The evolution of autism symptoms during life were revised, from childhood to adulthood. Little information is available. After a search in PubMed, no more than 40 publications address this issue. The review was divided into two parts: a) how change the three main symptoms of autism change; b) how change the other autism-associated symptoms. The three main symptoms, called "Triad of Wing" (communication problems, social skills deficits, and a restricted repertoire of interests) do not change significantly during lifetime. The diagnosis of autism remains stable during lifetime, and 80% of children continue with this diagnosis in adulthood. Furthermore, it is difficult to establish first diagnostic of autism in adults. In relation to the associated symptoms, one of the earliest are sleep disturbances and one of the most prevalent is both bipolar and anxiety disorders. Sleep disturbances are age-limited and disappear easily. Bipolar disorders are usually more severe in children with autism when compared to children without autism. The mood transitions are faster in autistic children. Anxiety is usually more intense in cognitive preserved autistic patients and tends to increase with age. The two main prognostic factors for autism in adults are: a) total IQ above 70. b) functional language before 6 years of age.

Se ha revisado la evolución de los síntomas del autismo durante la vida, desde la niñez hasta la edad adulta. Hay poca información disponible. Después de una búsqueda en PubMed, no más de 40 publicaciones abordan específicamente este tema. La revisión fue dividida en dos partes: a) cómo cambian los tres principales síntomas del autismo; b) cómo cambian los demás síntomas asociados al autismo. Los tres síntomas, llamados la "Tríada de Wing" (problemas en la comunicación, déficits en las habilidades sociales, y un restringido repertorio de intereses) no cambian significativamente con el pasar de la vida. El diagnóstico de autismo se mantiene estable en el tiempo, ya que 80% de los niños continúan con el diagnóstico en la vida adulta. Por otro lado, es difícil establecer este diagnóstico por primera vez en los adultos. En relación a los síntomas asociados, los más precoces son los trastornos del sueño y de los más prevalentes los trastornos bipolares y también el trastorno de ansiedad. Los trastornos del sueño son edad-limitados y desaparecen fácilmente. Los trastornos bipolares suelen ser más graves en niños con autismo cuando se comparan con niños sin autismo. Las variaciones del estado de ánimo son más rápidas en niños autistas. La ansiedad suele ser más intensa en los autistas con preservación cognitiva y tiende a aumentar con la edad. Los dos principales factores pronósticos para el autismo en adultos son: a) cociente intelectual total superior a 70; b) lenguaje funcional antes de los 6 años de edad.

OBJETIVO: avaliar o efeito do tipo de parto e dos procedimentos obstétricos usuais sobre o estado neurológico das primeiras 48 horas de vida, em uma amostra de recém-nascidos consecutivos a termo e saudáveis, usando um sistema de escores (NACS - Neurologic Adaptative Capacity Score). MÉTODOS: coorte prospectiva com 313 recém-nascidos de uma Unidade de Neonatologia e Alojamento Conjunto. As variáveis analisadas foram as obstétricas; o desfecho clínico - fase de baixo vigor neurológico, avaliada pelo NACS com 4, 24 e 48 horas de vida. Foram realizadas duas avaliações dos dados: uma com toda a amostra e outra comparando o Grupo Vigoroso, cujos recém-nascidos mantiveram-se com 35 ou mais pontos no NACS, versus Grupo de Baixo Vigor com menos de 35 pontos durante as três avaliações consecutivas. Foram realizadas análises bivariadas e multivariadas. Foram buscadas possíveis associações entre a fase de baixo vigor neurológico e o tipo de parto, bem como entre a fase de baixo vigor neurológico e as variáveis obstétricas. RESULTADOS: na análise bivariada, o tipo de parto e as variáveis obstétricas não estiveram associados com a fase de baixo vigor neurológico. Entretanto, a associação entre o aspecto do líquido amniótico e a fase de baixo vigor neurológico atingiu valores bem próximos da significância e, então, foi incluído na análise multivariada. Na análise multivariada, a única variável associada com baixo vigor neurológico foi a presença de líquido amniótico tinto de mecônio, que mostrou 8,1 vezes maior risco de baixa pontuação neurológica quando comparados o Grupo Vigoroso e o Grupo de Baixo Vigor. Na análise da amostra global, o mesmo risco foi de 1,7. CONCLUSÕES: nem o tipo de parto nem as manobras obstétricas usuais estiveram associados com fase de baixo vigor neurológico. Esta é uma informação útil, tanto do ponto de vista clínico quanto do médico-legal, especialmente para os obstetras. Pelos dados desta amostra, se o recém-nascido a termo é saudável, a via do nascimento e os procedimentos obstétricos usuais não têm impacto no estado neurológico.

PURPOSE: to evaluate the effect of delivery type and usual obstetric procedures on the neurologic condition of a sample of consecutive term and healthy neonates, in the first 48 hours of life, using the Neurologic Adaptative Capacity Score (NACS) system. METHODS: cohort prospective study with 313 neonates, from a neonatology unit: Unidade de Neonatologia e Alojamento Conjunto. The variables analyzed were obstetric variables; clinical outcome: low neurologic vigor phase, evaluated by NACS, at 4, 24 and 48 hours of life. The data have been assessed twice: once with the whole sample and the other comparing the Vigorous Group, whose neonates kept a score of 35 or more during the three evaluations, and the Low Vigor Group, with less than 35 scores during the three consecutive evaluations. Bivariate and multivariate analyses have been done. Possible associations between low neurologic vigor phase and the type of delivery, as well between the low neurologic vigor phase and obstetric variables have been searched. RESULTS: in the bivariate analysis, the delivery type and the obstetric variables were not associated with the low neurologic vigor phase. Nevertheless, the association between the amniotic fluid and the low neurologic vigor phase reached values very close to significance and, then, it was included in the multivariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, the only variable associated with low neurologic vigor was the presence of meconium stained amniotic fluid, which has shown to be 8.1 times more risky for the neurologic scoring, when Vigorous Group and Low Vigor Group were compared. In the analysis of the whole sample, the same risk was 1.7. CONCLUSIONS: neither the delivery type, nor the usual obstetric procedures were associated with low neurologic vigor phase. This is useful information, clinically or legally speaking, mainly for obstetricians. According to this sample data, when the term neonate is healthy, the delivery type and the usual obstetric procedures have no impact in the neurologic condition.

With the goal of presenting follow-up data from patients seen at the Refractory Epilepsy out-patient clinic of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Brazil, we reviewed the literature on childhood and adolescent epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with indication for surgical treatment. The International League Against Epilepsy's Subcommission for Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery recommends surgical evaluation for cortical dysplasia, tuberous sclerosis complex, polymicrogyria, hypothalamic hamartoma, hemispheric syndromes, Sturge-Weber, Rasmussen, Landau-Kleffner and other situations such as tumors or cerebrovascular injury. The Subcommission proposes the creation of referral centers with functional methods of evaluation, structural imaging, and a multidisciplinary team that includes neurologists, neurosurgeons, neurophysiologists, neuropediatricians, neuropsychologists, pathologists, neuroradiologists and eletroneurophysiology technicians. Creating these centers in developing countries is possible with the cooperation of other regions. Studies have shown improvement in quality of life with less frequent seizures. At HCPA, we provide evaluations and ongoing clinical management of patients with medically refractory epilepsy. Epilepsy surgery is potentially curative and is particularly useful for the pediatric population.

Con el objetivo de presentar el seguimiento de los pacientes ambulatorios de la clínica de epilepsia refractaria del Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Brasil, se hizo una revisión de la literatura de las epilepsias y síndromes epilépticos del niño y del adolescente, las indicaciones quirúrgicas y los métodos de evaluación. Los casos de epilepsia recomendados por la Subcomisión de Cirugía de la Epilepsia Pediátrica de la Liga Internacional Contra las Epilepsias para evaluación quirúrgica son: displasia cortical, esclerosis tuberosa, polimicrogiria, hamartoma hipotalámico, síndromes hemisféricos, síndromes de Sturge-Weber, Síndrome de Rasmussen, Síndrome de Landau-Kleffner y otras situaciones como tumores o alteraciones vasculares. Se recomienda la formación de centros de referencia que cuenten con métodos de evaluación funcional y de neuroimagen, así como equipo multidisciplinario formado por neurólogos, neurocirujanos, neurofisiólogos, neuropediatras, neuropsicólogos, patólogos, neurorradiólogos y técnicos en electroneurofisiología que mantengan los estándares impuestos de forma estricta. La formación de estos centros en países en desarrollo parece viable, con la cooperación de las regiones con mayores recursos. Numerosos estudios han demostrado una mejoría de la calidad de vida con reducción en la frecuencia de crisis diarias. En el HCPA se desarrolla un estudio de seguimiento ambulatorio de casos de epilepsias refractarias todavía en investigación y tratamiento clínico. La cirugía de la epilepsia es potencialmente curativa y es posible utilizarla en la población infantil.

Este estudo foi elaborado com a finalidade de avaliar a possibilidade de recorrência e de responder a questões referentes a fatores prognósticos capazes de auxiliar no manejo da primeira crise convulsiva na infância. Foram incluídas 136 crianças com idades entre 1 mês e 12 anos atendidas no Setor de Emergência Pediátrica do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre por ocasião da primeira crise convulsiva, com ou sem fator desencadeante. Foram seguidas 121 crianças por 24 meses, concluindo-se que história familiar de crise convulsiva, existência de fatores desencadeantes na primeira convulsão, tipo de crise, duração da crise e alterações paroxísticas no primeiro eletrencefalograma foram fatores preditivos para a recorrência de crise convulsiva. A recorrência foi de 36,36% no tempo em que durou o estudo. Os riscos acumulados para recorrência nesta amostra foram 14,88%, 23,14%, 28,93%, 33,06% e 35,54% para 3, 6, 9, 12 e 15 meses, respectivamente.

This study was designed with the objective of evaluating the chance of recurrence in our area and to answer questions regarding prognostic factors capable of helping in the management of the first seizure in childhood. One hundred and thirty six children from 1 month to 12 years of age seen at the Pediatric Emergency Division of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre because of a first seizure with or without triggering factors were included in the study. The follow-up included 121 children. We concluded that family history of seizures, presence of triggering factors at first event, seizure type, seizure duration and paroxysmal electroencephalographic abnormalities were predictive factors for seizure recurrence. The recurrence in this sample was 36.36% during the study. Cumulative recurrence risks were 14.88%, 23.14%, 28.93%, 33.06% and 35.54% to 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months, respectively.