Doxapram and developmental delay at 12 months in children born extremely preterm

AIM: To examine the relation of doxapram to a developmental score achieved by a structured telephone interview in a group of extremely-preterm-born children. METHODS: Parents of 88 children born extremely preterm were contacted by telephone and interviewed by a structured questionnaire (R-PDQ) when the corrected age of their child was 9-15 mo. RESULTS: We found that doxapram treatment was associated with a deficit in age-adjusted R-PDQ score.CONCLUSION: Doxapram may have a negative effect on neurodevelopmental outcome.     

幼儿发育落后间断抽搐8个月

该文报道1 例因发育落后及癫癎而诊断为母性苯丙酮尿症(phenylketonuria, PKU)的患儿。患儿男,1 岁8 个月时就诊,发育落后,1 岁出现癫癎,毛发黑,头围小,发育商为43,脑MRI 扫描显示白质髓鞘化发育落后,双侧侧脑室增宽,枕骨大孔狭窄。染色体核型正常,血液氨基酸、酯酰肉碱谱及尿液有机酸正常。家族史调查发现患儿母亲自幼智力落后,学习困难,毛发色泽发黄,26 岁结婚,婚前常规检查未见异常。患儿母亲于28 岁来院检查,血液氨基酸分析发现血液苯丙氨酸显著增高(916.54 μmol/L,正常值20~120 μmol/L),苯丙氨酸羟化酶(PAH)基因c.611A>G(p.Y204C)纯合突变,为PAH 缺陷导致的PKU 患者。患儿为c.611A>G杂合突变携带者,血液苯丙氨酸正常。患儿父亲健康,PAH 基因未检出突变。建议对于不明原因智力障碍的患儿需进行详细的家族史调查,对智力障碍的父母更需进行详细的临床及代谢分析,以发现亲代疾病导致的儿童脑损害,如母性PKU。     

Vitamin B12 deficiency with intrinsic factor antibodies in an infant with poor growth and developmental delay

Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency is very rare in infants and may lead to serious hematological and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. The present article describes a case involving a seven-month-old boy with severe vitamin B₁₂ deficiency, likely caused by juvenile pernicious anemia, an entity rarely described. The child presented with feeding intolerance, poor growth and developmental delay. He was noted to have macrocytic anemia, a markedly low serum vitamin B₁₂ level, and elevated homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels. Antibodies to intrinsic factor were positive. The mother was healthy, with normal vitamin B₁₂ status. Therapy with vitamin B₁₂ supplements led to excellent recovery of symptoms. Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency should be considered in children presenting with failure to thrive, especially when compounded with neurological symptoms. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment is essential to avoid serious complications.     

婴儿手足口病后肢体扭转伴发育倒退1月

患儿,女,1岁,因手足口病后肢体扭转、发育倒退1个月就诊。患儿11个月时因发热5d,皮疹伴频繁抽搐2d在当地就诊,诊断"手足口病重型、病毒性脑炎、癫癎持续状态"。颅脑MRI显示双侧基底节,双侧丘脑、大脑脚、双侧皮层及海马对称性异常信号。给予免疫球蛋白、抗病毒以及抗惊厥药物等治疗2周,效果不佳。为查明病因,进行了遗传代谢病血尿筛查。尿有机酸分析示戊二酸及3-羟基戊二酸显著增高,血戊二酰肉碱正常、游离肉碱降低。提示戊二酸尿症1型。经低赖氨酸饮食、左卡尼汀、巴氯芬等治疗1个月后患儿症状明显改善。手足口病是儿科常见病毒感染性疾病,患有遗传代谢病、免疫缺陷等潜在疾病的患儿可能出现严重合并症。对于手足口病合并难以解释的脑病患儿,应考虑潜在的遗传代谢性疾病。     

Quantitative analysis of the corpus callosum in children with cerebral palsy and developmental delay: correlation with cerebral white matter volume

Background: The direct quantitative correlation between thickness of the corpus callosum and volume of cerebral white matter in children with cerebral palsy and developmental delay has not been demonstrated. Objective: This study was conducted to quantitatively correlate the thickness of the corpus callosum with the volume of cerebral white matter in children with cerebral palsy and developmental delay. Material and methods: A clinical database of 70 children with cerebral palsy and developmental delay was established with children between the ages of 1 and 5 years. These children also demonstrated abnormal periventricular T2 hyperintensities associated with and without ventriculomegaly. Mid-sagittal T1-weighted images were used to measure the thickness (genu, mid-body, and splenium) and length of the corpus callosum. Volumes of interest were digitized based on gray-scale densities to define the hemispheric cerebral white matter on axial T2-weighted and FLAIR images. The thickness of the mid-body of the corpus callosum was correlated with cerebral white matter volume. Subgroup analysis was also performed to examine the relationship of this correlation with both gestational age and neuromotor outcome. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: There was a positive correlation between the thickness of the mid-body of the corpus callosum and the volume of cerebral white matter across all children studied (R=0.665, P=0.0001). This correlation was not dependent on gestational age. The thickness of the mid-body of the corpus callosum was decreased in the spastic diplegia group compared to the two other groups (hypotonia and developmental delay only; P<0.0001). Within each neuromotor subgroup, there was a positive correlation between thickness of the mid-body of the corpus callosum and volume of the cerebral white matter. Conclusion: The thickness of the mid-body of the corpus callosum positively correlates with volume of cerebral white matter in children with cerebral palsy and developmental delay, regardless of gestational age or neuromotor outcome. Assessment of the thickness of the corpus callosum might help in estimating the extent of the loss of volume of cerebral white matter in children with a broad spectrum of periventricular white matter injury.     

微阵列比较基因组杂交技术检测不明原因智力低下/发育迟缓患儿的基因组拷贝数变异

目的应用高分辨微阵列比较基因组杂交技术(Array-CGH),对中国人群不明原因的智力低下/发育迟缓(MR/DD)患儿进行全基因组拷贝数变异(CNVs)筛查,获得在这些不明原因MR/DD患儿中CNVs的检出率,并分析其中的罕见CNVs与MR/DD的相关性,以此评估Array-CGH对不明原因MR/DD可能的遗传病因诊断作用。方法根据特定筛选条件收集在首都儿科研究所临床诊断为不明原因MR/DD患儿,用Oligo244KDNA芯片筛查全基因组CNVs。针对所发现的CNVs,首先将其与国际基因组CNVs多态性数据库(databaseofgenomicvariants)进行比对,剔除常见多态性CNVs,将获得的罕见CNVs应用美国波士顿儿童医院遗传诊断实验室的临床分子诊断平台,结合基因组异常拷贝数数据库(DECIPHER)进行核查并与既往相关文献比对,以发现罕见CNVs在不明原因MR/DD患儿中的检出率。结果2004年7月至2008年7月共收集111例不明原因MR/DD患儿,平均年龄为6岁,男女比例为1.775。28例患儿发现36个罕见CNVs,CNVs平均长度为1326kb(29～8760kb),这些CNVs均无法被常规染色体G带检查所识别。通过评估,19例患儿携带可能与MR/DD相关的CNVs,另1例患儿的CNVs临床意义不明确,Array-CGH在不明原因MR/DD患儿中发现携带与疾病相关的罕见CNVs的诊断率为17.1%(19/111例)。22/36个(66.1%)罕见CNVs曾被美国波士顿儿童医院Array-CGH数据库、DECIPHER数据库、既往MR/DD微阵列研究文献所报道。1例患儿在15q11.2-13.1存在2098kb的基因组缺失,覆盖Prader-Willi综合征/Angelman综合征关键区的多个候选基因,包括SNRPN、NECDIN、SnRNAs和UBE3A,结合该患儿面部表型、临床检查以及Array-CGH结果,诊断为非典型性Prader-Willi综合征。结论基因组CNVs相关的微缺失/重复是中国人群中不明原因MR/DD患儿的原因之一,高分辨Array-CGH技术可在不明原因MR/DD患儿中发现更多的遗传病因,帮助和提高不明原因MR/DD的分子诊断水平。     

Breastfeeding and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake in the first 4 post-natal months and infant cognitive development: an observational study

The aim of this study was to examine infant feeding and the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) concentration of breast milk and formulas in relation to infant development. The prospective Pregnancy, Infection and Nutrition Study (n=358) collected data on breastfeeding, breast milk samples and the formulas fed through 4months post-partum. At 12months of age, infants' development was assessed (Mullen Scales of Early Learning). Linear regression was used to examine development in relation to breastfeeding, breast milk docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) concentration, and DHA and AA concentration from the combination of breast milk and formula. The median breast milk DHA concentration was 0.20% of total fatty acids [interquartile range (IQR)=0.14, 0.34]; median AA concentration was 0.52% (IQR=0.44, 0.63). Upon adjustment for preterm birth, sex, smoking, race and ethnicity and education, breastfeeding exclusivity was unrelated to development. Among infants exclusively breastfed, breast milk LCPUFA concentration was not associated with development (Mullen composite, DHA: adjusted β=-1.3, 95% confidence interval: -10.3, 7.7). Variables combining DHA and AA concentrations from breast milk and formula, weighted by their contribution to diet, were unassociated with development. We found no evidence of enhanced infant development related to the LCPUFA content of breast milk or formula consumed during the first four post-natal months.     

Natural history of suspected developmental delay between 12 and 24 months of age in the 2004 Pelotas birth cohort

Aims: To describe the incidence and persistence of suspected developmental delay (SDD) between 12 and 24 months of age and associated factors in the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort. Methods: A cohort of 4262 newborns, 3907 of whose were monitored from 12 to 24 months of life. SDD was established by Battelle Screening Developmental Inventory. The adjusted analyses were carried out using Poisson regression. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results: Incidence of SDD between 12 and 24 months of age was 1.8% (95% CI: 1.4–2.3). After the adjusted analyses, the following factors increased the risk of the incidence: Apgar 5′ < 7, preterm delivery, low socio‐economic level, intergestational interval ≤24 months, not having been told stories in the previous 2 weeks, lack of children's books at home and male gender. A total of 390 children were positive in the 12 month (prevalence of 10%; 95% CI: 9.0–10.9). From these children, 58 remained positive up to 2 years of age, with a persistence rate of 15.6% (95% CI: 11.9–19.3). The following were factors for persistence in SDD: Apgar 5′ < 7, low socio‐economic level, intergestational interval ≤24 months, breastfeeding duration <6 months and not having been told stories in the previous 2 weeks. Conclusions: Easy access to children's literature and telling stories to children are inexpensive measures that may have an impact on the child's development between 12 and 24 months of life.     

50例微缺失和微重复综合征患儿的临床表型及基因组拷贝数变异的分析

目的了解微缺失和微重复综合征(MMSs)的基因型与临床表型的关系及致病性拷贝数变异(CNVs)的发生机制。方法收集2013年6月至2015年9月,应用染色体微阵列(CMA)诊断为MMSs的患儿50例,总结分析其临床表现和致病性CNVs的特点。结果 50例MMSs患儿临床表现以精神发育迟滞(MR)、发育迟缓(DD)、矮小、特殊面容为主,且往往多系统的异常同时存在,共存在54处致病性CNVs,微缺失片段36个、微重复片段18个,片段大小介于28kb至48.5Mb,平均13.86Mb。致病性CNVs易发生在X染色体、15号染色体、1号染色体。结论 MMSs临床表现缺乏特异性,可以采取基因型优先的方法进行诊断。遗传方式、重组类型(缺失或者重复)、片段大小以及所包含的功能基因有利于新生突变CNVs的解读,少见发病机制的深入研究有望成为发现新的罕见MMSs的突破点。