AUTHOR=Kilbertus Sarah , Brannan Renee , Sell Erick , Doja Asif 

TITLE=No Cases of PANDAS on Follow-Up of Patients Referred to a Pediatric Movement Disorders Clinic

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2014

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2014.00104

DOI=10.3389/fped.2014.00104

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Introduction:</bold> Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) remains a controversial diagnosis and it is unclear how frequently it is encountered in clinical practice. Our study aimed to determine how many children with acute-onset tics and/or Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) met criteria for PANDAS.</p><p><bold>Materials and methods:</bold> A retrospective review was performed on 39 children who presented to a movement disorders clinic with acute-onset tics or OCD from 2005 to 2012.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Out of 284 patients seen over the course of 7 years, only 39 had acute-onset tics and/or OCD symptoms. None of the 39 children who presented to us acutely met full criteria for PANDAS. Thirty-eight percent had no association between their symptoms and group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection, while 54% had prior inconclusive laboratory testing done and no exacerbations during the course of the study. Only 8% of patients had an acute exacerbation after their initial visit; however, testing for GAHBS in these patients was negative</p><p><bold>Discussion:</bold> Our results support the notion that PANDAS, if it exists, is an exceedingly rare diagnosis encountered in a pediatric movement disorder clinic. While none of our patients met criteria for PANDAS, two with acute-onset OCD would have met criteria for pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) indicating that PANS may be a more appropriate diagnosis.</p>