pseudotumor cerebri in toddler

    
      Re: Re: Re: pseudotumor cerebri in toddler
    


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Posted by CCF Neuro MD *!* on January 02, 1998 at 08:19:12:

In Reply to: Re: Re: pseudotumor cerebri in toddler posted by Nicki on January 01, 1998 at 21:59:54:

: Dear NeuroDoc,
  Thank you for reviewing the lit. I tried myself but it really doesn't make too much
  sense to me. The occluded rt sinus was on a cat scan I assume in the face.
  Was checked for lyme's on initial presentation and was neg. Can antibodies (or
  whatever they are called) to lyme's show up later in the infection? Was first told
  she had Kawasaki dz then systemic jra and now docs are investigating poss. of SLE
  but thus far (and thankfully) antibody tests are normal. Is there *always* an
  underlying cause of pseudotumor cerebri or can it just happen for no reason?
  Thanks again and have a blessed new year.
  Nicki
  : ==========================================================================
  : I have reviewed the literature on pseudotumor in children and there is in
  : fact quite a lot of informatiopn, although the condition is fairly rare
  : in this age group
  : Pseudotumor has been described in the following situations :
  : Renal failure + /- Dialysis
  : Behcet's disease, SLE
  : Vitamin A toxicity
  : Infections             :Tick borne encephalitis, Lyme disease, Malaria
  : Cerebral sinus thrombosis ( you mentioned this in your message, but I
  :       am not clear as to whether you are referring to bony or venous sinuses
  : Drug side effects from : Tetracyclines, Cyclosporin,
  : Hormonal therapy       : Thyroxine, Beta HCG
  : Endocrine diseases     : Pituitary failure, Addissons disease
  : As you can see there is an extensive list of possible underlying disorders, the
  : rigour with which one would investigate each one depends on the  clinical
  : picture.
  : I hope this list will be of some use in trying to get to the bottom of the problem
  : and I wish you luck
==========================================================================
Antibody testing for Lyme disease can be unreliable , sometimes even
to the extent that treatment goes forward on the basis of clinical suspicion alone
without the benefit of a positive test.
Some of the test have a sensitivity of only 74% for instance.
Many if not most cases of pseudotumor cerebri are idiopathic, this means
that no clearly identifiable underlying cause can be identified.