Seudotumor cerebri en niños: etiología, características clínicas y evolución / Pseudotumour cerebri in children: Aetiology, clinical features, and progression

Introducción: El síndrome de hipertensión intracraneal idiopática o seudotumor cerebri (STC) en niños está en constante revisión, respecto a su definición, etiologías asociadas, diagnóstico y terapéutica más apropiada. Objetivos y métodos: Se revisaron los casos de STC < 15 años de edad en un hospital de referencia en los últimos 12 años. Se estudiaron las características clínico-epidemiológicas y el procedimiento diagnóstico-terapéutico empleado. Se definió STC como presión intracraneal > 25cmH2O por punción lumbar (PL), con estudio de resonancia magnética cerebral sin lesión ocupante de espacio. Resultados: Se registró a 12 niños con STC, media de edad de 10 años, 90% mujeres. Todos presentaban peso normal. El 82% manifestaba síntomas: cefalea (66%), diplopía (8%) o baja visión (8%). Todos asociaban papiledema (17% unilateral). La PL fue diagnóstica en el 100% y la neuroimagen fue normal en el 91%. Se evidenció un posible desencadenante en 5 casos (2 farmacológico y 3 infeccioso por Mycoplasma pneumoniae [M. pneumoniae]). El 91% recibió tratamiento médico: en el 75% consistió en PL repetidas y en el 42% solo acetazolamida y/o prednisona. La evolución fue favorable en todos ellos. Conclusiones: La incidencia de STC fue de aproximadamente 1/100.000 niños/año, similar a estudios previos. En esta población, el sobrepeso no es un factor de riesgo. La infección por M. pneumoniae podría actuar como desencadenante de STC y favorecer recurrencias tardías. La ausencia de síntomas parece independiente del grado de presión intracraneal. El tratamiento con acetazolamida es eficaz en la mayoría de los casos, desterrando el uso de PL repetidas

Introduction: The definition, associated aetiologies, diagnosis, and treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension, or pseudotumour cerebri (PTC), are constantly being revised in the paediatric population. Objectives and methods: Our study included children younger than 15 years old with PTC and attended at a reference hospital in the past 12 years. We analysed the clinical and epidemiological features of our sample and the diagnostic and treatment approaches. PTC was defined as presence of intracranial hypertension (CSF opening pressure> 25 cmH2O) and absence of space-occupying lesions in brain MR images. Results: A total of 12 children with PTC were included; mean age was 10 years and 90% were girls. Weight was normal in all patients. Eighty-two percent of the patients had symptoms: headache (66%), diplopia (8%), and visual loss (8%). All of them displayed papilloedema (17% unilaterally). Lumbar puncture (LP) provided the diagnosis in all cases and 91% showed no relevant MRI findings. A potential cause of PTC was identified in 5 cases: pharmacological treatment in 2 and infection (Mycoplasma pneumoniae [M. pneumoniae]) in 3. Ninety-one per cent of the patients received treatment: 75% underwent several LPs and 42% received acetazolamide and/or prednisone. Outcomes were favourable in all cases. Conclusions: The incidence of PTC was estimated at approximately 1 case per 100 000 children/years, in line with data reported by previous studies. Overweight was not found to be a risk factor for PTC in this population. M. pneumoniae infection may trigger PTC and cause recurrences at later stages. The absence of symptoms seems to be independent from the degree of intracranial hypertension. Acetazolamide treatment is effective in most cases, and it represents a viable alternative to repeated LP

Pseudotumour cerebri in children: Aetiology, clinical features, and progression. / Seudotumor cerebri en niños: etiología, características clínicas y evolución.

INTRODUCTION: The definition, associated aetiologies, diagnosis, and treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension, or pseudotumour cerebri (PTC), are constantly being revised in the paediatric population. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: Our study included children younger than 15 years old with PTC and attended at a reference hospital in the past 12 years. We analysed the clinical and epidemiological features of our sample and the diagnostic and treatment approaches. PTC was defined as presence of intracranial hypertension (CSF opening pressure>25cmH2O) and absence of space-occupying lesions in brain MR images. RESULTS: A total of 12 children with PTC were included; mean age was 10 years and 90% were girls. Weight was normal in all patients. Eighty-two percent of the patients had symptoms: headache (66%), diplopia (8%), and visual loss (8%). All of them displayed papilloedema (17% unilaterally). Lumbar puncture (LP) provided the diagnosis in all cases and 91% showed no relevant MRI findings. A potential cause of PTC was identified in 5 cases: pharmacological treatment in 2 and infection (Mycoplasma pneumoniae [M. pneumoniae]) in 3. Ninety-one per cent of the patients received treatment: 75% underwent several LPs and 42% received acetazolamide and/or prednisone. Outcomes were favourable in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of PTC was estimated at approximately 1 case per 100 000 children/years, in line with data reported by previous studies. Overweight was not found to be a risk factor for PTC in this population. M. pneumoniae infection may trigger PTC and cause recurrences at later stages. The absence of symptoms seems to be independent from the degree of intracranial hypertension. Acetazolamide treatment is effective in most cases, and it represents a viable alternative to repeated LP.

Quistes neuroentéricos, una causa infrecuente de hemorragia intestinal / Neurenteric cysts; an uncommon cause of intestinal bleeding

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Feocromocitoma y paraganglioma en la infancia: a propósito de 2 casos / Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma in childhood: A report of 2 cases report

Los feocromocitomas y los paragangliomas son tumores neuroendocrinos infrecuentes en pediatría; sin embargo, estos representan el tumor endocrino más frecuente en la infancia. La mayoría son esporádicos, cobrando mayor relevancia los síndromes familiares en edad pediátrica. Los avances en el campo de la genética, en bioquímica y en técnicas de imagen han adaptado el manejo de estos tumores; de modo que el estudio bioquímico debe comenzarse ante todo diagnóstico clínico de sospecha, seguido del estudio por imagen y molecular, más aún ante la existencia de un síndrome familiar conocido. Revisamos aspectos clínicos, diagnósticos y terapéuticos a propósito de 2 casos, presentando el segundo paciente antecedentes de neurofibromatosis tipo 1

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors in children and most of them are sporadic. However, they represent the most common endocrine tumor in childhood, and hereditary tumor syndromes are most relevant in these age. Advances in genetic, biochemistry and imaging techniques have revised the management of these tumors; thus A biochemical study should be always initiated once the clinical diagnosis is suspected, followed by imaging and molecular studies, particularly in the context of known familial disease. The diagnostic and therapeutic features are reviewed after the presentation of two clinicalcases, where the second one is a patient with type 1 Neurofibromatosis

[Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma in childhood: a report of 2 cases report]. / Feocromocitoma y paraganglioma en la infancia: a propósito de 2 casos.

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors in children and most of them are sporadic. However, they represent the most common endocrine tumor in childhood, and hereditary tumor syndromes are most relevant in these age. Advances in genetic, biochemistry and imaging techniques have revised the management of these tumors; thus A biochemical study should be always initiated once the clinical diagnosis is suspected, followed by imaging and molecular studies, particularly in the context of known familial disease. The diagnostic and therapeutic features are reviewed after the presentation of two clinical cases, where the second one is a patient with type 1 Neurofibromatosis.

Cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease related to the R1441G mutation in LRRK2.

OBJECTIVE: The neuropsychological characteristics of patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) associated with R1441G mutation in the LRRK2 gene (R1441G-PD) are not well known. The aim of this study was to examine the cognitive status and mood of R1441G-PD patients. METHODS: Thirty patients with R1441G-PD were compared with thirty idiopathic PD (i-PD) patients who were matched by age, sex, education, disease onset age and duration, using a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological test, and considering the Movement Disorder Society (MDS) criteria for the diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (PD-MCI) and dementia (PD-Dementia). RESULTS: The mean scores in the depression and anxiety scales were similar in the two groups. Depressive symptoms were detected in 31.8% of R1441G-PD and 25% of i-PD patients and anxiety symptoms were evident in 4.5% and 15%, respectively, but the differences were not significant. The only neuropsychological test on which there was a significantly worse performance in the R1441G-PD group was the Boston naming test but the difference became not significant when Bonferroni's correction was applied. The prevalence of PD-MCI was 30% in both R1441G-PD and i-PD, with no differences in the number and type of domains altered given that executive function, memory and attention were mainly affected. PD-Dementia was diagnosed in 13.3% (n = 4) of R1441G-PD and 26.7% (n = 8) of i-PD patients (difference was not significant). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, significant differences were not detected between R1441G-PD and i-PD in cognitive, depression and anxiety scales, or PD-MCI and PD-Dementia prevalence, and the cognitive profile was identical in the two groups.

Somatic mosaicism in a case of apparently sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease carrying a de novo D178N mutation in the PRNP gene.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are a group of rare fatal neurodegenerative disorders. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) represents the most common form of TSE and can be classified into sporadic, genetic, iatrogenic and variant forms. Genetic cases are related to prion protein gene mutations but they only account for 10-20% of cases. Here we report an apparently sporadic CJD case with negative family history carrying a mutation at codon 178 of prion protein gene. This mutation is a de novo mutation as the parents of the case do not show it. Furthermore the presence of three different alleles (wild type 129M-178D and 129V-178D and mutated 129V-178N), confirmed by different methods, indicates that this de novo mutation is a post-zygotic mutation that produces somatic mosaicism. The proportion of mutated cells in peripheral blood cells and in brain tissue was similar and was estimated at approximately 97%, suggesting that the mutation occurred at an early stage of embryogenesis. Neuropathological examination disclosed spongiform change mainly involving the caudate and putamen, and the cerebral cortex, together with proteinase K-resistant PrP globular deposits in the cerebrum and cerebellum. PrP typing was characterized by a lower band of 21 kDa. This is the first case of mosaicism described in prion diseases and illustrates a potential etiology for apparently sporadic neurodegenerative diseases. In light of this case, genetic counseling for inherited and sporadic forms of transmissible encephalopathies should take into account this possibility for genetic screening procedures.

LRRK2 G2019S and R1441G mutations associated with Parkinson's disease are common in the Basque Country, but relative prevalence is determined by ethnicity.

Mutations in LRRK2 gene are the most frequent cause of Parkinson's disease (PD) described, but their prevalence varies between populations. Patients, 418, with PD and 138 unrelated controls from the Basque Country were screened for LRRK2 G2019S and R1441G mutations. Of the patients, 3.82% were heterozygous carriers of G2019S and 13.15% of R1441G. G2019S frequency was higher in non-Basque population (6.0%), while R1441G was more common in Basque origin population (22.4%). Our conclusion is that both G2019S and R1441G mutations' frequency varies markedly between Basque and non-Basque origin population reinforcing the importance of ethnicity consideration when establishing mutation prevalence.

Evolución de la velocidad del flujo sanguíneo cerebral en las meningitis graves medida mediante Doppler transcraneal / Changes in cerebral blood flow velocity in severe meningitis measured by transcranial doppler

Objetivo. Investigar una posible asociación entre los valores de flujo vascular medidos por Doppler transcraneal y la situación y evolución del proceso neurológico en las meningitis agudas graves. Pacientes y método. Estudio observacional prospectivo en 23 pacientes con meningitis comunitaria, ingresados consecutivamente en la unidad de cuidados intensivos entre enero de 1998 y abril de 2002. Se miden la velocidad media, el índice de pulsatilidad y la asimetría de flujos en ambas arterias cerebrales medias en las primeras 24 h, al alta, o a los 7 días en los casos con estancias más largas. Se analizan la edad, el sexo, el microorganismo responsable, la puntuación en la escala de coma de Glasgow (GCS), el ingreso y el alta, las secuelas y la mortalidad. Resultados. De los 23 pacientes, 5 presentaron un Doppler transcraneal normal al ingreso y 18, patológico. Los pacientes con un Doppler transcraneal normal mantuvieron velocidades normales o elevadas en su evolución. Paradójicamente, 4 presentaron secuelas. Del resto, 13 presentaron velocidades disminuidas, con un índice de pulsatilidad elevado, y 5 aumentadas. De los 13 pacientes con velocidad baja, en 2 persistió disminuida; de éstos, uno falleció y el otro presentó un grave deterioro de conciencia. Los otros 11 enfermos recuperaron valores normales o elevados: 9 quedaron sin secuelas, uno falleció y otro quedó con un bajo nivel de conciencia. En los 5 pacientes con velocidad elevada, ésta se mantuvo elevada al alta, con un índice de pulsatilidad normal. Sólo uno presentó secuelas. Sólo 6 pacientes presentaron asimetría de velocidades entre ambos lados que no guardaron relación con las secuelas. Conclusiones. La mayoría de los pacientes presentó un estudio Doppler transcraneal patológico en el momento del ingreso. No encontramos relación significativa entre las alteraciones de la velocidad de flujo al ingreso, su evolución posterior y las secuelas. Se apunta una tendencia a una peor evolución entre los pacientes con una velocidad persistentemente disminuida. Un estudio Doppler transcraneal normal en el momento del ingreso no descarta la aparición de secuelas. Estos resultados invitan a realizar nuevos estudios con una mayor casuística (AU)