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Current Pediatric Reviews Aug 2023Appendicitis is a common childhood condition that can be diagnostically challenging. Severe cases may necessitate support in the critical or intensive care unit. These...
INTRODUCTION
Appendicitis is a common childhood condition that can be diagnostically challenging. Severe cases may necessitate support in the critical or intensive care unit. These "critical appendicitis diagnoses" have rarely been described.
CASE DESCRIPTION
We retrospective reviewed the PICU database of the Hong Kong Children's Hospital and identified cases of suspected and confirmed appendicitis. Clinical features, radiologic findings and final diagnosis of each case were summarized and reported in this case series. We review six anonymized cases of appendicitis managed in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) to illustrate the different age spectrum and clinical manifestations of the condition. Rupture of the inflamed appendix, peritonitis and pancreatitis were some of the complications encountered. Crohn disease was found in one case as an underlying diagnosis. Also, one girl clinically diagnosed with appendicitis was found to be a case of ruptured hepatoblastoma with no appendicitis (i.e., pseudoappendicitis).
CONCLUSION
Prompt diagnosis, surgical removal of the inflamed appendix, and use of appropriate antimicrobials when indicated are essential in reducing mortality and morbidity associated with severe appendicitis. Significant premorbid conditions such as acute myeloid leukemia, mitochondrial encephalopathy lactic acidosis syndrome (MELAS), inflammatory bowel disease and complications may be present in patients needing intensive care as is illustrated in the present cases. Pseudoappendicitis is an important differential diagnosis. Imaging is crucial and useful in establishing and confirming the diagnosis of appendicitis and pseudo-appendicitis in these PICU cases.
PubMed: 37592922
DOI: 10.2174/1573396320666230811092837 -
Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences Sep 2023Mitochondrial dysfunction can arise from genetic defects or environmental exposures and impact a wide range of biological processes. Among these are metabolic pathways... (Review)
Review
Mitochondrial dysfunction can arise from genetic defects or environmental exposures and impact a wide range of biological processes. Among these are metabolic pathways involved in glutamine catabolism, anabolism, and glutamine-glutamate cycling. In recent years, altered glutamine metabolism has been found to play important roles in the pathologic consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction. Glutamine is a pleiotropic molecule, not only providing an alternate carbon source to glucose in certain conditions, but also playing unique roles in cellular communication in neurons and astrocytes. Glutamine consumption and catabolic flux can be significantly altered in settings of genetic mitochondrial defects or exposure to mitochondrial toxins, and alterations to glutamine metabolism appears to play a particularly significant role in neurodegenerative diseases. These include primary mitochondrial diseases like Leigh syndrome (subacute necrotizing encephalopathy) and MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy with encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes), as well as complex age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Pharmacologic interventions targeting glutamine metabolizing and catabolizing pathways appear to provide some benefits in cell and animal models of these diseases, indicating glutamine metabolism may be a clinically relevant target. In this review, we discuss glutamine metabolism, mitochondrial disease, the impact of mitochondrial dysfunction on glutamine metabolic processes, glutamine in neurodegeneration, and candidate targets for therapeutic intervention.
Topics: Animals; Glutamine; MELAS Syndrome; Mitochondria; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Mitochondrial Diseases
PubMed: 37586651
DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103887 -
Pediatric Nephrology (Berlin, Germany) Mar 2024Genetic forms of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) often have extra-renal manifestations. This study examined FSGS-associated genes from the Genomics England... (Review)
Review
Genetic forms of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) often have extra-renal manifestations. This study examined FSGS-associated genes from the Genomics England Renal proteinuria panel for reported and likely ocular features. Thirty-two of the 55 genes (58%) were associated with ocular abnormalities in human disease, and a further 12 (22%) were expressed in the retina or had an eye phenotype in mouse models. The commonest genes affected in congenital nephrotic syndrome (NPHS1, NPHS2, WT1, LAMB2, PAX2 but not PLCE1) may have ocular manifestations . Many genes affected in childhood-adolescent onset FSGS (NPHS1, NPHS2, WT1, LAMB2, SMARCAL1, NUP107 but not TRPC6 or PLCE1) have ocular features. The commonest genes affected in adult-onset FSGS (COL4A3-COL4A5, GLA ) have ocular abnormalities but not the other frequently affected genes (ACTN4, CD2AP, INF2, TRPC6). Common ocular associations of genetic FSGS include cataract, myopia, strabismus, ptosis and retinal atrophy. Mitochondrial forms of FSGS (MELAS, MIDD, Kearn's Sayre disease) are associated with retinal atrophy and inherited retinal degeneration. Some genetic kidney diseases (CAKUT, ciliopathies, tubulopathies) that result in secondary forms of FSGS also have ocular features. Ocular manifestations suggest a genetic basis for FSGS, often help identify the affected gene, and prompt genetic testing. In general, ocular abnormalities require early evaluation by an ophthalmologist, and sometimes, monitoring or treatment to improve vision or prevent visual loss from complications. In addition, the patient should be examined for other syndromic features and first degree family members assessed.
Topics: Adult; Adolescent; Animals; Mice; Humans; Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental; Mutation; Kidney; Nephrotic Syndrome; Atrophy; DNA Helicases
PubMed: 37578539
DOI: 10.1007/s00467-023-06073-y -
Frontiers in Neurology 2023Patients with mitochondrial disorders always show neurological deficits. However, the diversity of clinical manifestations, genetic heterogeneity and threshold effect...
INTRODUCTION
Patients with mitochondrial disorders always show neurological deficits. However, the diversity of clinical manifestations, genetic heterogeneity and threshold effect caused by maternal heredity make its diagnosis very challenging.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 30-year-old female presented to our neurology department with a recurrence of symmetrical weakness proximally in the lower extremities. Seven years ago, the patient had a sudden onset of persistent weakness in bilateral proximal lower extremities, along with elevated creatinine kinase (CK) and CK-MB. Given the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome, she was treated with high-dose glucocorticoid (GC) therapy at the local hospital and recovered. After admission to our hospital, laboratory analysis revealed elevated CK and alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase in serum. Electrocardiography showed sinus tachycardia and left high ventricular voltage. Electromyography (EMG) and evoked potential (EP) suggested peripheral neurogenic damage of the upper and lower extremities with myogenic wear. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) was initially considered, but neurological symptoms were not significantly improved with glucocorticoid shock therapy. An elevated level of lactate was found. The short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) axial magnetic resonance image (MRI) revealed mild hyperintensities, indicating muscle edema. Meanwhile, muscle biopsies suggested pathological changes in mitochondrial disorders (MIDs) and neuronal damage. Further mitochondrial genome analysis revealed a heteroplasmic m3271 T>C mutation in the mitochondrial tRNA-Leu gene (UUR). Collectively, the patient was finally diagnosed with mitochondrial disorder and apparently improved after the corresponding treatment to regulate energy metabolism.
CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, it's the first report about MELAS with 3271 mutation that have only shown peripheral nerve motion impairment. Proximal weakness is also common in CIDP. In the context of this patient's experience, mitochondrial genome analysis provides an auxiliary criterion for differential diagnosis between MIDs and CIDP. In the meantime, we discussed the clinical effect of GCs on MIDs.
PubMed: 37576015
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1179992 -
Handbook of Clinical Neurology 2023Mitochondrial dysfunction, especially perturbation of oxidative phosphorylation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation, disrupts cellular homeostasis and is a... (Review)
Review
Mitochondrial dysfunction, especially perturbation of oxidative phosphorylation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation, disrupts cellular homeostasis and is a surprisingly frequent cause of central and peripheral nervous system pathology. Mitochondrial disease is an umbrella term that encompasses a host of clinical syndromes and features caused by in excess of 300 different genetic defects affecting the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Patients with mitochondrial disease can present at any age, ranging from neonatal onset to late adult life, with variable organ involvement and neurological manifestations including neurodevelopmental delay, seizures, stroke-like episodes, movement disorders, optic neuropathy, myopathy, and neuropathy. Until relatively recently, analysis of skeletal muscle biopsy was the focus of diagnostic algorithms, but step-changes in the scope and availability of next-generation sequencing technology and multiomics analysis have revolutionized mitochondrial disease diagnosis. Currently, there is no specific therapy for most types of mitochondrial disease, although clinical trials research in the field is gathering momentum. In that context, active management of epilepsy, stroke-like episodes, dystonia, brainstem dysfunction, and Parkinsonism are all the more important in improving patient quality of life and reducing mortality.
Topics: Adult; Infant, Newborn; Humans; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies; DNA, Mitochondrial; Quality of Life; Mitochondrial Diseases; Stroke
PubMed: 37562887
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-323-98818-6.00025-X -
Brain Pathology (Zurich, Switzerland) Nov 2023The mitochondrial (m.) 3243A>G mutation is known to be associated with various mitochondrial diseases including mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis,...
The mitochondrial (m.) 3243A>G mutation is known to be associated with various mitochondrial diseases including mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). Their clinical symptoms have been estimated to occur with an increased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy and reduced activity of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes, but their trends in the central nervous system remain unknown. Six autopsied mutant cases and three disease control cases without the mutation were enrolled in this study. The mutant cases had a disease duration of 1-27 years. Five of six mutant cases were compatible with MELAS. In the mutant cases, cortical lesions including a laminar necrosis were frequently observed in the parietal, lateral temporal, and occipital lobes; less frequently in the frontal lobe including precentral gyrus; and not at all in the medial temporal lobe. The mtDNA heteroplasmy in brain tissue samples of the mutant cases was strikingly high, ranging from 53.8% to 85.2%. The medial temporal lobe was preserved despite an inhospitable environment having high levels of mtDNA heteroplasmy and lactic acid. OXPHOS complex I was widely decreased in the mutant cases. The swelling of smooth muscle cells in the vessels on the leptomeninges, with immunoreactivity (IR) against mitochondria antibody, and a decreased nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio of choroidal epithelial cells were observed in all mutant cases but in none without the mutation. Common neuropathological findings such as cortical laminar necrosis and basal ganglia calcification were not always observed in the mutant cases. A high level of mtDNA heteroplasmy was observed throughout the brain in spite of heterogeneous cortical lesions. A lack of medial temporal lesion, mitochondrial vasculopathy in vessels on the leptomeninges, and an increased cytoplasmic size of epithelial cells in the choroid plexus could be neuropathological hallmarks helpful in the diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases.
Topics: Humans; MELAS Syndrome; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial Diseases; DNA, Mitochondrial; Mutation; Necrosis
PubMed: 37534760
DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13199 -
Neurology Oct 2023A 17-year-old girl presented with a long history of cognitive impairment, personality and behavioral changes, dysarthria, and paroxysmal lower-extremity weakness. She...
A 17-year-old girl presented with a long history of cognitive impairment, personality and behavioral changes, dysarthria, and paroxysmal lower-extremity weakness. She was initially suspected of having mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes because of stroke-like symptoms, such as episodic lower-extremity weakness, as well as abnormal brain MRI findings of generalized cerebral atrophy, extensive high-intensity lesions in the cortex and subcortical white matter on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images, decreased N-acetyl aspartate/creatine ratio, and a lactate peak in the focal area on spectrum images. However, there were no relatives with similar presentations in the family of the patient. The whole mitochondrial genome and whole-exome sequencing did not suggest pathogenic mutations, and no abnormalities were found in the blood or CSF lactate levels. In this case, we detail the clinical manifestations, diagnostic workup, and imaging findings. This case highlights the importance of assessing cognitive function and the relevant differential diagnoses in an adolescent with cognitive impairment.
Topics: Female; Adolescent; Humans; Brain; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Acidosis, Lactic; Stroke; Clinical Reasoning; MELAS Syndrome
PubMed: 37491326
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207597 -
Parkinsonism & Related Disorders Aug 2023
Topics: Humans; Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive; Acidosis, Lactic; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies; Stroke; Syndrome; DNA, Mitochondrial
PubMed: 37451107
DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2023.105516 -
Nucleic Acids Research Aug 2023The 3243A > G in mtDNA is a representative mutation in mitochondrial diseases. Mitochondrial protein synthesis is impaired due to decoding disorder caused by severe...
The 3243A > G in mtDNA is a representative mutation in mitochondrial diseases. Mitochondrial protein synthesis is impaired due to decoding disorder caused by severe reduction of 5-taurinomethyluridine (τm5U) modification of the mutant mt-tRNALeu(UUR) bearing 3243A > G mutation. The 3243A > G heteroplasmy in peripheral blood reportedly decreases exponentially with age. Here, we found three cases with mild respiratory symptoms despite bearing high rate of 3243A > G mutation (>90%) in blood mtDNA. These patients had the 3290T > C haplotypic mutation in addition to 3243A > G pathogenic mutation in mt-tRNALeu(UUR) gene. We generated cybrid cells of these cases to examine the effects of the 3290T > C mutation on mitochondrial function and found that 3290T > C mutation improved mitochondrial translation, formation of respiratory chain complex, and oxygen consumption rate of pathogenic cells associated with 3243A > G mutation. We measured τm5U frequency of mt-tRNALeu(UUR) with 3243A > G mutation in the cybrids by a primer extension method assisted with chemical derivatization of τm5U, showing that hypomodification of τm5U was significantly restored by the 3290T > C haplotypic mutation. We concluded that the 3290T > C is a haplotypic mutation that suppresses respiratory deficiency of mitochondrial disease by restoring hypomodified τm5U in mt-tRNALeu(UUR) with 3243A > G mutation, implying a potential therapeutic measure for mitochondrial disease associated with pathogenic mutations in mt-tRNAs.
Topics: Humans; MELAS Syndrome; RNA, Transfer, Leu; Taurine; Haplotypes; Mutation; DNA, Mitochondrial; Mitochondrial Diseases
PubMed: 37439353
DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad591 -
Neurology. Genetics Aug 2023Stroke-like episodes (SLEs) in patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome are often misdiagnosed as acute...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Stroke-like episodes (SLEs) in patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome are often misdiagnosed as acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We aimed to determine unique clinical and neuroimaging features for SLEs and formulate diagnostic criteria.
METHODS
We retrospectively identified patients with MELAS admitted for SLEs between January 2012 and December 2021. Clinical features and imaging findings were compared with a cohort of patients who presented with AIS and similar lesion topography. A set of criteria was formulated and then tested by a blinded rater to evaluate diagnostic performance.
RESULTS
Eleven MELAS patients with 17 SLE and 21 AISs were included. Patients with SLEs were younger (median 45 [37-60] vs 77 [68-82] years, < 0.01) and had a lower body mass index (18 ± 2.6 vs 29 ± 4, < 0.01), more commonly reported hearing loss (91% vs 5%, < 0.01), and more commonly presented with headache and/or seizures (41% vs 0%, < 0.01). The earliest neuroimaging test performed at presentation was uniformly a noncontrast CT. Two main patterns of lesion topography with a stereotypical spatiotemporal evolution were identified-an anterior pattern (7/21, 41%) starting at the temporal operculum and spreading to the peripheral frontal cortex and a posterior pattern (10/21, 59%) starting at the cuneus/precuneus and spreading to the lateral occipital and parietal cortex. Other distinguishing features for SLEs vs AIS were cerebellar atrophy (91% vs 19%, < 0.01), previous cortical lesions with typical SLE distribution (46% vs 9%, = 0.03), acute lesion tissue hyperemia and venous engorgement on CT angiography (CTA) (45% vs 0%, < 0.01), and no large vessel occlusion on CTA (0% vs 100%, < 0.01). Based on these clinicoradiologic features, a set of diagnostic criteria were constructed for possible SLE (sensitivity 100%, specificity 81%, AUC 0.905) and probable SLE (sensitivity 88%, specificity 95%, AUC 0.917).
DISCUSSION
Clinicoradiologic criteria based on simple anamnesis and a CT scan at presentation can accurately diagnose SLE and lead to early administration of appropriate therapy.
CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE
This study provides Class III evidence that an algorithm using clinical and imaging features can differentiate stroke-like episodes due to MELAS from acute ischemic strokes.
PubMed: 37426458
DOI: 10.1212/NXG.0000000000200082