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- Recognition of Kabuki SyndromePublication . Justo Pereira, R; Gomes Pereira, A; Sá, J; Rosado da Silva, N
- Multidisciplinary Outpatient Clinic of Neurocutaneous Diseases: Five-Year Experience of a Pediatric Tertiary Hospital in PortugalPublication . Rebelo, M; Francisco, T; Perry da Câmara, R; Pereira, A; Iraneta, A; Amorim, M; Paiva Lopes, MJ; Lopes da Silva, R; Cordeiro, AIIntroduction: Neurocutaneous syndromes (NCS) are a heterogeneous group of conditions with multiorgan involvement and diverse manifestations, evolving throughout life with significant morbidity. A multidisciplinary approach to NCS patients has been advocated, although a specific model is not yet established. The aim of this study was 1) to describe the organization of the recently created Multidisciplinary Outpatient Clinic of Neurocutaneous Diseases (MOCND) at a Portuguese pediatric tertiary hospital; 2) to share our institutional experience focusing on the most common conditions, neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC); 3) to analyze the advantages of a multidisciplinary center and approach in NCS. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 281 patients enrolled in the MOCND over the first five years of activity (October 2016 to December 2021), reviewing genetics, family history, clinical features, complications, and therapeutic strategies for NF1 and TSC. Results: The clinic works weekly with a core team of pediatricians and pediatric neurologists supported by other specialties as needed. Of the 281 patients enrolled, 224 (79.7%) had identifiable syndromes such as NF1 (n = 105), TSC (n = 35), hypomelanosis of Ito (n = 11), Sturge-Weber syndrome (n = 5), and others. In NF1 patients, 41.0% had a positive family history, all manifested café-au-lait macules, 38.1% neurofibromas with 45.0% being large plexiform neurofibromas. Sixteen were under treatment with selumetinib. Genetic testing was performed in 82.9% of TSC patients with pathogenic variants found in TSC2 gene in 72.4% patients (82.7% if considered contiguous gene syndrome). Family history was positive in 31.4%. All TSC patients presented hypomelanotic macules and fulfilled diagnostic criteria. Fourteen patients were being treated with mTOR inhibitors. Conclusion: Offering a systematic and multidisciplinary approach to NCS patients enables timely diagnosis, promotes a structured follow-up, and encourages discussion to outline management plans for optimal care to every patient, with significant impact on the quality of life of patients and families.
- Neuroimaging Findings in Paediatric Patients with Sickle Cell DiseasePublication . Abreu, VS; Xavier, S; Santos, M; Lopes da Silva, R; Kjöllerström, P; Conceição, CSickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive haemoglobinopathy, which manifests as multisystem ischaemia and infarction, as well as haemolytic anaemia. The morphological changes of red blood cells (RBCs) that promote ischaemia/infarction as the main multi-systemic manifestation, with associated vasculopathy, may also lead to haemorrhage and fat embolisation. Bone infarctions, whether of the skull or spine, are relatively common with subsequent increased infectious susceptibility. We present a broad spectrum of brain and spine imaging findings of SCD from a level III paediatric hospital in Lisbon, between 2010 and 2022. Our aim is to highlight brain and spine imaging findings from a serial review of multiple patients with SCD and respective neuroimaging characterisation.
- A Novel Genetic Variant in MBD5 Associated with Severe Epilepsy and Intellectual Disability: Potential Implications on Neural Primary CiliaPublication . Martins, M; Oliveira, AR; Martins, S; Vieira, JP; Perdigão, P; Fernandes, AR; de Almeida, LP; Palma, PJ; Sequeira, DB; Santos, JM; Duque, F; Oliveira, G; Cardoso, AL; Peça, J; Seabra, CMDisruptions in the MBD5 gene have been linked with an array of clinical features such as global developmental delay, intellectual disability, autistic-like symptoms, and seizures, through unclear mechanisms. MBD5 haploinsufficiency has been associated with the disruption of primary cilium-related processes during early cortical development, and this has been reported in many neurodevelopmental disorders. In this study, we describe the clinical history of a 12-year-old child harboring a novel MBD5 rare variant and presenting psychomotor delay and seizures. To investigate the impact of MBD5 haploinsufficiency on neural primary cilia, we established a novel patient-derived cell line and used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to create an isogenic control. The patient-derived neural progenitor cells revealed a decrease in the length of primary cilia and in the total number of ciliated cells. This study paves the way to understanding the impact of MBD5 haploinsufficiency in brain development through its potential impact on neural primary cilia.
- Importância das Alterações Cutâneas no Diagnóstico de Doenças NeurológicasPublication . Mateus, AM; Lopes da Silva, R; Conceição, C; Vieira, JP
- LYRM7 Mutations Cause a Multifocal Cavitating Leukoencephalopathy with Distinct MRI AppearancePublication . Dallabona, C; Abbink, TEM; Carrozzo, R; Torraco, A; Legati, A; van Berkel, CGM; Niceta, M; Langella, T; Verrigni, D; Rizza, T; Diodato, D; Piemonte, F; Lamantea, E; Fang, M; Zhang, J; Martinelli, D; Bevivino, E; Dionisi-Vici, C; Vanderver, A; Philip, SG; Kurian, MA; Verma, IC; Bijarnia-Mahay, S; Jacinto, S; Furtado, F; Accorsi, P; Ardissone, A; Moroni, I; Ferrero, I; Tartaglia, M; Goffrini, P; Ghezzi, D; van der Knaap, MS; Bertini, EThis study focused on the molecular characterization of patients with leukoencephalopathy associated with a specific biochemical defect of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex III, and explores the impact of a distinct magnetic resonance imaging pattern of leukoencephalopathy to detect biallelic mutations in LYRM7 in patients with biochemically unclassified leukoencephalopathy. 'Targeted resequencing' of a custom panel including genes coding for mitochondrial proteins was performed in patients with complex III deficiency without a molecular genetic diagnosis. Based on brain magnetic resonance imaging findings in these patients, we selected additional patients from a database of unclassified leukoencephalopathies who were scanned for mutations in LYRM7 by Sanger sequencing. Targeted sequencing revealed homozygous mutations in LYRM7, encoding mitochondrial LYR motif-containing protein 7, in four patients from three unrelated families who had a leukoencephalopathy and complex III deficiency. Two subjects harboured previously unreported variants predicted to be damaging, while two siblings carried an already reported pathogenic homozygous missense change. Sanger sequencing performed in the second cohort of patients revealed LYRM7 mutations in three additional patients, who were selected on the basis of the magnetic resonance imaging pattern. All patients had a consistent magnetic resonance imaging pattern of progressive signal abnormalities with multifocal small cavitations in the periventricular and deep cerebral white matter. Early motor development was delayed in half of the patients. All patients but one presented with subacute neurological deterioration in infancy or childhood, preceded by a febrile infection, and most patients had repeated episodes of subacute encephalopathy with motor regression, irritability and stupor or coma resulting in major handicap or death. LYRM7 protein was strongly reduced in available samples from patients; decreased complex III holocomplex was observed in fibroblasts from a patient carrying a splice site variant; functional studies in yeast confirmed the pathogenicity of two novel mutations. Mutations in LYRM7 were previously found in a single patient with a severe form of infantile onset encephalopathy. We provide new molecular, clinical, and neuroimaging data allowing us to characterize more accurately the molecular spectrum of LYRM7 mutations highlighting that a distinct and recognizable magnetic resonance imaging pattern is related to mutations in this gene. Inter- and intrafamilial variability exists and we observed one patient who was asymptomatic by the age of 6 years.
- TANGO2 Deficiency Disorder: Two Cases of Developmental Delay Preceding Metabolic CrisisPublication . Dias, JV; Carvalho, AA; Freixo, JP; Antunes, D; Martins, AA; Painho, T; Jacinto, SBackground: TANGO2 deficiency disorder is a rare genetic disease caused by biallelic defects in TANGO2 gene. Methods: We report the clinical phenotype of two children with TANGO2 deficiency disorder. Results: Patient 1 is a female child presenting with developmental delay and microcephaly during the second year of life, who evolved with severe cognitive impairment, facial dysmorphisms, spastic paraparesis, and atonic seizures. At age 13 years, she was hospitalized due to an episode of rhabdomyolysis complicated with cardiac arrhythmia and hypothyroidism. Patient 2 is a female child with dysmorphic facial features, cleft palate, and developmental delay who was diagnosed with DiGeorge syndrome. At age three years, she presented with an acute episode of severe rhabdomyolysis in the context of human herpesvirus 6 infection. After the resolution of this acute episode, she maintained recurrent muscle weakness with axial hypotonia and progressive spasticity of the lower extremities. In both patients, diagnosis of TANGO2 deficiency disorder was only confirmed after an acute metabolic crisis. Conclusions: A high index of suspicion for TANGO2 deficiency disorder is needed in patients with developmental delay or other neurological symptoms and episodic rhabdomyolysis.
- Ketogenic Diet and Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity During Tuberculosis TreatmentPublication . Branco Caetano, F; Milheiro Silva, T; Gonçalves, C; Dias, AI; Brito, MJWhen therapy with hepatotoxic drugs is being considered, all other possible contributing agents of liver damage should be held to account. While not generally considered a risk factor, we present 2 cases in which ketogenic diet (KD) may have played a role in liver injury due to antituberculosis drugs. Ketogenic diet has been linked to liver injury, and while its pathophysiology remains obscure, carnitine depletion could play a role, as it is a mechanism of liver damage common to KD and antituberculosis drug regimens.
- High Incidence of Early Thalamic Lesions in the Continuous Spike-Wave Related with Slow Sleep (CSWS)Publication . Carvalho, D; Mendonça, C; Carvalho, J; Martins, A; Leal, AObjective: Continuous Spike-Wave during slow Sleep (CSWS) syndrome associates a clinically important neurocognitive regression with strong activation of non-REM sleep spikes. Its mechanisms remain unknown, but a contribution of rare perinatal thalamic injuries has been highlighted. We determine the incidence of such lesions in a cohort of CSWS patients. Methods: N = 65 patients with CSWS and a control group (N = 51) were studied. Spikes were quantified in long-term ambulatory EEGs, brain Magnetic Ressonance Imaging (MRI) structural lesions were assessed and thalamic volumetry was performed. A neurocognitive scale was used to assess dysfunction. Results: The most common etiologies in the control patients were not represented in the CSWS group. Structural lesions were detected in a minority of CSWS patients (25/53) but included a thalamic injury in the large majority (24/25). This ratio was 4/40 in controls. Lesions belonged to one of five types: 1. Circumscribed to the thalamus (N = 11); 2. Extending beyond the thalamus (N = 3); 3. Hypothalamic-Hamartomas (N = 4); 4. Periventricular-Leukomalacia (N = 4); 5. Hypoplasia-Polymicrogyria (N = 1). Most lesions were lateralized to one hemisphere, which in all cases corresponded to the lateralization of the CSWS. Significance: Thalamic lesions are present in most CSWS patients with abnormal MRIs, supporting an important role in its genesis.
- Cranial Masses in Sickle Cell DiseasePublication . Gonçalves, JS; Tribovane, D; Pires, M; Lopes, RS; Inácio de Oliveira, MR; Conceição, C