Alström syndrome mimicking spasmus nutans: report of a novel ALMS1 variant

We report the case of an otherwise healthy 6-year-old girl presenting with poor visual acuity, photophobia, and abnormal eye and head movements who was initially diagnosed with spasmus nutans. A remote history of presumed viral cardiomyopathy and further electroretinography testing raised suspicion for Alström syndrome. She was diagnosed with a novel ALMS1 variant.

Advancement of the muscle insertion toward the limbus as an alternative or adjunct to resection

PURPOSE

To describe the surgical outcomes of patients that underwent strabismus surgery involving advancement of the muscular insertion line toward the limbus.

METHODS

The medical records of patients who underwent rectus muscle advancement surgery between January 2009 and June 2019 and had at least 1 year of follow-up were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were classified into one of four types of deviation: (1) convergence insufficiency, without distance deviation; (2) small-angle distance esotropia, with diplopia; (3) residual strabismus after previous surgery; and (4) large-angle exotropia. The first group underwent 2 mm advancement of the medial rectus insertion bilaterally; the second, 2-3 mm advancement of the lateral rectus muscle bilaterally; the third, 2-3 mm advancement of the lateral or medial rectus muscle, with or without simultaneous resection; and the fourth, 3 mm advancement of the medial rectus with simultaneous resection, with or after maximum recession of the lateral rectus, bilaterally or unilaterally.

RESULTS

A total of 25 patients were included (mean age, 28.76 ± 22.75 years): 4 with convergence insufficiency, 3 with small-angle distance esotropia and diplopia, 16 with residual strabismus, and 2 with large-angle exotropia. Mean postoperative follow-up was 4.76 ± 2.03 years. Surgery was successful in all patients at 1 year (residual deviation ≤10^Δ), and all but 1 at 5 years; 1 patient required reoperation.

CONCLUSIONS

Advancement of the muscle insertion proved successful as an alternative or adjunctive procedure to other forms of muscle tightening in the subtypes of patients evaluated in this study.

Correlation Between Ophthalmologic and Neuroradiologic Findings in Type 1 Neurofibromatosis

BACKGROUND

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF-1) is a genetic disease affecting the eye, and ocular findings such as Lisch nodules (LN) or optic pathway gliomas (OPGs) are a part of its diagnostic criteria. Recent imaging technologies such as infrared (IR) imaging and optical coherence tomography (OCT) have highlighted the visualization of choroidal focal abnormalities in these patients, even in the absence of other ocular lesions. This study aimed to establish a morphological multimodal evaluation of choroidal findings in patients with NF-1, correlating them with central nervous system (CNS) findings.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 44 eyes from 22 patients with NF-1. Central 30° IR imaging was obtained, and the number and total area of detectable lesions were calculated. Both macular and optic disc scanning with OCT were performed, with and without the enhanced depth imaging technique, to assess the presence of choroidal focal hyperreflective lesions. Central macular thickness, ganglion cell layer, and outer nuclear layer thickness were assessed, as well as subfoveal choroidal thickness. The peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was also assessed. Patients' magnetic resonance images (MRI) were reviewed and categorized by a neuroradiology specialist, determining the presence of OPGs and CNS hamartomas. Correlations between the ophthalmological and neuroradiological findings were established.

RESULTS

Patients' mean age was 16.4 ± 7.3 years and 59.1% were women. On the MRI, 86.4% of the patients had CNS hamartomas, and 34.1% of the eyes had OPGs. LN were described in 29.5% of the eyes, whereas a total of 63.4% of the eyes presented the characteristic hyperreflective lesions in IR imaging, all of them matching the underlying choroidal lesions. A mean of 2.9 ± 3.3 lesions per eye and a median total lesion area of 1.52 mm2 were found. The presence of OPGs was correlated with a greater number (P = 0.004) and a larger area (P = 0.006) of IR lesions. For a cut-off of 3.5 lesions per eye, the sensitivity and specificity for the presence of OPGs were 75% and 80%, respectively. For a total lesion area of 2.77 mm2, the sensitivity and specificity for the presence of OPGs were 69.2% and 93.1%, respectively. Eyes with OPGs presented a significant reduction in the temporal RNFL (P = 0.018) thickness, as well as a reduction in subfoveal choroid thickness (P = 0.04). No relations were found between CNS hamartomas and ophthalmological findings.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that focal choroidal abnormalities are correlated with the presence of CNS lesions as OPGs in patients with NF-1, and it might be a surrogate for the need for CNS imaging in these patients.

Childhood-Onset Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: Particular Features

Background

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is an optic neuropathy of mitochondrial inheritance. Childhood-onset disease is relatively rare and there are limited data on this important patient subgroup.

Case Presentation

We present 3 particular presentations of LHON. Patient 1 was an 8-year-old boy admitted to the emergency department reporting a progressive bilateral visual loss and intermittent headaches. Neuro-ophthalmological examination revealed a bilateral pseudopapilledema. Lumbar puncture identified intracranial hypertension and the brain and orbits magnetic resonance imaging showed T2 hyperintensity in the posterior region of the left optic nerve and the optic chiasm. Patient 2 was a 12-year-old boy admitted to the emergency department reporting painless, progressive central vision loss in the right eye. Fundus examination revealed a hyperemic disc and vascular network papillary and peripapillary vascular microdilations. Three months later, the left eye presented visual loss. Patient 3 was a 6-year-old female child referred to the neuro-ophthalmology specialist due to painless central visual loss in both eyes. Her BCVA was 1/10 and counting fingers in right and left eye, respectively, and fundus examination revealed a pallor optic disc in the temporal sector.

Discussion

The phenotype of childhood-onset disease may present itself distinct from classical adult-onset LHON. The absence of classical clinical features could lead to initial misdiagnosis. There should exist a high index of suspicion in children presenting unexplained subnormal vision in order to avoid potential diagnostic delays.

The Relationship between Intraocular Pressure and Optic Nerve Structural and Functional Damage in Patients with Optic Nerve Head Drusen

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate if, in ocular normotensive patients, at the time of diagnosis of optic nerve head drusen (ONHD), perimetric mean deviation (PMD) on visual field (VF) examination and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness on optical coherence tomography correlated with intraocular pressure (IOP). There was a significant association between IOP and PMD (Spearman's rho = -0.863, p < .01) and between IOP and RNFL thickness (Spearman's rho = -0.630, p < .01). A higher IOP was associated with a greater functional loss in the VF and a reduction in the RNFL thickness. These results suggest that a clinical trial of IOP reduction should be considered in patients with ONHD to decrease the progression of optic nerve damage over time.

Ophthalmologic Manifestations of Wolfram Syndrome: Report of 14 Cases

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to describe ophthalmological abnormalities in 14 cases of Wolfram syndrome belonging to 9 different families.

METHODS

Patients were submitted to a complete ophthalmological, neurological, otorhinolaryngological, urological, and genetic evaluation.

RESULTS

Our sample comprised 14 Caucasian patients belonging to 9 different families. Their ages ranged from 10 to 38 years. The mean duration of known disease was 11.3 ± 8.7 years. Genetic confirmation was obtained in 7 families. There was a parental consanguinity history in 2 families. Five families were homozygous for a mutation of exon 8 of the WFS1 gene (Chr. 4), and 2 patients were heterozygous. Diabetes mellitus was the first manifestation in all except 1 patient. The mean age at diagnosis was 8.7 years (range 3-22). None had diabetic retinopathy. The mean age at diagnosis of optic atrophy was 11.1 years (range 8-35). The best-corrected visual acuity ranged from counting fingers to 20/50.

CONCLUSIONS

Association of optic atrophy with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus should raise the suspicion of Wolfram syndrome.

Edema Bilateral do Disco Óptico Secundário a Amiodarona: Manifestação de uma Neuropatia Óptica Iatrogénica

A 69-years-old male patient was treated with amiodarone 200mg/day over the passed two months for atrial fibrillation. He presented a sudden, painless and unilateral visual loss. Ophthalmologic evaluation revealed a bilateral optic disc edema. Neurological examination was otherwise unremarkable. After properly excluding increased intracranial pressure and giant cell arteritis, the main differential diagnosis was between nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and optic neuropathy secondary to amiodarone. The latter diagnosis was favored due to a presence of bilateral and simultaneous optic disc edema, gradual improvement of symptoms after discontinuation of the drug, and, mostly, by persistence of optic disc edema beyond 6 weeks. Of note, an acute presentation of this disorder is common. Amiodarone optic neuropathy is a rare but potentially serious cause of optic nerve dysfunction, and its discontinuation is usually warrant.

[Bilateral Optic Disc Edema Secondary to Amiodarone: Manifestation of an Iatrogenic Optic Neuropathy]

A 69-years-old male patient was treated with amiodarone 200mg/day over the passed two months for atrial fibrillation. He presented a sudden, painless and unilateral visual loss. Ophthalmologic evaluation revealed a bilateral optic disc edema. Neurological examination was otherwise unremarkable. After properly excluding increased intracranial pressure and giant cell arteritis, the main differential diagnosis was between nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy and optic neuropathy secondary to amiodarone. The latter diagnosis was favored due to a presence of bilateral and simultaneous optic disc edema, gradual improvement of symptoms after discontinuation of the drug, and, mostly, by persistence of optic disc edema beyond 6 weeks. Of note, an acute presentation of this disorder is common. Amiodarone optic neuropathy is a rare but potentially serious cause of optic nerve dysfunction, and its discontinuation is usually warrant.