Gastrointestinal and urinary complaints in adults with hereditary spastic paraparesis

Background Hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP) is a group of rare genetic disorders affecting the central nervous system. Pure HSP is limited to lower limb spasticity and urinary voiding dysfunction. Complex HSP involves additional neurological features. Beyond the described core symptoms, knowledge about the burden of disease for adults with HSP is limited, particularly regarding gastrointestinal functions, fecal incontinence, and urinary symptoms. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional self-report survey with 108 adult HSP patients (Mage = 57.7 years, SD = 11.5, range 30 to 81; 54.2% females) recruited from a national HSP user group association and a national (non-clinical) advisory unit for rare disorders. HSP data was compared to data from a Norwegian population study, HUNT-3 (N = 46,293). Results The HSP group reported more gastrointestinal and urinary complaints compared to controls. Gastrointestinal complaints included at least “much” complaints with constipation (14.6%) and alternating constipation/diarrhea (8.0%), and at least daily uncontrollable flatulence (47.6%), fecal incontinence (11.6%), and inability to hold back stools (38.5%). Urinary complaints included frequent urination (27.4% > 8 times daily), sudden urge (51.9%) and urinary incontinence (30.5% at least daily/nightly). Conclusion This survey of adults with HSP recruited from non-clinical settings showed constipation, alternate constipation and diarrhea, fecal incontinence, and voiding dysfunction represent considerable problems for many persons with HSP. Health care providers should screen and manage often unrecognized gastrointestinal and fecal incontinence complaints among HSP patients

Health service experiences among adults with hereditary spastic paraparesis or neurofibromatosis type 1

Background Persons with rare disorders may experience poorer health services due to limited knowledge about rare disorders among health professionals. Knowledge about how persons with rare disorders perceive health services can help inform service providers to enhance their practices. Methods We conducted a self‐report survey among adults with the rare disorders hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP; n = 108; mean age 57.7 years; 54.2% females) and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1, n = 142; mean age = 50.3 years; 62.0% females). Their responses concerning perceived health experiences were compared to healthy controls from the population study HUNT‐3 (n = 7,312). Results Both rare disorder groups reported lower satisfaction, trust, and participation in meetings with their general practitioner and specialist health services. More reported health problems were overall associated with poorer health service experiences. Conclusion There is a need to identify predictors of health service experiences at the patient and health service provider levels with the aim to tighten the gap between the health experiences of patients with and without rare disorders

Health Survey of Adults with Neurofibromatosis 1 Compared to Population Study Controls

Abstract Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic, autosomal dominant multi-organ disease characterized by susceptibility to tumor formation, changes in skin pigmentation, skeletal abnormalities, and neuropsychological deficits. Clinical studies have shown impaired health-related quality of life (HQoL) in adults with NF1. However, little is known about HQoL in non-clinical NF1 samples. We conducted a cross-sectional self-report survey of 142 persons with NF1 (M age = 50.3 years, SD = 12.0, range 32 to 80; 62.0% females) recruited from non-clinical settings. Several HQoL domains, including life satisfaction, mental health, sleep, pain, gastrointestinal problems, oral health, and social support, were compared between the NF1 sample and 46,293 controls from the HUNT3 population study. We also examined gender differences within the NF1 sample and predictors of HQoL. Compared to controls, the NF1 sample reported significantly poorer life satisfaction, mental health, sleep, and oral health, and more pain, gastrointestinal problems, comorbid diseases, and memory problems. Several HQoL domains were significantly correlated. Mental health was the only unique significant predictor of overall life satisfaction. Women with NF1 reported significantly more mental health, sleep, and pain problems than men with NF1. Mental health assessment and management should be integrated into clinical care of persons with NF1 to potentially improve their HQoL

Euphorbia stenoclada

Background: Autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy often co-occur; however, the extent to which the association between autism symptoms and epilepsy is due to shared aetiology or to the direct effects of seizures is a topic of ongoing debate. Angelman syndrome (AS) is presented as a suitable disease model to explore this association. Methods: Data from medical records and questionnaires were used to examine the association between age of epilepsy onset, autism symptoms, genetic aberration and communication level. Forty-eight participants had genetically verified AS (median age 14.5 years; range 1–57 years). A measure of autism symptoms (the Social Communication Questionnaire; SCQ) was completed for 38 individuals aged ≥ 4 years. Genetic cause was subgrouped into deletion and other genetic aberrations of the 15q11-q13 area. The number of signs used to communicate (< 20 sign and ≥ 20 signs) was used as a measure of nonverbal communication. Results: Mean age of epilepsy onset was 3.0 years (range 3 months–7.8 years). Mean SCQ score for individuals without epilepsy was 13.6 (SD = 6.7) and with epilepsy 17.0 (SD = 5.6; p = 0.17); 58% used fewer than 20 signs to communicate. There were no age differences between groups according to presence of epilepsy, level of nonverbal communication or type of genetic aberration. SCQ scores were higher in individuals with the deletion than in those with other genetic aberrations (18.7 vs 10.8 p = 0.008) and higher in the group who used < 20 signs to communicate (19.4 vs 14.1 p = 0.007). Age of epilepsy onset was correlated with SCQ (r = − 0.61, p < 0.001). Multiple regression showed that age of seizure onset was significantly related to SCQ score (β = − 0.90; p = 0.006), even when the type of genetic abnormality was controlled (R2 = 0.53; F = 10.7; p = 0.001). Conclusions: The study provides support for the notion that seizures themselves contribute more to autism symptoms than expected from the underlying genetic pathology alone. The study demonstrates how a rare genetic syndrome such as Angelman syndrome may be used to study the relation between epilepsy and autism symptomatology

Microphthalmia and brain atrophy: A novel neurodegenerative disease

Objective: To delineate the features of a novel neurodegenerative disease. Methods: We report three children of three related families with congenital microphthalmia and blindness, and progressive spasticity, microcephaly, seizures, and profound mental retardation. Results: A magnetic resonance imaging scan was normal at birth. However, follow-up studies showed progressive atrophy involving the cerebral white matter and cortex, cerebellum, brainstem, and corpus callosum. The white matter changes extended into the subcortical region leaving only small islands of remaining cortical tissue. Known metabolic conditions involving white matter degeneration were excluded. Interpretation: We propose this to be a novel autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder to be coined MOBA (microphthalmia brain atrophy) disease