title: Treatment of drop attacks in Coffin-Lowry syndrome with the use of sodium oxybate.
abstract: Coffin-Lowry syndrome is a well-defined clinical entity classically associated with moderate to severe mental retardation, characteristic facial features, skeletal deformities, and tapering fingers. A characteristic paroxysmal disorder was described in up to 10% patients with Coffin-Lowry syndrome, characterized by sudden loss of muscle tone induced by unexpected tactile or auditory stimuli. These events were given several names, including cataplexy, nonepileptic collapses with atonia, exaggerated startle responses, hyperekplexia, and stimulus-induced drop episodes. Various therapies were undertaken for these drop attacks, including clonazepam, tiagabine, felbamate, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and tricyclics, with variable improvement. We report on a 22-year-old man with Coffin-Lowry syndrome with stimulus-induced drop episodes, who failed therapy with clonazepam, several antiepileptic drugs, and escitalopram, and who was given a trial of sodium oxybate with complete resolution of the drop attacks.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19134, USA.
authors.forename: Navasuma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Havaligi
authors.forename: Chandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matadeen-Ali
authors.forename: Divya S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Khurana
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: Sanjeev V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Kothare
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D038921:Coffin-Lowry Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013575:Syncope / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D012978:Sodium Oxybate