Background Palliative care is a comprehensive treatment approach that guarantees comfort for pediatric patients and their families from diagnosis to death. The techniques used for neurological patients in the field of palliative care can enhance the quality of care provided to patients with neurological disorders and support their families. Purpose This study aimed to analyze the palliative care protocols in use in our department, describe the palliative course in the clinical setting, and propose the implementation of hospital palliative care for long-term prognosis of patients with neurological diseases. Methods This retrospective observational study examined the application of palliative care from birth to early infancy in neurological patients. We studied 34 newborns with diseases affecting the nervous system impairing prognosis. The study was conducted from 2016 to 2020 at the Neonatology Intensive Care Unit and the Pediatric Unit of the San Marco University Hospital in Catania, Sicily, Italy. Results Despite current legislation in Italy, no palliative care network has been activated to meet the needs of the population. In our center, given the vast number of patients with neurological conditions requiring palliative care, we should activate a straightforward departmental unit for neurologic pediatric palliative care. Conclusion The establishment of specialized reference centers that manage significant neurological illnesses is due to neuroscience research progress in recent decades. Integration with specialized palliative care is sparse but now seems essential.

Epileptic encephalopathy is a condition in which seizures, electroencephalographic epileptiform abnormalities lead to a progressive deterioration of brain functions causing a significant psychomotor delay. One of the typical features of this heterogeneous and large group of severe disorders is the extremely early onset of seizures. The main causes of the epileptic encephalopathies include structural brain defects, inherited metabolic disorders; in this aspect, more than 100 genetic defects, including mutations in the solute carrier family 25 (SLC25A22 ) gene which encodes a mitochondrial glutamate carrier. To date, the main clinical phenotypes related to mutations of this gene are Ohtahara syndrome (or early infantile epileptic encephalopathy), early myoclonic encephalopathy and migrating partial seizures in infancy. In all the cases, prognosis is poor and no disease-modifying treatment is available in the present days.

Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome (WFS) is a rare but usually fatal disease characterized by adrenal insufficiency associated to bilateral adrenal hemorrhage. It can be associated both to non-infection and a variety of infectious diseases, among which sepsis from Neisseria meningitidis accounts for more than 80% of cases. We report the case of an otherwise healthy 2-year-old child who had a WFS as a consequence of Neisseria meningitidis infection and in which we witnessed a complete recovery of adrenal function a few months after the event. The case highlights not only the difficulty of diagnosing this syndrome but also, at the same time, the extreme importance of high suspicion, early treatment, a multidisciplinary approach and, most of all, the importance of verifying the restoration of adrenal function in order to achieve a better quality of life. Int J Clin Pediatr. 2021;10(1):28-33 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/ijcp429

In these last 25 years, the Neonatal Emergency Transport (NET) service has been widely improved in Italy. To date, all National areas are covered by a NET service; 53 NET centers have been activated in all the Italian territory. Herein, the authors present an observational study to evaluate the rate of infantile mortality after introduction of NET in Sicily, and to study the efficiency of this service in reducing these rates of mortality in vulnerable neonates, transported from primary care birth centers to tertiary facilities to undergo to specialized NICU assistance. All neonates who required an emergency transport by NETS were included. No exclusions criteria were applied. Demographic and regional infantile mortality data, expressed as infant mortality rate, were selected by the official government database (ISTAT- National Statistic Institute— http://www.istat.it ). All data were respectively divided into three groups: data concerning transport, clinical condition, and mortality of the transported patients. We transported by NET 325 neonates. The analysis of the infant mortality rate (per 1.000 live births) in Catania from 2016 to 2018 was reduced compared to the same rate calculated before NETS activation (4.41 index before 2016 vs 4.17 index after 2016). These data showed an increase in other provinces (Enna, Caltanissetta, and Agrigento). 61% of neonates showed a respiratory disease. During the study period the proportion of neonates with a Mortality Index for Neonatal Transportation—MINT < 6 has been reduced, while there was an increase of neonates with higher Transport Risk Index of Physiologic Stability-TRIPS score results. The slight decrease of infantile mortality in Catania during the first three years after introduction of NET follows the same trend of all Italian territories, showing the importance of this service in reducing infantile mortality.

Background: Non-Epileptic Paroxysmal Events (NEPE) are common clinical manifestations in pediatric age presenting with dysfunction of motor and behavioral activity mimicking features of epileptic seizures. Objective: To present and analyze number and clinical characteristic of a group of children/adolescents presenting with various types of NEPE; to compare clinical data of this group of NEPE affected children/adolescents with a group of children/adolescents affected by Epileptic Seizures (ES). Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at the Pediatric Clinic of University of Catania, Catania, Italy, in a period ranging from January 2005 and January 2018. Two groups of children/adolescents, aged from 1 month to 15 years, were selected: 312 affected by NEPE and 192 by ES. Number and percentage of the single type of NEPE were reported. Then, demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, duration of the events, time of diagnosis, and age of onset of each type of NEPE and ES affected children/adolescents were analyzed and compared. Results of statistical analysis of the data were carried out between ES and some type of NEPEs including Sandifer syndrome, breath-holding spells, paroxysmal tremors, vertigo, and syncope. Results: Among the group of NEPE, vertigo, type of paroxysmal event clinically not classifiable, syncope, and Sandifer syndrome were the most common events; In the comparative analyzed samples, variability between NEPE and ES was found in the duration of the paroxysmal events, in number of episodes, in lag-time between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis, and in age of onset. Analyzing clinical data of ES with some type of NEPE, statistical significant results were obtained in vertigo as regards the duration and average duration event, in paroxysmal tremors as number of events, in Sandifer syndrome as lag-time of diagnosis, and finally in all the types of NEPE as regards the age of onset, and loss of consciousness. Conclusions: Analyzing the clinical features of each type of NEPE differences with ES are found. However, globally considered diagnostic differences between NEPE and ES remain difficult, questionable, and unrealizable without the support of correct parental report, direct clinical observations, and video-EEG monitoring.

Abstract Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, with a lifetime incidence of 1 in 26. Approximately two-thirds of epilepsy has a substantial genetic component in its etiology. As a result, simultaneous screening for mutations in multiple genes and performing whole exome sequencing (WES) are becoming very frequent in the clinical evaluation of children with epilepsy. In this setting, mutations in voltage-gated sodium channel (SCN) α-subunit genes are the most commonly identified cause of epilepsy, with sodium channel genes (i.e., SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN8A) being the most frequently identified causative genes. SCN1A mutations result in a wide spectrum of epilepsy phenotypes ranging from simple febrile seizures to Dravet syndrome, a severe epileptic encephalopathy. In case of mutation of SCN1A, it is also possible to observe behavioral alterations, such as impulsivity, inattentiveness, and distractibility, which can be framed in an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) like phenotype. Despite more than 1,200 SCN1A mutations being reported, it is not possible to assess a clear phenotype–genotype correlations. Treatment remains a challenge and seizure control is often partial and transitory.

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a fundamental role as an essential cofactor for two enzymes responsible for the production of succinyl-CoA and methionine. Vitamin B12 deficiency can occur in infants and may be related to the breastfeeding mother's adherence to a vegan diet or somatic diseases in the mother. It should be differentiated from inborn errors of vitamin B12 metabolism. Herein, we report the cases of three infants with West syndrome; all three were breastfed by mothers who followed a strict vegan diet. In one of the three infants, West syndrome developed during treatment with vitamin B12 and normalization of the vitamin B12 level. Early treatment and replacement therapy are worthwhile to prevent serious neurological problems and to improve the patient's clinical course.

AbstractGlucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT1DS) is caused by heterozygous, mostly de novo, mutations in SLC2A1 gene encoding the glucose transporter GLUT1, the most relevant energy transporter in the blood–brain barrier. GLUT1DS includes a broad spectrum of neurologic disturbances, from severe encephalopathy with developmental delay, to epilepsy, movement disorders, acquired microcephaly and atypical mild forms. For diagnosis, lumbar puncture and genetic analysis are necessary and complementary; an immediate response to ketogenic diet supports the diagnosis in case of high suspicion of disease and negative exams. The ketogenic diet is the first-line treatment and should be established at the initial stages of disease.

One of the first reported genes associated with epilepsy was SCN1B, which encodes for beta-subunit of voltage-gated sodium channel of excitable cells and it is critical for neuronal function in both central and peripheral nervous system. beta-subunits modulate the expression levels and functional properties of sodium channels and though their immunoglobulin domains may mediate interactions between channels and other proteins. Traditionally, SCN1B mutations were associated with generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus, a familial epilepsy syndrome characterized by heterogeneous phenotypes including febrile seizures (FS), febrile seizures plus (FSthorn), mild generalized epilepsies, and severe epileptic encephalopathies. Throughout the years, SCN1B mutations have been also associated with Dravet syndrome and, more recently, with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, expanding the spectrum associated with this gene mutations to more severe phenotypes.

AbstractGuillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory polyneuropathy characterized by rapidly progressive, essentially symmetric weakness and areflexia in a previously otherwise healthy child. It is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis in children, and its reported incidence is 1 to 2/100,000 population. Prior infection is a well-established predating event in GBS. The commonly recognized variants of GBS are acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP), acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy, and Miller–Fisher syndrome. AIDP is the most prevalent form. As Guillain–Barrè syndrome represents an important differential diagnosis in infancy with pronounced and progressive hypotonia, we herein report a case of AMAN in a 5-month-old male infant without known exposure to immunomodulating factors or infections.

Aicardi Syndrome (AS) is a rare and severe neurodevelopment disorder, usually involving the female gender and characterized by hypogenesis of the corpus callosum, ocular abnormalities (chorioretinal lacunae), a severe, drug-resistant epilepsy, intellectual disability, costovertebral anomalies, other brain malformations and mild facial dysmorphism. The genetic cause of AS has never been found. We report on a female patient, affected by AS spectrum and presenting the classic triad (hypogenesia of the corpus callosum, choriorentinal lacunae, drug-resistant epilepsy) and other brain malformations (polymicrogyria, cortical dysplasia, heterotopias and asymmetric ventricles). A NGS-panel for epilepsy and brain malformations disclosed a compound heterozygosis in DCHS1 gene, which is the cause of Van Maldergem syndrome, characterized by severe face dysmorphism, skeletal abnormalities, respiratory tract malformations and severe brain involvement. We hypothesize that the phenotype of this AS patient may be caused by variants in DCHS1 gene and that the two syndromes may share common genetic causes. Interestingly, DCHS1 is located in proximity to TEAD1 (chromosome 11p15), reported as causative of AS in a single patient, and both the proteins are involved in the hippo-pathway (which regulates cellular growth and apoptosis). Alternatively, the patient could present a new subtype of Van Maldergem Syndrome, without face dysmorphism and skeletal abnormalities.

Sullo, Federica; Palmucci, Stefano; Polizzi, Agata; Ruggieri, Martino; Praticò, Andrea D. Author Information

Food allergy (FA) is a serious health problem, and its incidence has been increasing especially in children. Wheat is one of the five most common foods that trigger allergic reactions in children. It is an increasingly recognised trigger for immune-mediated FAs, both Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and non-IgE mediated. We describe the case of a 4-year-old boy with a combination of symptoms due to IgE-mediated asthma worsened by IgE-non-dependent hypersensitivity to wheat demonstrated by a positive patch test. With the avoidance of wheat oral intake, we observed a progressive clinical improvement. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with IgE-non-dependent allergy to wheat presenting with chronic symptoms in one body system outside of the gastrointestinal tract and with negative skin prick test.

Cerebellotrigeminal dermal (CTD) dysplasia is a rare neurocutaneous disorder characterized by a triad of symptoms: bilateral parieto-occipital alopecia, facial anesthesia in the trigeminal area, and rhombencephalosynapsis (RES), confirmed by cranial magnetic resonance imaging. CTD dysplasia is also known as Gómez-López-Hernández syndrome. So far, only 35 cases have been described with varying symptomatology. The etiology remains unknown. Either spontaneous dominant mutations or de novo chromosomal rearrangements have been proposed as possible explanations. In addition to its clinical triad of RES, parietal alopecia, and trigeminal anesthesia, CTD dysplasia is associated with a wide range of phenotypic and neurodevelopmental abnormalities.Treatment is symptomatic and includes physical rehabilitation, special education, dental care, and ocular protection against self-induced corneal trauma that causes ulcers and, later, corneal opacification. The prognosis is correlated to the mental development, motor handicap, corneal–facial anesthesia, and visual problems. Follow-up on a large number of patients with CTD dysplasia has never been reported and experience is limited to few cases to date. High degree of suspicion in a child presenting with characteristic alopecia and RES has a great importance in diagnosis of this syndrome.

Microcephaly-capillary malformation is a relatively new syndrome, which has been reported since 2011 by three different research groups. It is an ultra-rare syndrome characterized by the co-occurrence of microcephaly and multiple capillary malformations in the skin, distal limb anomalies (ranging from nail dystrophy to total absence of one or more phalanxes and mostly localized in the foot), facial dysmorphisms, brain structural anomalies (reduced gyration, widened axial spaces, thin cortex, optic nerve atrophy), early-onset severe intractable epilepsy, and profound mental delay. Autosomal recessive mutations in STAMBP gene (2p13.1) have been reported as the only cause of the disorder, with a high penetrance. Currently, no definitive cure is available for the disorder, and treatment is mainly based on multiple antiepileptic drugs for the treatment of seizures, especially in the first years of life. Data on life-long concerns have not been reported, the older patient described so far being an 8-year-old boy.

AbstractHypomelanosis of Ito (HI) is a congenital neurocutaneous syndrome presenting in the first year of life. It was first described by Ito in 1952 as a purely cutaneous disease presenting with skin hypopigmentation. Several extracutaneous manifestations were later described, and it is now known that several organs can be involved (including brain, muscle, bone, heart, eye, kidney, and teeth) and that the prognosis is strictly related to the number of involved organs. The incidence and prevalence of this syndrome have been estimated to range between 1 in 7,540 births and 1 in 82,000; the disorder affects both the sexes, occurs in all races, and is characterized by depigmentation of the skin along the lines of Blaschko on the trunk and extremities in whorled and linear streaks and patterns. The pathogenesis is unknown, but it is likely to be multifactorial. Several models of inheritance have been proposed but not proved; genetic mosaicism is nowadays the most likely explanation for its inheritance. The differential diagnosis comprises other disorders with hypopigmentation following the lines of Blaschko and thus includes the atrophic/hypopigmented (fourth) stage manifestations of incontinentia pigmenti of the Bloch–Sulzberger type, tuberous sclerosis complex, vitiligo, and skin fungal infections. Consensus recommendations for the screening of associated extracutaneous conditions do not exist and management is symptomatic, but a regular evaluation of somatic growth, neurodevelopment, endocrine status, eyes, and teeth should be performed, and the screening of renal function is also advisable. HI still represents a challenging disorder for the child neurologist and a controversial issue in the medical literature. Awareness of this disorder could allow an early diagnosis and appropriate genetic counseling and screening.

AbstractBlue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by multifocal venous malformations mainly of the skin, soft tissue, and gastrointestinal tract. However, it may occur in any tissue including the nervous system. This syndrome most commonly occurs sporadically but can be associated with an autosomal dominant inheritance. Among the cases reported in the literature, the female/male ratio was ∼1:1. The diagnosis of BRBNS is based on the presence of characteristic cutaneous lesions with or without gastrointestinal bleeding and/or the involvement of other organs. Typical skin manifestations consist of soft, easily compressive, bluish papules similar to rubber-like nipples. Aside the skin, vascular lesions are usually found in the gastrointestinal tract, anywhere from the oral to the anal mucosa, but predominantly in the small bowel. Endoscopy provides the opportunity to treat and diagnose the lesions. BRBNS should be differentiated from hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (Osler–Weber–Rendu syndrome), Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome, and Maffucci syndrome. The prognosis of BRBNS depends on which organs are involved and the extent of involvement. Most patients can live a long life with the disease, but the quality of life is limited due to gastrointestinal bleeding, oral drug therapy, and blood transfusions. Sudden massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage remains the most frequent cause of death. No curative therapy is currently available for this syndrome. The cutaneous lesions are usually asymptomatic and do not require treatment. The most important clinical problem is the management of acute or chronic bleeding from the multiple gastrointestinal venous malformations: a conservative approach should be instituted whenever the clinical features and the bleeding episodes are mild and only in a life-threatening situation surgery may be required. In the recent years, however, molecular targeted therapy with the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor sirolimus has been anecdotally employed with reduction in bleeding and shrinkage of vascular malformations.

Megalencephaly capillary malformation polymicrogyria (MCAP) syndrome is characterized by the sporadic occurrence of congenital and progressive megalencephaly, brain malformations including polymicrogyria, pre- and postnatal overgrowth with body asymmetry, cutaneous vascular malformations (including capillary malformation and cutis marmorata), digital anomalies connective tissue dysplasia (including skin and joint laxity), and developmental delay. In the past 10 years, the specific cause of the disease has been found in gain-of-function mutations of PIK3CA gene, mostly somatic/postzygotic but in rare cases also de novo germline. Such gene encodes for PI3K, a critical member of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway: genetic changes lead to an over-activation of this signaling system, with increased vascular, limb, and brain cell development, progression, and survival. Interestingly, mutations in the same gene can cause other clinically heterogeneous syndromes, including CLOVE syndrome, macrodactyly, focal adipose overgrowth, epidermal nevi, facial infiltrating lipomatosis: all these syndromes (even if heterogeneous) are now considered a unique spectrum, known as PIK3CA -related overgrowth syndrome. On the contrary, a disease strictly similar to MCAP, characterized by megalencephaly, polymicrogyria, polydactyly, and hydrocephalus has been found to be caused by mutations in two other PI3K-AKT-mTOR-releted genes, AKT3 and PIK3R2 , and for this reason is not included in the upper mentioned group of syndromes. With the exception of neurosurgery strategies for hydrocephalus and posterior fossa overcrowding, therapeutic options are nowadays limited, even if gene-targeted treatment protocols have been proposed and protocols with such agents (i.e.,Arq092) are currently ongoing in small groups of patients with promising results.

T-lineage ALL is an aggressive disease that needs to be treated with intensive treatment schedules. A late relapse rarely occurs and a clear choice for second-line treatment is on debate. We report on a young adult with a very late isolated extramedullary relapse of PICALM-MLLT10 positive T-ALL, successfully treated with a chemotherapy-based and radiotherapy-based pediatric protocol. We demonstrate that relapse can occur in T-ALL although a SR-MRD behavior treated with a high-risk protocol; specific molecular diagnostic aberrations, as PICALM-MLLT10, are still conserved at very late relapse; a second-line treatment based on pediatric protocol can be effective.

The tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is an oncology emergency triggered by a massive and abrupt release of intracellular substances (potassium, phosphate, and purine metabolites) into the bloodstream. It may occur spontaneously or, more frequently, as a consequence of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. When the accumulation of these metabolites overwhelms the normal homeostatic mechanism, the TLS develops and leads to hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia, and hypocalcaemia. These metabolic derangements can progress to clinical manifestations including acute renal failure, cardiac arrhythmias, central nervous system toxicity, and even death. The key to prevent and manage TLS is the identification of high-risk patients to give them appropriate treatment measures when necessary.