Early clinical characteristics according to developmental stage in children with definite moyamoya disease

Seizures in Pediatric Moyamoya: Risk Factors and Functional Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Children with moyamoya arteriopathy are at high risk for stroke and seizures. Risk factors for seizures and the impact of seizures on neurological outcomes in children with moyamoya are unknown.

METHODS

This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of children with moyamoya evaluated between 2003 and 2021. Functional outcome was assessed using the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure (PSOM). Associations between clinical variables and seizure occurrence were assessed using univariate and multivariable logistic regression. Associations between clinical variables and final PSOM score were assessed using ordinal logistic regression.

RESULTS

Eighty-four patients met inclusion criteria, and 34 (40%) children experienced seizure. Factors associated with seizures included moyamoya disease (vs syndrome; odds ratio [OR] 3.43, P = 0.008) and the presence of infarcts on baseline neuroimaging (OR 5.80, P = 0.002). Factors associated with decreased likelihood of experiencing seizures included older age at initial presentation (OR 0.82, P = 0.002) and asymptomatic (radiographic) presentation (OR 0.05, P = 0.006). Both older age at presentation (adjusted OR [AOR] 0.80, P = 0.004) and incidental radiographic presentation (AOR 0.06, P = 0.022) remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders. Seizures were associated with worse functional outcomes as assessed by the PSOM (regression coefficient 2.03, P < 0.001). This association remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders (adjusted regression coefficient 1.54, P = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

Younger age and symptomatic presentation are associated with increased likelihood of seizures among children with moyamoya. Seizures are associated with worse functional outcomes. Prospective studies should clarify how seizures impact outcomes and how effective seizure treatment modifies this relationship.

Seizures, Epilepsy, and Electroencephalography Findings in Pediatric Moyamoya Arteriopathy: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Although seizures are known to occur in children with moyamoya arteriopathy, data regarding characteristics, prevalence, and predictive factors for their development are less established. This study aimed to systematically review literature addressing seizures, epilepsy, and electroencephalography findings in the pediatric moyamoya population.

METHODS

A scoping review was performed by searching PubMed and Ovid:Embase databases for articles that described seizures, epilepsy, and electroencephalography findings in patients aged 0 to 21 years with moyamoya arteriopathy.

RESULTS

The search yielded 43 total articles that addressed the following topics in childhood moyamoya: seizures as the presenting symptom, epilepsy characteristics and management, characteristic electroencephalography findings including rebuildup with discussion of proposed mechanisms, and potential predictive clinical factors for the development of seizures preoperatively and the persistence of epilepsy postoperatively. In the reviewed literature, 9% to 19% of children with moyamoya had epilepsy, with over half of the cases lacking radiographic evidence of ischemia. Young age was the most consistent clinical factor associated with both seizures as the presenting symptom and with moyamoya-related epilepsy. Multiple studies report that seizures, electroencephalographic background abnormalities, and the rebuildup phenomenon improve after successful revascularization surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

This scoping review provides a thorough investigation of the literature available to date on the clinical features of seizures in the pediatric moyamoya population. Literature on this topic is scarce and further studies assessing predictive factors for the development of epilepsy, prognosis as a result of having seizures, and seizure management in this population will help to fill existing knowledge gaps.

Features and diversity of symptoms of moyamoya disease in adolescents: A cluster analysis

AIMS

The purpose of this study is to explore the symptoms experienced by adolescents with moyamoya disease and to identify the characteristics of each symptom cluster associated with moyamoya disease.

DESIGN

A retrospective and descriptive design, which is a secondary data analysis study based on electronic medical record data from hospitals.

METHODS

To assess the symptoms associated with moyamoya disease, a qualitative study was conducted on 12 adolescents, 12 caregivers and 12 experts on moyamoya disease. According to a qualitative study, 12 main symptoms (limb weakness, numbness, pins and needles, difficulty in speech, blurred vision, facial paralysis, hand tremors, involuntary movements, convulsions, dizziness, nausea/vomiting and headaches) were selected. Data were collected around these symptoms. The data collection was carried out through the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) data of 303 adolescents aged 13-19 who were diagnosed with moyamoya disease (ICD 10 Code: I67.5) between January 2010-December 2019 in a hospital in Seoul, South Korea. Cluster analysis was applied to identify symptom clusters with the hierarchical cluster agglomerative approach. We used the log-likelihood distance to measure the similarity of variables. Proximity between groups of variables was measured using the two-step method.

RESULTS

The physical symptoms experienced by adolescents with moyamoya disease were 'limb weakness' - the most common - followed by a 'headache,' 'difficulty in speech,' and 'nausea/vomiting.' A total of five symptom clusters were derived: cluster 1 was characterized by 'limb weakness'; cluster 2 participants were asymptomatic or experienced 'convulsions'; cluster 3 experienced 'difficulty in speech' and 'facial paralysis'; cluster 4 is prone to 'dizziness' and 'pins and needles'; and cluster 5 displays 'headaches' and 'nausea/vomiting'.

CONCLUSION

This study offers a multidimensional approach for identifying differences in clinical symptoms of moyamoya disease among adolescents.

IMPACT

These results will help provide interventions concerning the characteristics of the symptoms of moyamoya disease among adolescents.

Efficacy of STA-MCA bypass surgery in moyamoya angiopathy: long-term follow-up of the Caucasian Krupp Hospital cohort with 81 procedures

BACKGROUND

Despite the consensus on the efficacy of revascularizing surgery in moyamoya angiopathy (MA) in Asia, the indication in Caucasian moyamoya patients is controversially discussed.

OBJECTIVE

The efficacy of revascularizing surgery in adult European patients with MA should be clarified.

METHODS

This study retrospectively analyzed the rate of further strokes and hemorrhages as well as MRI and Duplex ultrasound features during long-term follow up after STA-MCA bypass.

RESULTS

Eighty-one STA-MCA bypass procedures in 54 patients with MA operated in one single German institution were analyzed. All 54 patients (100%) were Caucasians. After two diffusion restricted spots in MRI perioperatively (2.5%) and short-lasting symptoms directly after surgery, no patient experienced further new symptoms related to stroke or hemorrhages nor no new gliotic scars or microbleeds on MRI for 38.2 months. Duplex ultrasound 3 months after surgery documented bypass patency in 100% and sonographic sign for good relevance of the bypass in 96.2%. In addition, the diameter of the donor vessel had increased in 89.9% as an indicator for the relevance of the bypass. Semi-quantitative analysis of perfusion changes in the operated hemispheres demonstrated an increase in perfusion in the MCA territory in 56 of 74 (75.7%) hemispheres 36.7 months after surgery. In MRA images, a reduction of typical moyamoya collaterals was found in 65 of 79 hemispheres (82.3%) after a mean of 37.2 months.

CONCLUSION

Direct STA-MCA bypass is an effective therapy in Caucasian patients with hemodynamically compromised MA.

Transient Ischemic Attack in Pediatric Patients With Moyamoya Disease: Clinical Features, Natural History, and Predictors of Stroke

BACKGROUND

Despite being the most common presentation in children with moyamoya, transient ischemic attack (TIA) in children has rarely been described. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical characteristics of TIAs in children with moyamoya and explore the risk factors for stroke after TIA.

METHODS

We reviewed 696 consecutive patients with moyamoya vasculopathy (155 pediatric patients and 541 adults) admitted to our hospital from 2009 to 2015 to identify pediatric patients with moyamoya with an initial presentation of TIA. We defined recurrent TIAs that involve more types of symptoms or symptom extensions as symptom progression. The risk factors for subsequent stroke were analyzed using time-to-event analyses.

RESULTS

We identified 60 pediatric patients with moyamoya who had presented with TIA (initial presentation age, 10.0 ± 3.5 years). Motor weakness (n = 51 [85%]) was the most common initial presentation. During follow-up, 55 patients (91.7%) had recurrent TIAs and 14 (23.3%) had subsequent strokes. We identified female gender (hazard ratio, 5.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.40-18.47; P = 0.01), Suzuki grade greater than 3 (hazard ratio, 4.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-13.82; P = 0.03), and symptom progression (hazard ratio, 5.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.65-17.14; P = 0.01) as independent predictors of future stroke events.

CONCLUSIONS

Transient ischemic attacks have a relatively high recurrence rate in children with moyamoya and are associated with subsequent stroke. We identified the female sex, Suzuki grade greater than  3, and symptom progression as independent predictors of future strokes.

[Clinical manifestations of the onset and diagnostic problems in children with moyamoya disease]

Moyamoya disease in children is a rarely diagnosed entity. Frequent headache is the first symptom of the disease. Headache associated with moya-moya disease (HAMD) is a separated entity reported in the literature. Variants of onset, a spectrum of primary diagnoses and diagnosis verification rate of moyamoya disease in 7 children are presented. A clinical case of moya-moya disease in a 9-year boy, who was primarily diagnosed with migraine with aura, is reported. The results presented by the authors as well as literature data indicate the necessity of using magnetic-resonance angiography in children with headache attacks and focal neurologic symptoms to identify this progressive vascular pathology and timely recommend a surgical treatment.

Surgical outcomes following encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis in adult moyamoya disease associated with Type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE Debate exists regarding the merits and shortcomings of an indirect bypass procedure for treating adult patients with moyamoya disease (MMD). Considerable variation in neovascularization occurs among different organs in patients with diabetes mellitus. Here, the effect of encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis on MMD associated with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is evaluated. METHODS A retrospective and 1:2 matched case-control study was conducted in moyamoya patients with or without T2DM (n = 180). Postoperative collateral formations were graded according to the Modified Collateral Grading System that originated from the Matsushima Angiographic Stage Classification. Neurological function outcomes before and after the operation were evaluated according to the modified Rankin Scale. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the risk factors for clinical outcome. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference in the constituent ratios of initial symptom and preoperative Suzuki stage between patients with and without T2DM. Progression of angiopathy around the circle of Willis was postoperatively observed in bilateral internal carotid arteries in both groups. Patients with T2DM had a higher postoperative Suzuki stage (p < 0.01) and more frequent development of collateral angiogenesis germinating from the external carotid after indirect revascularization procedures in the surgical cerebral hemisphere (82.7% vs 72.2%; p < 0.05). The extent of postoperative collateral formation in patients with diabetes mellitus was significantly higher (p < 0.01). Postoperative clinical improvement in the diabetes group was more common after revascularization procedures (p < 0.05), and the diabetes group had lower modified Rankin Scale scores (p < 0.05) in comparison with the nondiabetes group. Late postoperative stroke and posterior cerebral artery involvement were identified as predictors of unfavorable clinical outcome in both groups, while T2DM was associated with a favorable clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS Encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis is an efficacious treatment for adult patients with MMD. Patients with T2DM could achieve better collateral circulation and clinical improvement following surgery.

Predictors of Stroke After Transient Ischemic Attack in Children

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) in children has received far less attention compared with TIA in adults. The risk factors of stroke after TIA in children are relatively unknown. We aimed to determine the percentage of children who have stroke after TIA and the risk factors associated with stroke after TIA.

METHODS

We searched the medical records at Boston Children's Hospital for the year 2010 to find children who were evaluated for TIA to determine associated risk factors of stroke after TIA. We included children who were evaluated in 2009 through 2010 for TIA and had magnetic resonance imaging. We examined follow-up imaging through August 2014 for subsequent stroke. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios for factors in our cohort who are associated with stroke after presentation with TIA.

RESULTS

We identified 63 children who experienced a TIA. The mean time of imaging follow-up was 4.5 years after TIA presentation. Of the 63 children, 10 (16%) developed radiological evidence of ischemic cerebral injury within the follow-up period. Four of the 10 (6%) demonstrated diffusion abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging at TIA presentation, whereas 8 (13%) had a stroke after their TIA. Arteriopathy, female sex, and autoimmune disorders were significantly associated with stroke after TIA.

CONCLUSIONS

In our cohort of children, stroke occurred after TIA at a rate similar to that seen in adults, but the risk factors for stroke after TIA in children are different.

Characteristics of brain magnetic resonance images at symptom onset in children with moyamoya disease

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the characteristics of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at symptom onset in patients with childhood moyamoya disease (MD) according to developmental stage.

METHODS

In 26 childhood MD patients who underwent brain MRI and MRA within 3 months from symptom onset, MRA scores and grades and MRI findings from symptomatic hemispheres were summarized according to developmental stage: infancy (0-1 years, three patients), toddlerhood/preschool age (2-5 years, nine patients), school age (6-10 years, seven patients), and adolescence (11-18 years, seven patients).

RESULTS

Mean MRA score was 5.6, which was higher in adolescents (6.9). The most common MRA grade was grade 3, particularly in those under 10 years. Acute ischemic infarction presented in 17 patients (65%), was more common in patients below 5 years (83%) and was mainly in a gyral pattern (47%). Most hemorrhagic infarctions occurred in adolescents. Moyamoya vessels in the Sylvian valleys were apparent in 22 patients (85%), which were the most sensitive non-ischemic findings on T2 weighted images. The signal void in the distal internal carotid artery was diminished in 73% and apparent signal voids in basal ganglia were seen in three patients. The ivy sign was positive in 81% on fluid attenuated inversion recovery images and 69% on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images in 21 and 16 patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Brain MRIs and MRAs at symptom onset in childhood MD have characteristic findings, which differ in different developmental stage.