Purpose: Migraine and tension-type headache are common primary headaches in children. There is a risk of developing secondary headache in children. The current study was aimed to evaluate magnetic resonance imaging findings (MRI) in children with migraine or tension-type headache. Methods: The study was planned in children with migraine or tension-type headaches who have been followed up in the pediatric neurology outpatient clinic with regular office visits for at least two years and had neuroimaging in the last year. Results: 280 patients (187 female patients) datas were studied. 91 (61 female patients) were followed up with the diagnosis of migraine and 189 (126 female patients) with the diagnosis of tension-type headaches. The age of patients was found to be 13.1 ± 3.4 years. Brain tumor was found in one child with tension-type headache who had papilledema. Incidental MRI findings found 7.7% and 12.7% in migraine and tension-type headache, respectively. MRI findings in the study were arachnoid cyst (14), pituitary adenoma (6), mega cisterna magna (6), pineal cyst (3), non-specific gliosis (2) and tumor (1). Conclusion: Arachnoid cysts were found incidental as the most common MRI finding in children with migraine or tension-type headache. The rare life-threatening secondary headache may develop in children. The fundus examination as a complement to the neurological examination can be useful for requesting MRI.
Background: Myotonia congenita is the most common form of nondystrophic myotonia and is caused by Mendelian inherited mutations in the CLCN1 gene encoding the voltage-gated chloride channel of skeletal muscle. Objective: The study aimed to describe the clinical and genetic spectrum of Myotonia congenita in a large pediatric cohort. Methods: Demographic, genetic, and clinical data of the patients aged under 18 years at time of first clinical attendance from 11 centers in different geographical regions of Türkiye were retrospectively investigated. Results: Fifty-four patients (mean age:15.2 years (±5.5), 76% males, with 85% Becker, 15% Thomsen form) from 40 families were included. Consanguineous marriage rate was 67%. 70.5% of patients had a family member with Myotonia congenita. The mean age of disease onset was 5.7 (±4.9) years. Overall 23 different mutations (2/23 were novel) were detected in 52 patients, and large exon deletions were identified in two siblings. Thomsen and Becker forms were observed concomitantly in one family. Carbamazepine (46.3%), mexiletine (27.8%), phenytoin (9.3%) were preferred for treatment. Conclusions: The clinical and genetic heterogeneity, as well as the limited response to current treatment options, constitutes an ongoing challenge. In our cohort, recessive Myotonia congenita was more frequent and novel mutations will contribute to the literature.
1 September 2020 in Journal of the Turkish-German Gynecological Association
To evaluate whether antenatal magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) exposure has a neuroprotective effect against hearing impairment in premature newborns. Retrospective cohort study performed with prematurely (<37 weeks) delivered newborns at a tertiary university hospital. Newborns of 92 women who received MgSO4 infusions (study group) for various indications were compared to newborns of 147 women who did not receive MgSO4 infusions (control group). Every eligible premature newborn underwent hearing screening by auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing before being discharged from the hospital. The fail rate in ABR hearing screening was 3.3% (n=3) in the study group and 10.9% (n=16) in the control group (p=0.034). The rate of concurrent use of betamethasone was higher in the study group (72.8%; n= 67) compared to control group (29.2%; n=43) (p<0.001). Other neonatal parameters such as the number of neonates who are small for gestational age and the rate of microcephaly were similar between the groups (p=0.54, p=0.48, respectively). After adjusting for co-variates including the use of betamethasone and gestational age at delivery, we did not find any statistically significant association between antenatal administration of MgSO4 and fail rates in hearing screening by ABR testing (p=0.07). Our results do not suggest a clear and definite benefit from antenatal MgSO4 infusion in respect of hearing impairment in premature newborns.