Perinatal Stroke : Distinct Causes, Diverse Outcomes

Perinatal stroke is a generic term that encompasses distinct disorders which differ either from the point of view of causality, timing or mode of onset. The overall prevalence at term is around 20-60/100000 live births, mostly term neonates. Classically, one distinguishes: - Neonatal arterial ischemic stroke (NAIS) and neonatal cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (NCSVT) that manifest soon after birth; -Presumed perinatal ischemic stroke (PPIS) that is also divided into arterial presumed stroke (APPIS) and venous stroke (PVI), and that manifests after the neonatal period, most often with motor asymmetry; and - Perinatal primary hemorrhagic stroke (PHS). Rarely, fetal strokes are diagnosed on antenatal imaging or on autopsy in stillbirths

Thalamic Hemorrhagic Stroke in the Term Newborn: A Specific Neonatal Syndrome With Non-uniform Outcome

Neonatal thalamic hemorrhagic stroke is related to cerebral sinus venous thrombosis and associated with neurological sequelae. Predicting factors are however lacking

Specific language impairment versus Landau-Kleffner syndrome

The occurrence of sleep electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities in some children with specific language impairment (SLI), the various forms of language dysfunction patterns seen in children with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS), and finally the acquired aphasia in Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS) indicate a large spectrum of interactions between language and epilepsy. As such, the question is whether SLI and LKS should rather be considered along a continuum or as two entirely distinct entities. In addition, the rationale for using antiepileptic medications in rare forms of SLI is discussed

Prise en charge diagnostique et thérapeutique actuelle des accidents vasculaires cérébraux post-varicelleux chez l'enfant: revue de la littérature

Among infectious factors, varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a leading cause of central nervous system vasculopathy and stroke in childhood. Not only have viral markers been detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of affected patients, but also direct evidence of viral particles in the wall of cerebral arteries has been demonstrated in rare pathological specimens. This certainly reflects a localized infectious process likely associated with variable indirect inflammatory responses. Yet the usefulness in this setting of a lumbar puncture as well as of subsequent targeted antiviral and/or anti-inflammatory therapies is uncertain. Indeed, in the majority of cases, the so-called post-varicella angiopathy has a monophasic evolution with spontaneous resolution or stabilization, explaining diverging diagnostic and treatment approaches. In this paper, we have addressed this problematic area by reviewing 26 published cases from the year 2000 and three unpublished cases. Post-varicella stroke is typically associated with angiopathy most often involving the initial portion of the middle cerebral artery, causing a basal ganglia stroke. It tends to occur in young immunocompetent children. Thrombophilia work-up is in general negative. Lumbar puncture was performed in 17 out of 29 cases. Viral markers were examined in 14 cases, but were positive in only eight cases. Antiviral therapy was administrated in 11 children. In this small retrospective study, the treated children's vasculopathy did not progress more favorably nor was there a better outcome compared with untreated subjects

Essais thérapeutiques dans la dystrophie musculaire de Duchenne: entre espoirs et désespoirs

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an X-linked progressive muscle disease. Since the discovery of the dystrophin gene responsible for the condition, various therapeutic strategies have been elaborated. In this paper we introduce three of them, which are well into clinical trials. The first is based on the ability to read through premature stop codons, the second is based on the technique of exon skipping. Both strategies are examples of "personalized medicines", tailored for specific mutation types. The third approach is a pharmacological one, potentially useful for all Duchenne patients, regardless of their mutation type. These first clinical trials raise many questions for researchers as well as for patients and their families, some of which are discussed

Recognition, identification, and diagnosis announcement of neonatal arterial ischemic stroke: A combined exploratory quantitative and qualitative study on parents' lived experiences

Objectives: To examine the epidemiology of neonatal arterial ischemic stroke (NAIS) and the chronology of care from early reported manifestations to formal diagnosis obtained by imaging. To explore how parents experienced the sequence of events, their own perception of potential diagnostic delay, diagnosis announcement, and prognosis discussion, and their current view of their child's quality of life. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of all NAIS cases that have been treated in our institution. Quantitative data came from both newborns' and mothers' medical records. Qualitative data were collected from parents in semi-structured interviews based on a standardized questionnaire composed of open-ended questions. Results: A total of 14 neonates were treated for NAIS in our institution between January 2008 and December 2017. The incidence of NAIS during this period was one out of 4258 births. The majority of neonates presented within 48 hours with a mean of 27h after birth, most often in the form of repetitive focal clonus (13/14). The mean time before diagnosis consideration and confirmation was 5 and 33h, respectively. Late consideration of early reported symptoms was identified as the main source of delay. Despite good reported health outcome, NAIS was associated with significant acute and long-standing parental emotional stress. Conclusion: Maternity hospital caregivers' awareness of NAIS is crucial to reach early diagnosis. Improving this aspect would not only allow better early management, but also make it possible to set up acute neuroprotective strategies. Clinicians should be attentive to the modalities of diagnosis and prognosis announcements, which are associated with considerable stress and misconceptions.</p