Description
- Abstract:
- INTRODUCTION: KBG patients experience bladder and bowel symptoms as well as scoliosis and costovertebral anomalies [Low et al. 2016], all of which have been commonly seen in Tethered Cord Syndrome (TCS) [Hertzler et al. 2010]. We explore whether a significant correlation existed between symptoms and signs present in KBG patients with diagnosed and suspected TCS. OBJECTIVES: 1. Assess the prevalence of TCS symptoms among KBG patients 2. Determine whether a significant correlation existed between commonly seen TCS signs (Neurocutaneous) and symptoms and those reported among KBG patients METHODS: Beyond the Diagnosis (https://www.beyondthediagnosis.org/), a local nonprofit organization in Rhode Island, distributed an optional survey to members of their Facebook page in August 2020. Patients themselves or a family member chose to complete the optional survey about current symptoms and provided their age, sex, and consent to the responses being used in further research. Responses were anonymized and analyzed in Excel. We calculated symptom prevalence across the responses and correlation between specific symptoms to explore whether a subset of symptoms among the patient sample were comorbid. RESULTS: 83 KBG patients answered the survey (average age = 9.71). The most prevalent symptoms were sacral dimple (60%), severe constipation (60%), and gait changes/leg weakness (58.90%). Pearson correlation matrix analysis showed the highest correlations (p<0.005) were coordination issues and scoliosis (0.0004), frequent headaches and scoliosis (0.0004), bladder or bowel changes, and scoliosis (0.0002). While sacral dimple was the most prevalent symptom overall, it was not significantly correlated with any other symptom or sign. CONCLUSION: In our patient sample, we found that surveyed KBG patients had a high prevalence of TCS symptoms such as sacral dimples, constipation, gait changes/leg weakness, and poor coordination. Upon symptom grouping, back pain (6), frequent headaches (6), bladder and bowel changes (6), and scoliosis (5) had the greatest number of significant correlations in our data set. In KBG patients presenting with a sacral dimple, back pain, frequent headaches, bladder and bowel changes, or scoliosis, TCS should be highly suspected.
- Notes:
- Scholarly concentration: Non-Scholarly Concentrator
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Citation
Alisa Pugacheva,
"TCS Symptom Signature in KBG Patients: Survey of 83 Pediatric Patients"
(2021).
Warren Alpert Medical School Academic Symposium.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:wbbnr848/
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Warren Alpert Medical School Academic Symposium
The Warren Alpert Medical School Academic Symposium is an annual event at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University that provides Year II medical students a venue to present their summer research in a poster format. Participation in the Symposium …...