Identification of clinical and radiographic predictors of central nervous system injury in genetic skeletal disorders.

Some studies report neurological lesions in patients with genetic skeletal disorders (GSDs). However, none of them describe the frequency of neurological lesions in a large sample of patients or investigate the associations between clinical and/or radiological central nervous system (CNS) injury and clinical, anthropometric and imaging parameters. The project was approved by the institution's ethics committee (CAAE 49433215.5.0000.0022). In this cross-sectional observational analysis study, 272 patients aged four or more years with clinically and radiologically confirmed GSDs were prospectively included. Genetic testing confirmed the diagnosis in the FGFR3 chondrodysplasias group. All patients underwent blinded and independent clinical, anthropometric and neuroaxis imaging evaluations. Information on the presence of headache, neuropsychomotor development (NPMD), low back pain, joint deformity, ligament laxity and lower limb discrepancy was collected. Imaging abnormalities of the axial skeleton and CNS were investigated by whole spine digital radiography, craniocervical junction CT and brain and spine MRI. The diagnostic criteria for CNS injury were abnormal clinical and/or radiographic examination of the CNS. Brain injury included malacia, encephalopathies and malformation. Spinal cord injury included malacia, hydrosyringomyelia and spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormalities. CNS injury was diagnosed in more than 25% of GSD patients. Spinal cord injury was found in 21.7% of patients, and brain injury was found in 5.9%. The presence of low back pain, os odontoideum and abnormal NPMD remained independently associated with CNS injury in the multivariable analysis. Early identification of these abnormalities may have some role in preventing compressive CNS injury, which is a priority in GSD patients.

Clinical features and neurologic progression of hyperargininemia.

Hyperargininemia is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of enzyme arginase I. It is a rare pan-ethnic disease with a clinical presentation distinct from that of other urea cycle disorders, and hyperammonemic encephalopathy is not usually observed. Hyperargininemia is one of the few treatable causes of pediatric spastic paraparesis, and can be confused with cerebral palsy. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical onset, neurologic manifestations, progression of abnormalities, electroencephalographic abnormalities, and laboratory findings of 16 Brazilian patients with hyperargininemia. Relevant data about the clinical spectrum and natural history of hyperargininemia are detailed. Progressive spastic diplegia constituted the key clinical abnormality in this group, but variability in clinical presentation and progression were evident in our series. Seizures in hyperargininemia may be more common than reported in previous studies. Features distinguishing hyperargininemia from cerebral palsy and hereditary spastic paraplegia are emphasized in this large series of patients.

Avaliação de anticoagulantes naturais e de fatores da coagulação em pacientes com distúrbios congênitos de glicosilação (DCG) tipo I / An evaluation of natural anticoagulants and coagulation factors in patients with congenital disorders of glycosylation type I

Defeitos na incorporação de N-glicanos nas proteínas humanas ocasionam um grupo de doenças multissistêmicas denominadas coletivamente distúrbios congênitos de glicosilação (DCG). Os DCG manifestam-se na infância com sintomas neurológicos que incluem principalmente atraso psicomotor, ataxia, hipotonia e episódios de acidente vascular cerebral. Várias proteínas do sistema hemostático somente tornam-se biologicamente ativas após a glicosilação. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os anticoagulantes naturais (proteína S livre, proteína C e antitrombina) e os fatores da coagulação (VIII, IX e XI) em pacientes com DCG tipo I. Foram avaliados 11 pacientes com diagnóstico positivo para DCG tipo I (três do gênero masculino e oito do gênero feminino), idade média de 5,6 anos; e oito pacientes com diagnóstico negativo para DCG(quatro do gênero masculino e quatro do gênero feminino), idade média de 4,5 anos (grupo-controle). O diagnóstico de DCG tipo I foi realizado pela identificação do padrão de hipoglicosilação da transferrina plasmática. Na avaliação dos anticoagulantes naturais pode-se observar redução dos valores de PS livre e PC e uma redução marcante de AT, quando comparados com o grupo controle. Em relação aos fatores de coagulação não houve diferença significativa para os fatores VIII e IX e houve redução marcante do fator XI. Os resultados do presente estudo sugerem que a deficiência combinada de anticoagulantes naturais é responsável pelo estado pró-trombótico observado em pacientes com DCG. Sugerimos também que a análise dos parâmetros hemostáticos seja realizada para pacientes com DCG quando apresentarem sintomas clínicos de alteração do sistema hemostático e antes de procedimentos invasivos.

Defects in the biosynthesis of N-linked human protein glycosylation leads to a group of multisystem disorders collectively called congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG). CDG present in infancy with neurologic symptoms that include psychomotor retardation, ataxia, hypotonia and stroke-like episodes. Many haemostatic system proteins only present biological activity after glycosylation. The aim of this study was to evaluate coagulation inhibitors (free protein S, protein C and antithrombin) and coagulation factors (VIII, IX and XI) in CDG type I patients. Eleven patients with CDG type I (three males and eight females) with a mean age of 5.6 years old, and eight patients without CDG (four males and four females) with a mean age of 4.5 years old (control group) were evaluated. The diagnoses of CDG type I were confirmed by isoelectric focusing of serum transferrin. When coagulation inhibitors were evaluated, decreased activity of free protein S and protein C, and a pronounced reduction of antithrombin were observed compared to the control group. There was no significant difference for coagulation factors VIII and IX but a markedly decrease in factor XI. The present results suggest that a combined deficiency of coagulation inhibitors is responsible for the pro-thrombotic state observed in CDG patients. We recommend that a haemostatic analysis should be performed in CDG patients with clinical haemostatic manifestations before invasive procedures are performed.