title: [Narcolepsy in sleepy obese children. Two case reports].
abstract: Narcolepsy is a disabling disorder, characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness, irresistible sleep attacks, and partial or complete cataplexy. Many cases of obesity and precocious puberty have been reported in narcoleptic children, suggesting that the deficiency of hypocretin in narcolepsy could also be implicated in appetite stimulation. We report the observations of two young girls, who were referred for obesity and who developed narcolepsy accompanied by an abrupt weight gain. In both cases, specific drugs promoted wakefulness and overweight stabilization. Narcolepsy has to be suspected in sleepy obese children and not misdiagnosed as obstructive apnea. A nocturnal polysomnography with multiple sleep latency tests should be performed to confirm the diagnosis and begin specific treatment that is effective for sleep disorders and weight gain.
authors.affiliation: Service de nutrition et gastro-entérologie pédiatriques, hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, université Paris 6, 26, avenue du Dr-Arnold-Netter, 75012 Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rives-Lange
authors.affiliation: Service de nutrition et gastro-entérologie pédiatriques, hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, université Paris 6, 26, avenue du Dr-Arnold-Netter, 75012 Paris, France. Electronic address: alexandra.karsenty@trs.aphp.fr.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karsenty
authors.affiliation: Service de nutrition et gastro-entérologie pédiatriques, hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, université Paris 6, 26, avenue du Dr-Arnold-Netter, 75012 Paris, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chantereau
authors.affiliation: Service de nutrition et gastro-entérologie pédiatriques, hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, université Paris 6, 26, avenue du Dr-Arnold-Netter, 75012 Paris, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oderda
authors.affiliation: Service de nutrition et gastro-entérologie pédiatriques, hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, université Paris 6, 26, avenue du Dr-Arnold-Netter, 75012 Paris, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dubern
authors.affiliation: Centre pédiatrique des pathologies du sommeil, CHU Robert-Debré, AP-HP, 48, boulevard Serrurier, 75019 Paris, France; CNR narcolepsie-hypersomnie, 75019 Paris, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lecendreux
authors.affiliation: Service de nutrition et gastro-entérologie pédiatriques, hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, université Paris 6, 26, avenue du Dr-Arnold-Netter, 75012 Paris, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tounian
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000068797:Orexins / Q000032:analysis; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D017286:Polysomnography
chemical_list: D000068797:Orexins