Calming the Storm: Dysautonomia for the Pediatrician

Symptom Management in Children Who Are Neurologically Impaired for the Primary Care Medical Home

Children with neurologic impairment are a growing population of pediatric patients who require care from a large team of physicians to maintain their health. These children often have similar clinical patterns and symptoms that occur because of their neurologic impairment. Families often seek care first from their primary care home to identify and guide initial steps in management. Identifying the symptoms outlined in the 4 cases in this article will help alleviate consequences of delayed care for these patients and provide opportunities for shared decision-making with the family's goals of care for their child. [Pediatr Ann. 2024;53(3):e82-e87.].

Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity in Neurocritical Children: A Pilot Study

Background

Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is characterized by the abnormal excessive sympathetic response to acute cerebral insult. There is a paucity of data about this condition in children. This study was planned to analyze the incidence of PSH among children requiring neurocritical care and its association with the outcome.

Materials and methods

The study was conducted in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a tertiary care hospital over a period of 10 months. Children of age 1 month to 12 years admitted with neurocritical illnesses were included. Children who were declared brain dead after initial resuscitation were excluded from the study. The criterion laid by Moeller et al. was used for the diagnosis for PSH.

Results

During the study period, 54 children requiring neurocritical care were included in the study. The incidence of PSH was 5/54 (9.2%). Additionally, 30 (55.5%) children had less than four criteria for PSH and were termed as "incomplete PSH." Children with all four criteria for PSH had a significantly longer duration of mechanical ventilation, PICU stay, and higher PRISM III scores. Children with less than four criteria for PSH also had a longer duration of mechanical ventilation and stay. However, there was no significant difference in mortality.

Conclusion

Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity is common in children with neurological illnesses admitted to the PICU and is associated with longer mechanical ventilation and stay in PICU. They also had higher illness severity scores. Timely diagnosis of the condition and appropriate management is required to improve the outcome of these children.

How to cite this article

Agrwal S, Pallavi, Jhamb U, Saxena R. Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity in Neurocritical Children: A Pilot Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(11):1204-1209.

Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity: It is Time to Use the New Diagnostic Criteria

How to cite this article: Krupanandan R. Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity: It is Time to Use the New Diagnostic Criteria. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(11):1165-1166.

ROHHAD syndrome without rapid-onset obesity: A diagnosis challenge

BACKGROUND

ROHHAD syndrome (Rapid-onset Obesity with Hypothalamic dysfunction, Hypoventilation and Autonomic Dysregulation) is rare. Rapid-onset morbid obesity is usually the first recognizable sign of this syndrome, however a subset of patients develop ROHHAD syndrome without obesity. The prevalence of this entity is currently unknown. Alteration of respiratory control as well as dysautonomic disorders often have a fatal outcome, thus early recognition of this syndrome is essential.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective, observational, multicenter study including all cases of ROHHAD without rapid-onset obesity diagnosed in France from 2000 to 2020.

RESULTS

Four patients were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 8 years 10 months. Median body mass index was 17.4 kg/m². Signs of autonomic dysfunction presented first, followed by hypothalamic disorders. All four patients had sleep apnea syndrome. Hypoventilation led to the diagnosis. Three of the four children received ventilatory support, all four received hormone replacement therapy, and two received psychotropic treatment. One child in our cohort died at 2 years 10 months old. For the three surviving patients, median duration of follow-up was 7.4 years.

CONCLUSION

ROHHAD syndrome without rapid-onset obesity is a particular entity, appearing later than ROHHAD with obesity. This entity should be considered in the presence of dysautonomia disorders without brain damage. Likewise, the occurrence of a hypothalamic syndrome with no identified etiology requires a sleep study to search for apnea and hypoventilation. The identification of ROHHAD syndrome without rapid-onset obesity is a clinical challenge, with major implications for patient prognosis.

Organic features of autonomic dysregulation in paediatric brain injury - Clinical and research implications for the management of patients with Rett syndrome

Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The understanding of this autonomic dysregulation remains incomplete and treatment recommendations are lacking. By searching literature regarding childhood brain injury, we wanted to see whether understanding autonomic dysregulation following childhood brain injury as a prototype can help us better understand the autonomic dysregulation in RTT. Thirty-one (31) articles were identified and following thematic analysis the three main themes that emerged were (A) Recognition of Autonomic Dysregulation, (B) Possible Mechanisms & Assessment of Autonomic Dysregulation and (C) Treatment of Autonomic Dysregulation. We conclude that in patients with RTT (I) anatomically, thalamic and hypothalamic function should be explored, (II) sensory issues and medication induced side effects that can worsen autonomic function should be considered, and (III) diaphoresis and dystonia ought to be better managed. Our synthesis of data from autonomic dysregulation in paediatric brain injury has led to increased knowledge and a better understanding of its underpinnings, leading to the development of application protocols in children with RTT.

A consecutive series of patients undergoing trans-urethral cystolithotripsy with ballistic lithotripsy by a tertiary referral center for neurogenic bladder

Background and aim of the work Patients with neurogenic bladder (NB) have an increased risk of developing bladder stones due to bladder catheter, incomplete bladder emptying, recurrent urinary tract infections, and immobilization. In these patients, minimally invasive treatments are usually adopted, as noninvasive extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy is limited by the risk of not clearing all stone fragments, and open surgery is usually discouraged. The aim of our study was to present our experience with trans-urethral cystolithotripsy (TUCL) in patients treated by a tertiary referral center for NB. Methods We retrospectively collected pre-, intra- and post-operative data from our patients, who underwent TUCL from October 2013 to October 2019. The procedure was performed with a 24 Fr cystoscope and a ballistic lithotripter. Lapaxy was performed with Ellik bladder evacuator. All procedures were performed by two expert surgeons. Stone-free rate (SFR) was defined as the percentage of patients with absence of residual fragments > 2 mm in diameter. Results We performed consecutively 90 TUCLs in 75 patients during the selected period. SFR was 94.1%. Intra- and post-operative complications occurred in one (1.1%) patient. Our statistical analysis outlined the SFR was affected in a statistically significant way by sex, NB etiology, stone cumulative diameter, and operative time. Conclusion Our series proved the safety and efficacy of TUCL with ballistic lithotripsy in NB patients. Further multicenter randomized controlled trials are mandatory to validate definitively TUCL as the gold standard therapy for bladder urolithiasis in NB patients, and to identify risk factors limiting the SFR.

Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity – An Under-Recognized Entity in Pediatric Brain Tumors: Case Report and Review of Literature

Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is not a well-recognized syndrome in pediatric brain tumors, but has been described in adults with traumatic brain injury. We describe the case of a child with medulloblastoma presenting with PSH. An index of suspicion is important in early diagnosis of PSH and this ultimately has an impact on the long-term outcome of patients with the syndrome.

Identification and Management of Paroxysmal Sympathetic Hyperactivity After Traumatic Brain Injury

Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) has predominantly been described after traumatic brain injury (TBI), which is associated with hyperthermia, hypertension, tachycardia, tachypnea, diaphoresis, dystonia (hypertonia or spasticity), and even motor features such as extensor/flexion posturing. Despite the pathophysiology of PSH not being completely understood, most researchers gradually agree that PSH is driven by the loss of the inhibition of excitation in the sympathetic nervous system without parasympathetic involvement. Recently, advances in the clinical and diagnostic features of PSH in TBI patients have reached a broad clinical consensus in many neurology departments. These advances should provide a more unanimous foundation for the systematic research on this clinical syndrome and its clear management. Clinically, a great deal of attention has been paid to the definition and diagnostic criteria, epidemiology and pathophysiology, symptomatic treatment, and prevention and control of secondary brain injury of PSH in TBI patients. Potential benefits of treatment for PSH may result from the three main goals: eliminating predisposing causes, mitigating excessive sympathetic outflow, and supportive therapy. However, individual pathophysiological differences, therapeutic responses and outcomes, and precision medicine approaches to PSH management are varied and inconsistent between studies. Further, many potential therapeutic drugs might suppress manifestations of PSH in the process of TBI treatment. The purpose of this review is to present current and comprehensive studies of the identification of PSH after TBI in the early stage and provide a framework for symptomatic management of TBI patients with PSH.