Haemophagocytosis in early congenital syphilis

A previously healthy male infant developed hepatosplenomegaly, severe anaemia and thrombocytopenia 5 weeks after birth. Marked haemophagocytosis was present in the bone marrow. A typical maculopapular rash suggested early congenital syphilis. The diagnosis was confirmed by serology and by the presence of untreated syphilis in both parents. Conclusion Syphilis needs to be excluded in infants suspected of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Received: 8 April 1998 / Accepted in revised form: 2 November 1998     

Prognostic indicators in hemiparetic cerebral palsy

In an attempt to define prognostic indicators of intelligence and seizures in the hemiparetic cerebral palsy population, birth histories, electroencephalograms, and computerized tomographic (CT) scans were reviewed in 52 children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy. Cases were excluded when the hemiparesis might have been related to events beyond the neonatal period, such as meningitis, trauma, focal seizures, tumor, or vascular insults. Detailed neurological histories and examinations were done in all patients. Intellectual evaluations, electroencephalograms, and CT scans were obtained. There was no significant relationship of birth history to subsequent seizure development or mental retardation. In contrast, findings in electroencephalograms and CT scans correlated well with the development of seizures and abnormal intelligence. Children who shared anatomical abnormalities of commissural pathways, association pathways, or cerebral cortex were found to have a much higher incidence of seizures and abnormal intelligence.