[Factors related to the short term remission of tics in children with Tourette syndrome].
BACKGROUND
Tourette syndrome shows a fluctuating evolution, often masked by its comorbidity.


OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical factors predicting the initial remission of tics in children with Tourette syndrome. Patients and methods. All patients attended during the last 5 years at a Child Neurology hospital based out patient clinic, with the diagnosis of Tourette syndrome according to DSM IV criteria, were selected.


METHODS
total remission of tics during at least 3 months, evaluated during the patient s second visit to our clinic. Demographic, clinic and therapeutic variables were studied. Statistical analysis was based on the Student t test or non parametric tests, as necessary.


RESULTS
53 patients, 44 males and 9 females. Age at starting tics: 6.9 2.2 years, time of evolution: 2 years (range: 1 9.4). Comorbidity in 51%: 34% with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 17% with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and school underachievement: 26%. Familial antecedents of tics, OCD, or ADHD: 49%. Tics remission at second visit to our clinic: 41.5%. Patients without remission were those with an earlier onset of tics (p=0.085), longer time of evolution (p< 0.05), or school underachievement (p= 0.024). Remission was not statistically associated with treatment. OCD and ADHD were associated with school failure but were not related to the tics evolution.


CONCLUSIONS
The short term (at second visit), temporal (minimum 3 months) total remission of Tourette syndrome was not related to treatment but to previous duration of the syndrome and to factors (other than OCD and ADHD) that lead to school failure.
García-Ribes
A
A
Unidad de Neuropediatría, Hospital de Cruces, Baracaldo, Vizcaya, España. agarcia.ribes@hcru.osakidetza.net
Martí-Carrera
I
I
Martínez-González
M J
MJ
Garaizar
C
C
Prats-Viñas
J M
JM
D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013981:Tic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*