Association between early echocardiography screening of low systemic blood flow and intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants: a multicenter cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether early echocardiography screening of low systemic blood flow reduces intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective multicenter study in preterm infants below 33 weeks of gestational age at nine neonatal units. Five units performed early echocardiography screening for low systemic blood flow and guided clinical management (exposure group) and 4 units did not (control group). Our main outcome was ≥grade II intraventricular hemorrhage or death within the first 7 days of life. The main analysis used the inverse probability of treatment weighting. RESULTS: Three hundred and thirty-two preterm infants (131 in the exposure group and 201 in the control group) were included. Exposure to early echocardiography screening was associated with a significant reduction in ≥grade II intraventricular hemorrhage or early death [odds ratio 0.285 (95% CI: 0.133-0.611); p = 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: Early echocardiography screening for low systemic blood flow may reduce the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants.

Growth hormone treatment in pediatrics: What can we improve?

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the age at which treatment with growth hormone (GH) is started in the different indications approved in our country, as well as to assess the response to it and detect points of improvement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive, observational and retrospective study of pediatric patients receiving GH treatment in December 2020 and monitored in the pediatric Endocrinology Unit of a tertiary care hospital. RESULTS: A total of 111 patients (52 females) were included in the study. The mean age at the start of treatment was 6.6 years old, being delayed in all diagnostic groups with respect to what is approved for each indication. The indication for which they most frequently received treatment was GH deficiency (n = 60, 54%). In this diagnostic group, there is a predominance of males (39 boys vs 21 girls, and a significantly greater increase in height z score (greater height SDS) is observed in those with early start of treatment compared to those who start late (greaterheight SDS 0.93 vs 0.6; P < .05). All diagnostic groups presented a greater height SDS and height velocity. No adverse effects were observed in any patient. CONCLUSION: GH treatment is effective and safe for the approved indications. The age of initiation of treatment is a point to improve in all indications, especially in SGA patients. For this, good coordination between primary care pediatricians and pediatric endocrinologists is essential, as well as specific training to identify early signs of different pathologies.

Fenotipos inesperados en el síndrome de Alport: la necesidad del estudio genético / Unexpected phenotypes in Alport syndrome: the need for genetic testing

El diagnóstico del síndrome de Alport supone un reto en la edadpediátrica, debido a la ausencia de fenotipos clínicos esperados de la enfermedad, su clásica caracterización de entidad rara y la práctica muy restringida de biopsias renales con análisis rutinario de la muestra por microscopía electrónica durante la infancia. Se presentan las características clínicas y genéticas de 6 pacientes pediátricos (4 mujeres) diagnosticados de síndromede Alport en dos centros hospitalarios entre 2018 y 2021. Todos los pacientes presentaron un debut clínico claramente diferente y ninguno presentó complicaciones auditivas nioftalmológicas. La mitad carecía de antecedentes familiares de enfermedad renal crónica. Ninguna biopsia renal realizada confirmó el diagnóstico. Todos los pacientes fueron confirmadosgenéticamente y fueron el caso índice del estudio familiar. Esta serie ilustra la presencia de fenotipos clínicos inesperados en el síndrome de Alport y refleja la necesidad de incorporar el estudio genético para su diagnóstico.

The diagnosis of Alport syndrome is a challenge in the pediatric age, due to the absence of expected clinical phenotypes of the disease, its classic characterization of a rare disease and the very restricted practice of renal biopsies with routine analysis of the sample by electron microscopy during infancy. The clinical and genetic characteristics of 6 pediatric patients (4 women) diagnosed with Alport syndrome in two hospital centers between 2018 and 2021 are reported. All patients presented a clearly different clinical debut and none presented auditory or ophthalmological complications. Half had no family history of chronic kidney disease. No kidney biopsy performed confirmed the diagnosis. All patients were genetically confirmed and were the index case in the family study. This series illustrates the presence of unexpected clinical phenotypes in Alport syndrome and reflects the need for the incorporation of the genetic study for its diagnosis.

[Unexpected phenotypes in Alport syndrome: the need for genetic testing]. / Fenotipos inesperados en el síndrome de Alport: la necesidad del estudio genético.

The diagnosis of Alport syndrome is a challenge in the pediatric age, due to the absence of expected clinical phenotypes of the disease, its classic characterization of a rare disease and the very restricted practice of renal biopsies with routine analysis of the sample by electron microscopy during infancy. The clinical and genetic characteristics of 6 pediatric patients (4 women) diagnosed with Alport syndrome in two hospital centers between 2018 and 2021 are reported. All patients presented a clearly different clinical debut and none presented auditory or ophthalmological complications. Half had no family history of chronic kidney disease. No kidney biopsy performed confirmed the diagnosis. All patients were genetically confirmed and were the index case in the family study. This series illustrates the presence of unexpected clinical phenotypes in Alport syndrome and reflects the need for the incorporation of the genetic study for its diagnosis.

El diagnóstico del síndrome de Alport supone un reto en la edad pediátrica, debido a la ausencia de fenotipos clínicos esperados de la enfermedad, su clásica caracterización de entidad rara y la práctica muy restringida de biopsias renales con análisis rutinario de la muestra por microscopía electrónica durante la infancia. Se presentan las características clínicas y genéticas de 6 pacientes pediátricos (4 mujeres) diagnosticados de síndrome de Alport en dos centros hospitalarios entre 2018 y 2021. Todos los pacientes presentaron un debut clínico claramente diferente y ninguno presentó complicaciones auditivas ni oftalmológicas. La mitad carecía de antecedentes familiares de enfermedad renal crónica. Ninguna biopsia renal realizada confirmó el diagnóstico. Todos los pacientes fueron confirmados genéticamente y fueron el caso índice del estudio familiar. Esta serie ilustra la presencia de fenotipos clínicos inesperados en el síndrome de Alport y refleja la necesidad de incorporar el estudio genético para su diagnóstico.

Hepatosplenic Cat Scratch Disease and Prolonged Fever: When To Add Corticosteroids?

The indications for use of corticosteroids for persistent fever in cat scratch disease are controversial. We report the case of a 5-year-old boy diagnosed with systemic cat scratch disease, who presented with fever for 28 days and focal hepatosplenic lesions. He did not show improvement despite antibiotic treatment for 4 weeks, however, he became afebrile 24 hours after the administration of corticosteroids.

KCNH2 p.Gly262AlafsTer98: A New Threatening Variant Associated with Long QT Syndrome in a Spanish Cohort.

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inherited (autosomal dominant) channelopathy associated with susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias due to malfunction of ion channels in cardiomyocytes, that could lead to sudden death (SD). Most pathogenic variants are in the main 3 genes: KCNQ1 (LQT1), KCNH2 (LQT2) and SCN5A (LQT3). Efforts to improve the understanding of the genotype-phenotype relationship are essential to improve the medical clinical practice. In this study, we identified all index patients referred for NGS genetic sequencing due to LQTS, in a Spanish cohort, who were carriers of a new pathogenic variant (KCNH2 p.Gly262AlafsTer98). Genetic and clinical family screening was performed in order to describe its phenotypic characteristics. We identified 22 relatives of Romani ethnicity, who were carriers of the variant. Penetrance reached a 100% and adherence to medical treatment was low. There was a high rate of clinical events, particularly arrhythmic events and SD (1 in every 4 patients presented syncope, 1 presented an aborted SD, 2 obligated carriers suffered SD before the age of 40 and 4 out of 6 carriers of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) had appropriate ICD therapies. Correct adherence to medical treatment in all carriers should be specially encouraged in this population. ICD implantation decision in non-compliant patients, and refusing left cardiac sympathetic denervation, should be carefully outweighed.

Detección de translocaciones cromosómicas mediante diagnóstico citogenético. Cienfuegos, 2006-2016 / Detection of chromosomal translocations by cytogenetic diagnosis. Cienfuegos, 2006-2016

Fundamento: Las alteraciones cromosómicas causan frecuentemente pérdidas de embarazos e infertilidad, y son una causa importante de retraso mental. El diagnóstico precoz permite la extensión del estudio a las familias de los portadores de estas translocaciones. Objetivo: identificar las translocaciones cromosómicas mediante diagnóstico citogenético. Métodos: se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de los casos estudiados entre 2006 y 2016 de fetos diagnosticados con alguna translocación, los cuales se concentraron en 10 familias (25 individuos en total). Los datos fueron tomados de los registros del CPGMC, que contienen los diagnósticos prenatales cromosómicos realizados a la población de riesgo, y los estudios posnatales realizados en sangre periférica a los padres y otros familiares de los fetos. Fueron analizadas las siguientes variables: diagnóstico (enfermo, sano portador), tipo de aberración cromosómica (estructural, numérica), vía de heredabilidad de las aberraciones estructurales (padre o madre), y fórmula cromosómica y tipo de translocación.Resultados: del total de casos positivos y portadores diagnosticados prenatalmente, el 76,71 % fueron aberraciones numéricas. De los 17 casos de aberraciones estructurales, 13 fueron translocaciones cromosómicas, (balanceadas y no balanceadas), todas ellas heredadas de uno de los progenitores. Fueron identificados, mediante diagnóstico prenatal y posnatal, dos individuos enfermos y 23 sanos portadores en las familias estudiadas. Conclusión: existe en la provincia Cienfuegos un conjunto de personas sanas, pero portadoras de translocaciones cromosómicas, las cuales pueden transmitir a sus descendientes, lo que se traduce en la posibilidad de que estos nazcan con malformaciones.

Background: Chromosomal abnormalities frequently cause pregnancy losses and infertility, and they are an important cause of mental retardation. Early diagnosis allows extending the study to the families of these translocations carriers.Objective: to identify chromosomal translocations by cytogenetic diagnosis.Methods: a retrospective description was conducted of the studied cases between 2006 and 2016 of fetuses diagnosed with some translocation, which were grouped in 10 families (25 individuals). Data were taken from the CPGMC records, which contain the prenatal chromosomal diagnoses of population at risk, and postnatal studies in peripheral blood performed to parents and other fetuses relatives. The following variables were analyzed: diagnosis (sick, healthy carrier), type of chromosomal aberration (structural, numerical), heritability pathway of structural anomalies (father or mother), chromosome formula and type of translocation.Results: out of all positive cases and carriers diagnosed prenatally, 76.71% were numerical anomalies. From 17 cases of structural anomalies, 13 were chromosomal translocations, (balanced and unbalanced), all inherited from one of the progenitors. Two sick individuals and 23 healthy carriers in the studied families were identified by prenatal and postnatal diagnosis.Conclusion: in the Cienfuegos province, there is a healthy group of people who carry chromosomal translocations, which can be transmited to their descendants; therefore with the possibility that they are born with malformations.

Epicrania fugax combining forward and backward paroxysms in the same patient: the first four cases.

BACKGROUND: The first description of epicrania fugax (EF) reported brief painful paroxysms that start in posterior regions of the scalp and move forward to reach the ipsilateral forehead, eye, or nose. A backward variation, wherein pain stems from frontal areas and radiates to the posterior scalp, has also been acknowledged. We report four patients with features reminiscent of EF and the coexistence of forward and backward pain paroxysms. METHODS: We considered all patients attending the headache outpatient office at two tertiary hospitals from March 2008 to March 2016. We enrolled four patients with paroxysms fulfilling criteria for EF and a combination of forward and backward radiations. RESULTS: In all cases, pain paroxysms moved both in forward and backward directions with either a zigzag (n=2) or linear (n=2) trajectory. Three patients presented two stemming points, in the occipital scalp and forehead (n=2) or in the parietal area and eye (n=1), whereas the fourth patient only had a stemming point located in the parietal region. Pain quality was mainly stabbing, and its intensity was moderate (n=1) or severe (n=3). The duration of the paroxysms was highly variable (3-30 seconds), and two patients reported autonomic symptoms. CONCLUSION: The clinical picture presented by our patients does not fit with other types of known headache or neuralgia syndromes; we propose it corresponds to a bidirectional variant of EF.

Neural Basis of Cognitive Assessment in Alzheimer Disease, Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Subjective Memory Complaints.

INTRODUCTION: Interpreting cognitive tests is often challenging. The same test frequently examines multiple cognitive functions, and the functional and anatomical basis underlying test performance is unknown in many cases. This study analyses the correlation of different neuropsychological test results with brain metabolism in a series of patients evaluated for suspected Alzheimer disease. METHODS: 20 healthy controls and 80 patients consulting for memory loss were included, in which cognitive study and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET were performed. Patients were categorized according to Reisberg's Global Deterioration Scale. Voxel-based analysis was used to determine correlations between brain metabolism and performance on the following tests: Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT), Boston Naming Test (BNT), Trail Making Test, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure test, Visual Object and Space Perception Battery (VOSP), and Tower of London (ToL) test. RESULTS: Mean age in the patient group was 73.9 ± 10.6 years, and 47 patients were women (58.7%). FCSRT findings were positively correlated with metabolism in the medial and anterior temporal region bilaterally, the left precuneus, and posterior cingulate. BNT results were correlated with metabolism in the middle temporal, superior, fusiform, and frontal medial gyri bilaterally. VOSP results were related to the occipital and parietotemporal regions bilaterally. ToL scores were correlated to metabolism in the right temporoparietal and frontal regions. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that different areas of the brain are involved in the processes required to complete different cognitive tests. Ascertaining the functional basis underlying these tests may prove helpful for understanding and interpreting them.

The Hayling Test: Development and Normalization of the Spanish Version.

OBJECTIVE: The Hayling Sentence Completion Test evaluates the ability to inhibit an automatic response. It has also been suggested for the assessment of orbitofrontal cortex function. The aim of the study was to develop a Spanish version of the Hayling test and to obtain normative data. METHOD: Responses to 60 sentences from 50 healthy controls were used to develop the task. Additionally, 185 healthy controls aged between 18 and 99 years were examined with the test in order to obtain normative data. The overlapping interval strategy was used to maximize the sample size. Age- and education-adjusted scores were obtained using linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Age and educational level had a significant effect on the different scores. Good internal reliability and inter-rater variability were observed. CONCLUSIONS: We provide normative data adjusted for age and education. Our results enable the use of this test for clinical and research purposes in the field of neuropsychological assessment.