Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: a case series including thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) in children is associated with a high incidence of serious morbidity and mortality. The presenting features are variable. It can be diagnostically challenging and the optimal treatment is uncertain. AIM: To describe the features of a series of children with CVST treated in a single paediatric neurology centre and to discuss the role of local thrombolysis. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched using diagnostic labels and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes to identify children aged 1 month to under 17 years with CVST. Their records were reviewed. RESULTS: 21 children were identified over a period of 8.25 years with a median age of 7.1 years. The presenting symptoms included headache (15 children), vomiting (14 children) and visual disturbance (eight children). Signs found included papilloedema (16 children), fever (six children) and sixth nerve palsy (six children). The most common underlying condition was middle ear infection (13 children). All cases received unfractionated heparin and four severe cases received local pharmacological thrombolysis. 48% of cases had an adverse outcome (death, chronic intracranial hypertension, residual hemiparesis or sixth nerve palsy). DISCUSSION: CVST has non-specific presenting features and a high risk of significant morbidity. CVST is typically found in association with a predisposing condition. Although heparin is the mainstay of treatment, thrombolysis may reverse deterioration as seen in three cases in this series. However, there is insufficient evidence to recommend the routine use of thrombolysis at present.

Myoglobinuria in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy on corticosteroid therapy.

Myoglobinuria is a recognised complication of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), but has only once been reported in ambulant boys on corticosteroid therapy [Dubowitz V, Kinali M, Main M, Mercuri E, Muntoni F. Remission of clinical signs in early Duchenne muscular dystrophy on intermittent low-dosage prednisolone therapy. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2002;6(3):153-9.]. We present three prednisolone-treated boys with myoglobinuria and in two cases this was recurrent. All three showed improved motor performance in response to the introduction of corticosteroids. The greater activity of steroid-treated individuals may place their dystrophin-deficient muscles under greater mechanical stress, predisposing to further muscle fibre damage and consequent myoglobinuria. Families and physicians need to have an increased awareness of this possibility and of the appropriate management of myoglobinuria.

The importance of testing for adrenoleucodystrophy in males with idiopathic Addison's disease.

X linked adrenoleucodystrophy (X-ALD) is considered to be a rare cause of Addison's disease, although several small series suggest a high incidence in young Addisonian males. A survey in the south west of England identified 12 male patients diagnosed with Addison's disease in the period 1987-99. In 10 of these (83%) X-ALD was the underlying cause; the other two were of autoimmune aetiology. Five boys had developed Addison's disease subsequent to the diagnosis of X-ALD. Of the remaining five, in three boys the diagnosis of X-ALD was considerably delayed (by six months to two years from that of Addison's disease) and in two it was only made as a result of this survey. We also identified a patient who presented with Addison's disease at the age of 5 years but was only diagnosed as having X-ALD at the age of 34 years; in the interim his diagnosis of adrenomyeloneuropathy had been missed. Our experience highlights the absolute necessity of measuring very long chain fatty acids in all males with idiopathic Addison's disease.

Delayed cerebral edema and fatal coma after minor head trauma: role of the CACNA1A calcium channel subunit gene and relationship with familial hemiplegic migraine.

Trivial head trauma may be complicated by severe, sometimes even fatal, cerebral edema and coma occurring after a lucid interval ("delayed cerebral edema"). Attacks of familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) can be triggered by minor head trauma and are sometimes accompanied by coma. Mutations in the CACNA1A calcium channel subunit gene on chromosome 19 are associated with a wide spectrum of mutation-specific episodic and chronic neurological disorders, including FHM with or without coma. We investigated the role of the CACNA1A gene in three subjects with delayed cerebral edema. Two subjects originated from a family with extreme FHM, and one subject was the previously asymptomatic daughter of a sporadic patient with hemiplegic migraine attacks. In all three subjects with delayed severe edema, we found a C-to-T substitution resulting in the substitution of serine for lysine at codon 218 (S218L) in the CACNA1A gene. The mutation was absent in nonaffected family members and 152 control individuals. Haplotype analysis excluded a common founder for both families. Neuropathological examination in one subject showed Purkinje cell loss with relative preservation of granule cells and sparing of the dentate and inferior olivary nuclei. We conclude that the novel S218L mutation in the CACNA1A calcium channel subunit gene is involved in FHM and delayed fatal cerebral edema and coma after minor head trauma. This finding may have important implications for the understanding and treatment of this dramatic syndrome.

The scleroatrophic syndrome of Huriez.

We have examined 14 of 28 members of a four-generation family, 10 of whom demonstrated the clinical features of the scleroatrophic syndrome of Huriez, a cancer-prone dermatosis. Several members of this family demonstrated additional features, previously unrecorded in this syndrome, including poikiloderma-like changes on the nose, flexion contractures of the little finger, a distinctive little finger nodule, and telangiectasia on the lips. Genetic linkage was excluded to distal chromosome 4q (LOD score-4.399 at theta = 0.001). This concurs with the recent reappraisal study of one of the two original families described by Huriez, in which no evidence of linkage between this syndrome and the MNSs erythrocytic system (mapped to 4q28-q31) was found. This is the first report of a family from the U.K. with this syndrome.

Familial bilateral periventricular nodular heterotopia mimics tuberous sclerosis.

A mother and daughter with an initial diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis are described. The daughter presented with partial seizures at the age of 8 months. Computed tomography showed uncalcified periventricular nodules which on magnetic resonance imaging were ovoid, almost contiguous, of grey matter density, and did not enhance with gadolinium. Brain imaging of her asymptomatic mother was similar. Absence of severe mental retardation, extracranial hamartomas, and depigmented patches distinguishes familial bilateral periventricular nodular heterotopia (FNH) from tuberous sclerosis. FNH is probably inherited as an X linked dominant with lethality in males.

Correlation between fragment size at D4F104S1 and age at onset or at wheelchair use, with a possible generational effect, accounts for much phenotypic variation in 4q35-facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD)

In facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), the wide range of clinical severity observed both within and between families has obscured past attempts to identify any phenotypic differences between families from which phenotype-genotype correlation could proposed, although it is noted that age at onset is youngest and severity greatest in isolated cases. From 14/16 large 4q35-linked FSHD families, and 25/34 isolated cases exhibiting a de novo D4F104S1 DNA fragment, we find a significant correlation between proband age at onset and FSHD-associated D4F104S1 fragment size (r = 0.56; p < 0.001), with the smallest fragments occurring in isolated cases. A similar correlation (r = 0.70; p < 0.01) with fragment size is observed for age to loss of ambulation in 16 subjects using a wheelchair. We find also that age at onset appears younger with successive generations in the 4q35 families. We propose that fragment size at D4F104S1, together with a possible generational effect, accounts for a significant part of the wide phenotypic variation in FSHD. Our results predict a more limited range for severity within families, and in one family with a 4q35-linked 38kb fragment support scapulohumeral presentation without facial involvement as a late onset variant of FSHD. We propose that in FSHD, quantitative variation in a uniform mutation mechanism influences age at onset, but by deletion rather than expansion of DNA.

Phenotypic-genotypic correlation will assist genetic counseling in 4q35-facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

The wide range of severity in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) complicates genetic advice, although onset age is youngest and severity is greatest in isolated cases. From 14 of 16 large FSHD families which are 4q35 linked, and from 25 of 34 isolated cases exhibiting a de novo D4F104S1 DNA fragment, we find a correlation between proband age at onset and FSHD-associated D4F104S1 fragment size (r = 0.56; P < 0.001), with the smallest fragments occurring in isolated cases. A 4q35-linked 38-kb fragment in one family supports scapulohumeral presentation without facial involvement as a milder late-onset variant of FSHD, and with apparent "unaffected" recombinants in small families, suggests that nonpenetrance is more likely with large fragment sizes. Our results, predicting a more limited range for severity within families, and suggesting > 85% of FSHD maps to 4q35, will facilitate genetic counseling. We propose that quantitative variation in a uniform mutation mechanism influences age at onset, but by deletion rather than expansion of DNA.

Phenotypic-genotypic correlation will assist genetic counseling in 4q35-facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

The wide range of severity in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) complicates genetic advice, although onset age is youngest and severity is greatest in isolated cases. From 14 of 16 large FSHD families which are 4q35 linked, and from 25 of 34 isolated cases exhibiting a de novo D4F104S1 DNA fragment, we find a correlation between proband age at onset and FSHD-associated D4F104S1 fragment size (r = 0.56; P < 0.001), with the smallest fragments occurring in isolated cases. A 4q35-linked 38-kb fragment in one family supports scapulohumeral presentation without facial involvement as a milder late-onset variant of FSHD, and with apparent "unaffected" recombinants in small families, suggests that nonpenetrance is more likely with large fragment sizes. Our results, predicting a more limited range for severity within families, and suggesting > 85% of FSHD maps to 4q35, will facilitate genetic counseling. We propose that quantitative variation in a uniform mutation mechanism influences age at onset, but by deletion rather than expansion of DNA.

A scapular onset muscular dystrophy without facial involvement: possible allelism with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

A dominantly inherited muscular dystrophy with onset in the shoulder girdle and later progression to the lower limbs is described. The disorder was clinically distinguishable from known facioscapulohumeral, scapulohumeral and limb girdle syndromes. A 38 kb allele detected by probe p13E-11 (D4F104S1) segregated with the disease. Linkage analysis gave a maximum lod score of z = 1.61 at theta = 0.01 with the 4q35 markers D4S184 (affected only analysis z = 1.20 at theta = 0.01) suggesting probable allelism with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

De novo facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy defined by DNA probe p13E-11 (D4F104S1).

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal dominant condition with variable age of onset and severity. Identification of a de novo DNA fragment by probe p13E-11 (D4F104S1) established the diagnosis of new mutation FSHD in 27 of 31 sporadic cases. The clinical data for these certain new mutation cases were as follows: 13 boys, 14 girls; mean age of onset 6.8 years; significant leg weakness in 19/27 (70%) (8/27 (30%) used wheelchairs at a mean age of 17.7 years); high tone sensorineural deafness in 10/27; visual acuity and direct ophthalmoscopy were normal. Congenital facial diplegia and sensorineural deafness in three children suggest that infantile FSHD is not a genetically separate disorder from FSHD. Ascertainment bias may explain the difference in severity between this group and typical familial cases. Molecular analysis for FSHD should be considered in children with either congenital or early onset facial weakness or diplegia.

Pyridoxine-refractory congenital sideroblastic anaemia with evidence for autosomal inheritance: exclusion of linkage to ALAS2 at Xp11.21 by polymorphism analysis.

A son and daughter of unaffected parents had transfusion dependent, pyridoxine-refractory sideroblastic anaemia from birth. Their haemoglobin levels were 4.3 and 6.4 g/dl, respectively. delta-Aminolaevulinate synthase activity in erythroblasts from fractionated marrow of the sister was 135 pmol delta-aminolaevulinate formed/10(6) erythroblasts/hour (normal range = 110-650 pmol). While mutations of the erythroid-specific delta-aminolaevulinate synthase gene (ALAS2) at Xp11.21 have been reported in patients with X linked sideroblastic anaemia, sequence analysis of the ALAS2 gene in the son did not identify any mutations in the coding region, the intron/exon boundaries, or the 1 kb 5' promoter region. A useful polymorphism was found in the 3' region of the ALAS2 gene, a G to A transition, 220 nt 3' of the AATAAA polyadenylation signal. Mismatch PCR at this site and subsequent discrimination by XmnI restriction analysis of 148 alleles identified the gene frequency of this polymorphism to be 25%. Analysis of the inheritance of this intragenic polymorphism showed that the affected sibs received different maternal alleles at the ALAS2 locus, excluding mutations in this gene as the cause of their sideroblastic anaemia. Furthermore, the absence of a dimorphic erythrocyte population in the mother, coupled with the demonstration of random X inactivation in her peripheral leucocytes, showed that the mother was not the carrier of any X linked sideroblastic anaemia mutation. These results strongly suggest that the sideroblastic anaemia in this family is an autosomal recessive trait.

Partial 6q monosomy/partial 12q trisomy in a child with features of Kabuki make-up syndrome.

Kabuki make-up syndrome (KMS) is a mental retardation/congenital malformation syndrome of unknown aetiology. We report a child with the unbalanced karyotype 46,XY,-6,+der(6)t(6;12) (q25.3;q24.31)mat. who has several features of KMS and suggest a possible cause for this condition.