Esther R Bisker1, Collin M McClelland2, Lawrence W Brown3, Grant T Liu4. 1. Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. 2. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. 3. Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia. 4. Neuro-Ophthalmology Service, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia; Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Electronic address: liug1@email.chop.edu.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To describe the outcome and comorbidities of ocular tics in children evaluated by a pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist. METHODS: The medical records of all consecutive patients in a pediatric neuro-ophthalmology practice diagnosed with ocular tics (eye rolling, blinking, and widening) were retrospectively reviewed. Children with known secondary causes for tics were excluded. Patients, parents, and/or guardians were contacted by telephone to obtain follow-up information. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients were included in the retrospective cohort, with a mean age of 7.8 ± 4.8 years at diagnosis. Thirty-two patients participated in the follow-up survey, with an average follow-up of 6.1 ± 3.9 years. None of the 43 children carried a diagnosis of Tourette syndrome or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) at presentation; 1 child had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). At follow-up, 14 of the 32 children (44%) had persistent ocular tics, 3 (9%) reported new nonocular motor tics, 5 (16%) reported new vocal tics, and 4 (13%) developed both nonocular motor and vocal tics. One patient (3%) was formally diagnosed with Tourette syndrome during the follow-up interval, and 3 (9%) were diagnosed with ADHD. CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of the children with ocular tics at presentation had persistent ocular tics on follow-up. New nonocular motor and vocal tics occurred in several patients.
PURPOSE: To describe the outcome and comorbidities of ocular tics in children evaluated by a pediatric neuro-ophthalmologist. METHODS: The medical records of all consecutive patients in a pediatric neuro-ophthalmology practice diagnosed with ocular tics (eye rolling, blinking, and widening) were retrospectively reviewed. Children with known secondary causes for tics were excluded. Patients, parents, and/or guardians were contacted by telephone to obtain follow-up information. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients were included in the retrospective cohort, with a mean age of 7.8 ± 4.8 years at diagnosis. Thirty-two patients participated in the follow-up survey, with an average follow-up of 6.1 ± 3.9 years. None of the 43 children carried a diagnosis of Tourette syndrome or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) at presentation; 1 child had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). At follow-up, 14 of the 32 children (44%) had persistent ocular tics, 3 (9%) reported new nonocular motor tics, 5 (16%) reported new vocal tics, and 4 (13%) developed both nonocular motor and vocal tics. One patient (3%) was formally diagnosed with Tourette syndrome during the follow-up interval, and 3 (9%) were diagnosed with ADHD. CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of the children with ocular tics at presentation had persistent ocular tics on follow-up. New nonocular motor and vocal tics occurred in several patients.