Here we report a follow-up on a boy born in 1983 into a family with presumed Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome and first reported as patient 3 by Opitz [1984] under the designation "Golabi-Rosen" syndrome. The patient died at 25 months without having attained any measure of psychomotor development or maturation and with a neurologic picture of irritability, increased muscle tone, seizures, deafness and possible cortical blindness. He had a striking facial appearance similar to that of severely affected individuals in the family reported by Golabi and Rosen [1984], with mild hepatosplenomegaly, unusual skin, normal growth, decelerating OFC, and on autopsy a spongiform degeneration of brain stem and cerebrum. Results of all biochemical studies, including those pertaining to GM3 gangliosidosis, were normal.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The evaluation of infants with the Zellweger (cerebro-hepato-renal) syndrome.

A brief overview of the clinicopathologic findings in the cerebro-hepato-renal syndrome of Zellweger (ZS) is presented. In order to understand more clearly the many diverse features of the ZS condition, a guideline is suggested for evaluation of a ZS infant in terms of physical features, family history, clinical pathophysiologic parameters, biopsy specimens, and postmortem procedures. The references provide rationale pertinent to the subject of discussion and/or furnish comments upon technical aspects for performance of analytical procedures.

Brain Diseases↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Secondary oxalosis as a complication of parenteral alimentation in acute renal failure.

Secondary oxalosis is a complication of renal failure. Since oxalate is excreted by the kidney, the severity of oxalate deposition has been directly related to the duration of renal failure. We report a patient with acute renal failure on hemodialysis who received daily ascorbic acid (an oxalate precursor) via parenteral alimentation. He developed widespread secondary oxalosis, which was especially prominent in the kidneys and pancreas. This oxalate burden may have contributed to the complications seen during his hospital course. The provision of ascorbic acid to patients with renal failure should be carefully monitored to avoid accelerated development of secondary oxalosis.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Infantile olivopontocerebellar atrophy with spinal muscular atrophy (infantile OPCA + SMA).

We report three siblings (two boys and girl) with familial (autosomal recessive) infantile olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA) associated with lower motoneuron involvement. Brain autopsy findings in two of the children revealed a multisystem degeneration characterized by marked hypoplasia of phylogenetically new parts of the brain stem (basis pontis and inferior olivary nuclei) associated with hypoplasia of the neocerebellum, both cerebellar and cerebral peduncle. All three infants died before six months of age. The clinical features are characterized by severe hypotonia, areflexia, failure to thrive, respiratory insufficiency in all cases, cardiomyopathy and dislocated hips at birth in two of the three siblings. Extensive serum, urinary and leukocyte enzyme assays in the second infant failed to disclose a specific metabolic abnormality. The diagnosis of OPCA was established prior to death by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the youngest infant. Since OPCA represents a heterogeneous group of diseases, correlation of neuropathologic, clinical, genetic and MRI findings at early stages of evolution becomes crucial in the understanding of the nosology of OPCA and its variants.

Female↗