Ataxia in Childhood: Epidemiological, Clinical and Neuroradiologic Features, and the Risk of Recurrence

OBJECTIVE This study was conducted on the demographic data, clinical characteristics, electroencephalography, neuroradiological findings, and their impact on the recurrence of ataxia. MATERIALS & METHODS A 3-yr retrospective review of 49 children with ataxia in Mofid Children Hospital, Tehran, Iran was conducted from Apr 2013 to Apr 2016. The demographic, clinical and paraclinical data were recorded in pre-prepared questionnaires. The patients were also classified in two groups of with or without recurrence and the results were compared. The diagnostic etiologies in our patients were classified as brain tumor, drug ingestion, encephalitis, post infectious immune-mediated disorders, pseudoataxia, trauma, congenital malformations of the central nervous system and hereditary ataxias. RESULTS Forty-nine children with ataxia were enrolled. The mean age of the patients with a recurrence of ataxia was more than those without a recurrence. Neurodevelopmental delay in patients with recurrence was more frequent than those without a recurrence. Abnormal findings in the neuroimaging were seen more in the patients with recurrence than those without recurrence. The most common cause of ataxia in patients with recurrence was hereditary ataxia and in patients without recurrence was a viral post infectious disorder. CONCLUSION After a mean follow-up period of 16.36 months (range: 2-37 months), 9 cases (18.4%) showed recurrence. Older age, abnormal neuroimaging, and neurodevelopmental delay should be considered as the risk factors of recurrence of ataxia in children.