[West syndrome: aetiology, therapeutic options, clinical course and prognostic factors]. / Sindrome de West: etiologia, opciones terapeuticas, evolucion clinica y factores pronosticos.

INTRODUCTION: West syndrome is an age-specific form of epilepsy that associates infantile spasms, hypsarrhythmia and a delay in or the complete stoppage of psychomotor development, although this last case is not essential. AIMS: To define the profile of West syndrome in our environment by taking into account its aetiology, semiology, response to different therapeutic options and the appearance of side effects, as well as to establish prognostic factors that determine its course. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A data collection document stating the eligibility criteria was drafted. Data were collected by reviewing the medical records of patients diagnosed with West syndrome during the period between January 2003 and January 2009. Later, a statistical study was conducted with descriptive analysis and the level of statistical significance of the possible prognostic factors was established. RESULTS: The study included 70 patients. There was a predominance of symptomatic aetiology, with hypoxia-ischaemia as the main cause. Regardless of the aetiology, 58% of patients responded to treatment with vigabatrine. Over 80% of patients being treated with adrenocorticotropic hormone were finally seizure-free and without hypsarrhythmia. Almost half the patients progressed to other epilepsies. CONCLUSIONS: The statistically significant poor prognostic factors were: existence of a prenatal history, neonatal history, symptomatic aetiology, age of onset below 4 months, epileptic seizures before the onset of the spasms and outside the neonatal period, and delayed psychomotor development prior to the onset of the spasms.

Crisis epilépticas en el síndrome de Angelman / Epileptic seizures in angelman syndrome

Introducción. El síndrome de Angelman (SA) es un trastorno de base genética heterogénea caracterizado por retraso mental grave, ausencia del lenguaje, ataxia, dismorfia craneofacial y un fenotipo conductual característico. Pacientes y métodos. Se analizan 12 pacientes diagnosticados de SA y epilepsia, con una edad media de 10,9 años. El estudio se centra en las características de la epilepsia y trata de correlacionar los hallazgos con el genotipo de la enfermedad. Resultados. Todos presentaron crisis generalizadas de inicio precoz y, salvo uno, crisis polimorfas. Ocho de ellos presentaron también crisis focales. Todos los pacientes mostraban alteraciones electroencefalográficas antes de los dos años. Aunque no hay alteracionespatognomónicas en el electroencefalograma (EEG), su conocimiento en el SA puede ser un importante elemento de valoración para el diagnóstico precoz de esta entidad. En nuestra serie, todos los pacientes con deleción 15q11-13 presentaron el EEG típico de la enfermedad. El fármaco antiepiléptico más usado y más eficaz fue el ácido valproico (utilizado en todos lospacientes), seguido de lamotrigina y clobazam. En algún paciente se ensayaron hasta 10 fármacos antiepilépticos. La epilepsia suele ser de inicio muy precoz, e incluso precede al diagnóstico de SA en la mayoría de los casos, por lo que las crisis epilépticas pueden ser un elemento importante para llegar a un diagnóstico precoz. Es fundamental la adecuada tipificación de dichas crisis. Conclusión. El SA debe considerarse como diagnóstico diferencial en aquellos niños que presenten una epilepsiaprecoz y grave, en unión de un retraso psicomotor, con importante afectación de la marcha y el lenguaje. Este diagnóstico está apoyado por los hallazgos típicos en el EEG

Introduction. Angelman syndrome (AS) is a heterogeneous genetically-based disorder that is characterised bysevere mental retardation, absence of language, ataxia, craniofacial dysmorphia and a characteristic behavioural phenotype.Patients and methods. We analyse 12 patients with a mean age of 10.9 years diagnosed with AS. The study focuses on the characteristics of epilepsy and attempts to correlate the findings with the genotype of the disease. Results. All the patients presented early-onset generalised seizures and all except one had polymorphic seizures. Eight of them also presented focalseizures. All the patients displayed electroencephalographic alterations before the age of two years. Although there are no pathognomonic abnormalities in the electroencephalogram (EEG), knowledge of them in AS can be an important element ofassessment for reaching an early diagnosis of this condition. In our series, all the patients with 15q11-13 deletion presented an EEG pattern that was typical of the disease. The most commonly used and most effective antiepileptic drug was valproic acid (used in all patients), followed by lamotrigine and clobazam. Up to 10 antiepileptic drugs had been tried in some patients. Epilepsy usually has a very early onset and even precedes the diagnosis of AS in most cases, which means that the epileptic seizures can be an important aid in reaching an early diagnosis. Suitable classification of such seizures is essential.Conclusions. AS must be considered as a differential diagnosis in children who present early severe epilepsy together with psychomotor retardation and important gait and language disorders. This diagnosis is backed by the typical findings in the EEG

[Epileptic seizures in Angelman syndrome]. / Crisis epilépticas en el síndrome de Angelman.

INTRODUCTION: Angelman syndrome (AS) is a heterogeneous genetically-based disorder that is characterised by severe mental retardation, absence of language, ataxia, craniofacial dysmorphia and a characteristic behavioural phenotype. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyse 12 patients with a mean age of 10.9 years diagnosed with AS. The study focuses on the characteristics of epilepsy and attempts to correlate the findings with the genotype of the disease. RESULTS: All the patients presented early-onset generalised seizures and all except one had polymorphic seizures. Eight of them also presented focal seizures. All the patients displayed electroencephalographic alterations before the age of two years. Although there are no pathognomonic abnormalities in the electroencephalogram (EEG), knowledge of them in AS can be an important element of assessment for reaching an early diagnosis of this condition. In our series, all the patients with 15q11-13 deletion presented an EEG pattern that was typical of the disease. The most commonly used and most effective antiepileptic drug was valproic acid (used in all patients), followed by lamotrigine and clobazam. Up to 10 antiepileptic drugs had been tried in some patients. Epilepsy usually has a very early onset and even precedes the diagnosis of AS in most cases, which means that the epileptic seizures can be an important aid in reaching an early diagnosis. Suitable classification of such seizures is essential. CONCLUSIONS: AS must be considered as a differential diagnosis in children who present early severe epilepsy together with psychomotor retardation and important gait and language disorders. This diagnosis is backed by the typical findings in the EEG.

Aciduria glutárica tipo I con fenotipo bioquímico de baja excreción asociado a una nueva mutación / Glutaric aciduria type I with a low-excretion biochemical phenotype associated to a new mutation

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[Anhidrosis and hyperthermia associated with treatment with topiramate]. / Anhidrosis e hipertermia asociadas al tratamiento con topiramato.

INTRODUCTION: It has been observed that if topiramate (TPM) is given together with other antiepileptic drugs when the temperature of the environment is high, a disorder involving sweating and thermo regulation may be seen as a side effect. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We describe ten patients, of an average age of 7 years and 8 months, with refractory epileptic seizures. All were treated with topiramate, associated with the antiepileptic drugs they had been taking previously. During the summer months, when the environmental temperature was over 37 C, they had slight hyperthermia, hypohydrosis or more usually anhydrosis, red faces and tiredness which was markedly worse on effort. In one case there was also retention of urine and four others had known side effects. In seven patients the symptoms disappeared when the dose of TPM was reduced or the environment became cooler. In the other three cases TPM was withdrawn, due to the severe adverse effects seen in two cases and for being ineffective as treatment in the other cases. CONCLUSIONS: It is considered that in predisposed children, TPM causes autonomic dysfunction, probably of central origin, which is seen as a disorder of sweating and thermoregulation. Although the mechanism of this disorder is not known, since it occurs when the temperature is over 37 C, it would seem that it is due to a reduction in carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes II and IV. We suggest that it would be useful to establish a method to predict the patients at risk in summer, in hot regions, at the first sign of fatigability.

Anhidrosis e hipertermia asociadas al tratamiento con topiramato / Anhydrosis and hyperthermia associated with treatment with topiramate

Introducción. Se ha observado que el tratamiento con topiramato (TPM) añadido a otros fármacos antiepilépticos, cuando la temperatura ambiental es alta, produce un trastorno de la sudación y termorregulación como efecto adverso. Pacientes y métodos. En 10 pacientes, con edad media de 7 años y 8 meses, afectos de crisis epilépticas refractarias y en tratamiento con TPM combinado con los fármacos que tomaba con anterioridad, durante los meses de verano, cuando la temperatura ambiental sobrepasa los 37 ºC, se ha presentado leve hipertermia, hipo o habitualmente anhidrosis, nrojecimiento facial y cansancio que se acentúa sensiblemente con el esfuerzo. En un caso se ha asociado a retención de orina y en otros cuatro a efectos adversos ya conocidos. En siete pacientes, los síntomas desaparecieron al disminuir la dosis de TPM o al bajar la temperatura ambiental. En otros tres casos se suspendió TPM, por la gravedad de los efectos adversos en dos, y en otro, por ineficacia terapéutica. Conclusiones. Se estima que el TPM produce en niños predispuestos una disfunción autonómica, de probable origen central, que se expresa por un trastorno de la sudación y termorregulación. Aunque el mecanismo de producción de este trastorno se desconoce, el hecho de que aparezca a partir de los 37 ºC sugiere que se deba a la disminución de las isoenzimas II y IV de la anhidrasa carbónica. Se sugiere la conveniencia de establecer un método para predecir los pacientes de riesgo en verano, en regiones calurosas, al menor signo de fatiga (AU)

[Clinical course of epileptic seizures in Rett's syndrome]. / Evolución de las crisis epilépticas en el síndrome de Rett.

INTRODUCTION: Seventeen girls diagnosed as Rett syndrome (RS) patients suffer or have suffered epileptic fits; we have analyzed the evolution of these seizures. The RS diagnosis is based on criteria established by the Rett Syndrome Diagnostic Criteria Working Group in 1988. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All girls have had clinical, biochemical, electroneurophysiological neuroimaging and cytogenetic studies done on them. Periodic EEG were carried out while the girls were awake; all had night-time EEGs done. The females are aged between 7 y 5 m, and 22 y 7 m (medium 14 years, 8 months). The age at first seizure was between 18 m and 7 y 8 m (median 4 years 5 months). RESULTS: The clinic semiology is in decreasing order: tonic, generalized clonic, partial, absence and myoclonic seizures; eight patients have had more than one type of seizures. The frequency is variable: one or more continuous seizures in 6 cases, sporadic seizures in 3 cases, series of seizures in 4 cases, and subnitrant seizures in 4 cases. The evolution is variable: 6 cases have presented only the first fit, and 11 cases recurrent seizures which in 5 have ceased between 8 and 9 years, and 1 case at 13 years. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that the epileptic seizures in RS present three evolution profiles: 1. One or more non recurrent seizures (35.3%); 2. Recurrent seizures until 8-9 years (35.3%); 3. Recurrent seizures in subnitrant form which continued after puberty (29.4%).

[Cranioencephalic cutaneous angiofibromatosis]. / Angiofibromatosis encefalocraneocutánea.

A nine year old girl with no significant prenatal or perinatal history had presented, at the age of four months, with infantile spasms and later with partial crises with or without secondary generalization. On examination there was left hemiparesis and various skin lesions: a pink plaque in the frontal region with hair loss, fibrous plaques on the right side of the face and hypomelanic spots on the trunk and thighs and some cafe-au-lait spots on the thorax and abdomen. On neuroimaging by CT and MR right cerebral hemiatrophy, periventricular calcifications and lesions in the right hemisphere were seen. On AMR an angioma was seen on the anterior communicating artery. A skin biopsy of the frontal plaque showed perifollicular fibromatosis with marked vascular proliferation. We discuss whether the presentation of this case of encephalocraneo-cutaneous angiofibromatosis is a new phenotype of tuberose sclerosis or a new neurocutaneous syndrome.