Long term medical conditions Flashcards
Describe the karyotype and features of Klinefelter’s syndrome
47, XXY
- Tall
- Lack of secondary sexual characteristics
- Small, firm testes
- Infertility
- Gynaecomastia
- Wider hips
- Weaker muscles
- Reduced libido
Describe the typical presentation of Kallman’s syndrome
Anosmia with delayed puberty in a boy.
What is the genotype for androgen insensitivity syndrome?
46XY (male)
What is the most common malignancy in children?
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
Describe the features of ALL
- Anaemia - lethargy and pallor
- Neutropenia - frequent infections
- Thrombocytopenia - easy bruising, petechiae
Outline the poor prognostic factors for ALL
- Age < 2 or > 10
- WBC > 20 at diagnosis
- T or B cell surface markers
- Non-Caucasian
- Male
Describe the classical features of Patau syndrome (trisomy 13)
- Microcephalic, small eyes
- Cleft lip/palate
- Polydactyly
- Rocker bottom feet
Describe the classical features of Edward’s syndrome (trisomy 18)
- Micrognathia (small lower jaw)
- Low-set ears
- Rocker bottom feet
- Overlapping fingers
Describe the classical features of fragile X syndrome
- Delay in speech and language development
- Learning disability
- Macrocephaly
- Long, narrow face
- Large ears
- Macro-orchidism
- Hypotonia
- Hypermobility
- Autism more common
- ADHD
- Seizures
Describe the classical features of Noonan syndrome
- Webbed neck
- Pectus excavatum
- Short stature
- Broad forehead
- Hypertelorism (wide space between the eyes)
- Small chin
- Prominent nasolabial folds
- Pulmonary stenosis
- Cryptorchidism (undescended testes) can lead to infertility in men
- Learning disability
- Bleeding disorders
- Lymphoedema
- Increased risk of leukaemia and neuroblastoma
Describe the classical features of Pierre-Robin syndrome
- Micrognathia
- Posterior displacement of tongue
- Cleft palate
Describe the classical features of Prader-Willi syndrome
- Hypotonia as an infant
- Hypogonadism
- Constant insatiable hunger that leads to obesity
- Mild-moderate learning disability
- Fairer, soft skin that is prone to bruising
- Mental health problems, particularly anxiety
- Dysmorphic features
- Narrow forehead
- Almond shaped eyes
- Strabismus (squint)
- Thin upper lip
- Downturned mouth
Describe the classical features of William’s syndrome
- Short stature
- Broad forehead
- Starburst eyes
- Wide mouth with widely spaced teeth and a big smile
- Mild learning disability
- Friendly, extrovert and sociable personality
- Hypercalcaemia
- Supravalvular aortic stenosis
- Hypertension
Describe the classical features of Cri du chat syndrome
- Characteristic ‘cat like cry’ due to larynx and neurological problems
- Feeding difficulties and poor weight gain
- Learning difficulties
- Microcephaly and Micrognathia
- Hypertelorism
Describe the features of atrial septal defect (ASD)
- SOB.
- Lethargy.
- Poor appetite.
- Poor growth.
- Increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.
Describe ASD murmur
Ejection systolic, crescendo-decrescendo murmur loudest at the upper left sternal border, with fixed splitting of S2.
Describe VSD murmur
Pansystolic murmur in lower left sternal border.
Describe coarctation of the aorta murmur
Crescendo-decresscendo murmur in the upper left sternal border.
Describe PDA murmur
Continuous crescendo-decrescendo “machinery” murmur that may continue during the second heart sound.
Describe pulmonary stenosis murmur
Ejection systolic murmur in the upper left sternal border.
List the acyanotic congenital heart diseases
- VSD (most common in infants)
- ASD
- PDA
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Aortic valve stenosis
List the cyanotic congenital heart diseases
- Tetralogy of Fallot (most common)
- Transposition of the great arteries
- Tricuspid atresia
What are the 4 characteristic features of tetralogy of fallot (TOF)?
- VSD
- RV hypertrophy
- Pulmonary stenosis (RV outflow tract obstruction)
- Overriding aorta
What are hypercyanotic ‘tet’ spells in TOF and why do they occur?
- Tachypnoea and severe cyanosis that may result in loss of consciousness.
- Typically occur when infant is upset, in pain or has a fever.
- Due to near occlusion of RV outflow tract.
Describe the 2 main features of dyskinetic cerebral palsy
- Athetoid movements: slow writhing movements of hands and feet, difficulty holding objects.
- Oro-motor problems: drooling.
You are speaking to a 24-year-old man who is known to have haemophilia A. His wife has had genetic testing and was found not to be a carrier of haemophilia. He asks you what the chances are of his future children developing haemophilia. What is the correct answer?
0%
Outline the management for spasticity in children with cerebral palsy
- Diazepam
- Baclofen
- Botulinum toxin type A
- Orthopaedic surgery
- Selective dorsal rhizotomy
A four-year-old child with poorly controlled asthma attends GP surgery with his mother due to increasing frequency of his asthma exacerbations. He is already on salbutamol inhaler as required and beclometasone inhaler 200mcg/day. He uses these devices with a spacer and has good technique. What is the next best step in his management?
Add in a leukotriene receptor antagonist.
List the causes of snoring in children
- Obesity
- Nasal problems: polyps, deviated septum, hypertrophic nasal turbinates
- Recurrent tonsillitis
- Down’s syndrome
- Hypothyroidism
Cystic fibrosis can cause which other condition?
T1D
Describe features of benign rolandic epilepsy
- Form of childhood epilepsy that typically occurs between the age of 4 and 12 years.
- Seizures characteristically occur at night.
- Seizures are typically partial (e.g. paraesthesia affecting the face) but secondary generalisation may occur (i.e. parents may only report tonic-clonic movements).
- Focal seizure, involving their face, drooling, and one side or one limb twitching.
- Seizures stop by adolescence.
How often should chest physiotherapy and postural drainage ideally be performed in patients with CF?
At least twice a day
Define West syndrome
Infantile spasms - type of childhood epilepsy which typically presents in the first 4 to 8 months of life and is more common in male infants. They are often associated with a serious underlying condition and carry a poor prognosis.
Outline the features of infantile spasms
- Characteristic ‘salaam’ attacks: flexion of the head, trunk and arms followed by extension of the arms.
- Lasts only 1-2 seconds but may be repeated up to 50 times.
- Progressive mental handicap.
Outline the investigations and findings for infantile spasms
- EEG shows hypsarrhythmia in two-thirds of infants.
- CT demonstrates diffuse or localised brain disease in 70% (e.g. tuberous sclerosis).
What is the first line therapy for infantile spasms?
Vigabatrin
Describe the characteristic dysmorphic and other features of Down’s syndrome (trisomy 21)
- Face: upslanting palpebral fissures, prominent epicanthic folds, Brushfield spots in iris, protruding tongue, small low-set ears, round/flat face.
- Flat occiput.
- Brachycephaly.
- Single palmar crease, pronounced ‘sandal gap’ between big and first toe.
- Hypotonia.
- Short stature and short neck.
- Congenital heart defects e.g. endocardial cushion defect, ventricular septal defect, secundum atrial septal defect, TOF, isolated PDA.
- Duodenal atresia.
- Hirschsprung’s disease.
Outline the later complications of Down’s syndrome
- Subfertility: males are almost always infertile due to impaired spermatogenesis. Females are usually subfertile, and have an increased incidence of problems with pregnancy and labour.
- Learning disability.
- Short stature.
- Repeated respiratory infections (+hearing impairment from glue ear and recurrent otitis media).
- Visual problems e.g. myopia, strabismus and cataracts.
- Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
- Hypothyroidism.
- Alzheimer’s disease.
- Atlantoaxial instability.
What murmur is Turner’s syndrome associated with?
Ejection systolic murmur due to bicuspid aortic valve.
Outline the inheritance pattern of mitochondrial diseases
- Inheritance is only via the maternal line as the sperm contributes no cytoplasm to the zygote (maternal inheritance).
- None of the children of an affected male will inherit the disease.
- All of the children of an affected female will inherit the disease.
Give one example of a mitochondrial disease
Leber’s optic atrophy
Describe the presenting features of cystic fibrosis
- Neonatal period: meconium ileus, prolonged jaundice.
- Recurrent chest infections.
- Malabsorption: steatorrhoea, FTT.
Outline other features seen in cystic fibrosis
- Short stature
- Diabetes
- Delayed puberty
- Rectal prolapse
- Nasal polyps
- Male infertility, female subfertility
Outline the features of PDA
- Left subclavicular thrill
- Continuous machinery murmur
- Large volume, bounding, collapsing pulse
Which part of the brain is damaged in dyskinetic cerebral palsy?
Basal ganglia and the substantia nigra
Which cardiac complication is associated with Fragile X syndrome?
Mitral valve prolapse
What is a thyroglossal cyst?
A fluid filled cyst in the midline of the neck caused by failure of thyroglossal duct to close.
How would you differentiate a thyroglossal cyst from another neck lump on examination?
Thyroglossal cysts move up when tongue is protruded.
What is a brachial cyst?
A congenital abnormality arising when the second brachial cleft fails to properly form during foetal development, causing a fluid filled cyst to form between the angle of the jaw and the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the anterior triangle of the neck.
What is the average age of diagnosis for retinoblastoma?
18 months
Describe the features of retinoblastoma
- Absence of red-reflex, replaced by a white pupil (leukocoria) - the most common presenting symptom.
- Strabismus (squint).
- Visual problems.
Outline management for retinoblastoma
- Enucleation (surgical removal of eye).
- Others: external beam radiation therapy, chemotherapy and photocoagulation.
What is the peak incidence of ALL?
2-5 years
Non-organic or functional abdominal pain is common in what age?
Over the age of 5
Define Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
- Severe form of epilepsy, beginning in early childhood, characterised by multiple types of seizures and developmental delay.
- Atypical absences, falls, jerks.
What is the first line medication for most forms of epilepsy (except focal seizures)?
Sodium valproate
What is the first line medication for focal seizures?
Carbamazepine
List the causes of clubbing in children
- Hereditary clubbing
- Cyanotic heart disease
- Infective endocarditis
- Cystic fibrosis
- Tuberculosis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Liver cirrhosis
What is the gold standard investigation for CF?
Sweat test
Name two types of bone cancer
- Osteosarcoma
- Ewing sarcoma
Name 4 oncological emergencies
- SVC syndrome
- Spinal cord compression
- Tumour lysis syndrome
- Febrile neutropenia
Outline the features of nephrotic syndrome
- Hypoalbuminaemia
- Heavy proteinuria
- Generalised oedema
- Hypercholesterolaemia, hyperlipidaemia
- Hyper-coagulability