title: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: is there something different in the younger children?
abstract: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is a rare, slow viral infection caused by a defective measles virus. Although it is a rare disease, it is still important in developing countries. The onset is generally between the ages of 5-15 years. We reported the clinical and laboratory profile and nature of 9 patients under the age of 4 years with SSPE. Although it is known that a few patients with SSPE have an acute and rapidly fulminating course, in this study rate of progression was rapidly progressive in 6 patients and progressive in 3 of them on admission. Unfortunately, 4 of them were lost to follow up because of address and/or telephone number alterations. Although the number of patients in this study is not sufficient, we suggest that SSPE patients under the age of 4 years have a poor prognosis as a result of progressive or rapidly progressive course despite medical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Ankara, Turkey. dayilmaz2002@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Omer Faruk
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Nesrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Senbil
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yuksel
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G