Early clinical characteristics and follow-up treatment of alternating hemiplegia in children / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the clinical features and prognosis of patients with childhood alternating hemiplegia (AHC).Methods The clinical presentation and follow up data of 9 patients diagnosed as AHC in our hospital from January 2010 and June 2014.Results Onset appeared within 18 months of born in these 9 patients;no migraine family history, repeated and alternated limbs dyskinesia, varying degrees of delayed psychomotor development, and with/without abnormal eye movements were noted in these patients.No specific auxiliary examination results were noted.All the patients were treated in our hospital with flunarizine (2.5-5 mg per time for one time every night), and among them, one also treated with topiramate.Two patients were lost to follow-up.One patient had fluctuated condition after taking drugs: the frequency of attack declined one month after drug taking, but then, rebounded gradually.One had frequency of attack declining to three times a month from four times a month.Two added the dose offlunarizine to 10 mg, leading to the obvious decline of both frequency and duration.Three had no release.Conclusion It is hoped to improve patients' life quality and prognosis by recognizing AHC early, insistting long-term pharmacotherapy and avoiding the inducing factors.