Non-Randomized Comparative Study of Olfaction in post-COVID-19 Children. Intermediary Results

The aim of the study is to estimate olfaction in post-COVID-19 children.Research methods. The study included 81 children, they were divided into two groups: those who had COVID-19 and those who had not.Survey procedures. Pediatrician, neurologist and otolaryngologists clinical examinations, cognitive status estimation, olfactometry were performed.Results. The olfaction perception threshold post-COVID-19 children and adolescents was higher than in children who have not undergone this infection. Changes in olfaction perception threshold did not depend on how participants and their parents informed about the sense of smell. The involvement of olfactory sensitivity in the pathological process does not depend on the infection severity itself or premorbid neurological lesion.Conclusion. It has been shown for the first time in the Russian sample that changes in sense of smell persist in children 3–4 weeks after recovery from COVID-19.

Prevalence of Sleep Disordered Breathing in Children With Myelomeningocele

BACKGROUND Retrospective studies have shown high rates of sleep disordered breathing in children with myelomeningocele. However, most patients included in those studies underwent polysomnography because of symptoms, so the prevalence of sleep disordered breathing in this population is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of sleep disordered breathing in children with myelomeningocele using screening polysomnography. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, all children with myelomeningocele seen in a multi-disciplinary spina bifida clinic between 2016 and 2020 were referred for polysomnography regardless of clinical symptoms. Included children had not previously undergone polysomnography. The primary outcome for this study was presence of sleep disordered breathing, defined as Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI, number of apnea or hypopnea events per hour of sleep) greater than 2.5. Clinical and demographic variables relevant to myelomeningocele were also prospectively collected and tested for association with presence of sleep apnea. RESULTS A total of 117 participants underwent polysomnography (age 1 mo to 21 yr, 49% male). The majority were white, non-Hispanic. Median AHI was 1.9 (interquartile range 0.6-4.2). A total of 49 children had AHI 2.5 or greater, yielding a sleep disordered breathing prevalence of 42% (95% CI 33%-51%). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, children with more rostral neurological lesion levels had higher odds of sleep disordered breathing (OR for thoracic, mid-lumbar, and low-lumbar: 7.34, 3.70, 4.04, respectively, compared to sacral level, P = .043). CONCLUSION Over 40% of a sample of children with myelomeningocele, who underwent screening polysomnography, had significant sleep disordered breathing. Routine screening polysomnography may be indicated in this population.

The Neurological Exam of a Comatose Patient: An Essential Practical Guide

A thorough examination of a comatose patient is essential given the spectrum of clinical diagnoses. The most immediate threat to patients is airway, breathing and circulation. All attending physician should employ a structured and focused approach in dealing with a comatose patient. It is important to recognise the urgent steps needed at the time to prevent further deterioration, followed by the final diagnosis of patient’s neurologic status. Here we provide the essential practical guide to the neurological exam of a comatose patient that would assist to determine the aetiology, location and nature of the neurological lesion.

A case of diabetic fetopathy: caudal regression syndrome and associated anomalies

Uncontrolled periconceptional diabetes in mother can give rise to severe malformation in the offspring. Author describe a case of diabetic fetopathy presenting as a case of Caudal regression syndrome along with cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and genitourinary anomaly. Though most cases of Caudal regression syndrome are sporadic, it is the most specific lesion of diabetic fetopathy. Clinical presentation varies depending on the severity of the neurological lesion along with the presence of other anomalies, most commonly genitourinary malformation. The index case described here had a type IV lumbosacral agenesis with severe bilateral motor and sensory deficits along with D-Transposition of great arteries and Pyloric atresia. Such cases arise due to inadequate prenatal care of diabetic mother, which is not uncommon in developing country like India.

MULTIPLE VERTEBRAL FRACTURES AT THE “DR. MANUEL DUFOO” SPINE CLINIC

ABSTRACT Objective: To establish the frequency of presentation of multiple vertebral fractures and evaluate the relationship between the postsurgical condition and the initial neurological lesion, as well as to report the associated injuries in this group of patients. Methods: We conducted a review of patients with spinal trauma and a diagnosis of multiple vertebral fractures who were admitted to the “Dr. Manuel Dufoo Olvera” Spine Clinic of the Secretary of Health of Mexico City from January 1,2014 to June 30, 2017. The multiple fractures were classified as either contiguous or non-contiguous, according to the number of vertebral bodies and levels affected. The statistical analysis was conducted using formulas of descriptive statistics and the information was then tabulated and graphed to assess the relationship between the anatomical classification and the degree of neurological injury. Results: We observed 530 patients, of whom 47 met the criteria. Thirty-one (65.95%) of the cases corresponded to contiguous fractures and 16 cases (34.05%) to non-contiguous fractures. Fourteen patients (29.78%) with neurological integrity were classified as ASIA D, 20 patients (42.58%) with complete lesion as ASIA A, 7 seven patients (14.89%) as ASIA B, and 6 patients (12.76%) with partial injury as ASIA C. Conclusions: The correlation between the classification of vertebral injuries and the presence of neurological lesion did not show significant differences between contiguous and non-contiguous fractures. Level of Evidence II; Retrospective.

Safe management of acute cervical spine injuries

Cervical spine injuries are frequent and often caused by a blunt trauma mechanism. They can have severe consequences, with a high mortality rate and a high rate of neurological lesions. Diagnosis is a three-step process: 1) risk assessment according to the history and clinical features, guided by a clinical decision rule such as the Canadian C-Spine rule; 2) imaging if needed; 3) classification of the injury according to different classification systems in the different regions of the cervical spine. The urgency of treatment is dependent on the presence of a neurological lesion and/or instability. The treatment strategy depends on the morphological criteria as defined by the classification. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2018;3 DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.3.170076