A patient with a 47,XX,+der(22)t(11;22)(q23.3;q11.2) karyotype exhibited brisk tendon reflex and Babinski sign with suggested pyramidal sign. A three-dimensional computed tomographic reconstruction revealed a T1-T2 vertebral fusion without hemivertebrae. Sagittal magnetic resonance imaging revealed degenerative disk changes, mild disk herniation, and mild spinal cord compression. Congenital vertebral fusion may be one of the anomalies in supernumerary-der(22)t(11;22) syndrome. Once clinical diagnosis of this chromosome aberration is established, radiologic evaluation of vertebrae and spinal neuroimaging should be performed.
Seizure clusters (SCs) are acute repetitive seizures with acute episodes of deterioration during seizure control. SCs can be defined as a series of grouped seizures with short interictal periods. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a treatment option for drug-resistant epilepsy. We present a case where VNS suppressed epileptic SCs, which had persisted for several months. A 13-year-old boy with congenital cerebral palsy and mental retardation had drug-resistant epilepsy with daily jerking movements and spasms in both sides of his body. The seizures were often clustered, and he experienced two sustained SC episodes that persisted for a few months even with prolonged use of continuous intravenous midazolam (IV-MDZ). The patient underwent VNS device placement at the second sustained SC and rapid induction of VNS. Because the tapering of IV-MDZ did not exacerbate the SC, midazolam was discontinued 4 weeks after VNS initiation. Non-refractory SCs also disappeared 10 months after VNS. The seizure severity was improved, and the frequency of seizures reduced from daily to once every few months. The epileptic activity on electroencephalography (EEG) significantly decreased. This case highlights VNS as an additional treatment option for SC. VNS may be a therapeutic option if SC resists the drugs and sustains. Additional studies are necessary to confirm our findings and to investigate how device implantation and stimulation parameters affect the efficacy of VNS.
Aim: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of the novel morpholino oligomer NS-089/NCNP-02 which can induce exon 44 skipping, in patients with DMD. Additionally, we aimed to identify markers predictive of therapeutic efficacy and determine the optimal dosing for future studies. Methods: This is an open-label, dose-escalation, two-center phase I/II trial in ambulant patients with DMD, presence of an out-of-frame deletion, and a mutation amenable to exon 44 skipping. Part 1 is a stepwise dose-finding stage (4 weeks) during which NS-089/NCNP-02 will be administered intravenously at four dose levels once weekly (1.62, 10, 40, and 80 mg/kg); Part 2 is a 24-week evaluation period based on the dosages determined during Part 1. The primary (safety) endpoints are the results of physical examinations, vital signs, 12-lead electrocardiogram and echocardiography tests, and adverse event reporting. Secondary endpoints include expression of dystrophin protein, motor function assessment, exon 44 skipping efficiency, plasma and urinary NS-089/NCNP-02 concentrations, and changes in blood creatine kinase levels. Discussion: Exon-skipping therapy using ASOs shows promise in selected patients, and this first-in-human study is expected to provide critical information for subsequent clinical development of NS-089/NCNP-02.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.