Neurology clinic at COLSANITAS in Bogota between 1st January 2000 and 31st July 2004. Data was collected concerning demographic aspects, maternal and foetal risk factors, perinatal complications, age at the last Child Neurology control, type of sequela and severity. The variables and their relation to neurodevelopmental disorders were analysed. RESULTS: Of the 179 patients analysed, 51% were males and the remaining 49% were females. The average gestational age was 31.8 weeks. Average weight at birth was 1,690 g. No statistically significant associations were found among the variables that were analysed. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained differ from those reported in the literature from around the world. This is due to the fact that the sample population belongs to a minority living in privileged socioeconomic conditions, which does not represent the real situation of the Columbian population. In addition, the high percentage of patients who drop out of the follow-up programmes makes it difficult to check the sequelae. With the data obtained we are considering the possibility of extending the neurological follow-up until the age of 6 years or up to the age at which the patient is completely adapted to full-time education.

[Clinical identification of hereditary ataxias. A study of 38 cases in Colombia]. / Identificación clínica de las ataxias hereditarias: estudio de 38 casos en Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Hereditary ataxias are a complex group of degeneratives diseases of the CNS. Material and methods. We studied 38 patients who were diagnosed inherited ataxia according to recent classification and radiologic criteria. We proposed flow sheet in order to reduce the cost of the studies. RESULTS: The most frequent findings we encountered were the congenital ataxias and the late onset ataxia forms, olivopontocerebellar ataxias (OPCA) and the late cortical cerebellar ataxias (CCA), following were the Friedreich ataxias, the intermittent ataxias, and cerebellar ataxias with myoclonus. We found finally two multisystemic atrophies. We didn't find dominant inheritance in the late onset ataxias, some of these were recessive forms and the others could be the novo mutations or idiopathic cerebellar ataxias of adult onset. CONCLUSION: It would be appropriate to enlarge the studies in the metabolic and treatable forms and try to define the forms that have a known genetic mutation.