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 The Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology has released an online copy of the PANS diagnostic guidelines as agreed upon at a May 2013 Consensus meeting! The paper is entitled " Clinical Evaluation of Youth with Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS): Recommendations from the 2013 PANS Consensus Conference". Authors are: Chang K, Frankovich J, Cooperstock M, Cunningham M, Latimer ME, Murphy TK, Pasternack M, Thienemann M, Williams K, Walter J, Swedo SE. This is the first of many papers that will be published. A hard copy, published version will accompany a series of papers in January or February 2015. PANDAS Network is working with the publisher, Mary Ann Liebert, to make the published version available to parents at a discounted rate. That information will be available later this week.
Abstract
Abstract On May 23 and 24, 2013, the First PANS Consensus Conference was convened at Stanford University, calling together a geographically diverse group of clinicians and researchers from complementary fields of pediatrics: General and developmental pediatrics, infectious diseases, immunology, rheumatology, neurology, and child psychiatry. Participants were academicians with clinical and research interests in pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcus (PANDAS) in youth, and the larger category of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS). The goals were to clarify the diagnostic boundaries of PANS, to develop systematic strategies for evaluation of suspected PANS cases, and to set forth the most urgently needed studies in this field. Presented here is a consensus statement proposing recommendations for the diagnostic evaluation of youth presenting with PANS.
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To view the abstract and obtain directions on how to access the online pdf, please visit http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cap.2014.0084. Again, a hard copy, along with a series of papers, will be available for purchase in January or February 2015. |
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PANDAS Network Commentary
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This is an exciting read and promises to promote increased treatment internationally. It gives exhaustive step-by-step instructions for practitioners and explains both the PANDAS and PANS definition --- emphasizing the potential, life altering severity if left untreated. Evaluation guidelines include in-depth evaluation of the following: family history of mental, and autoimmune illness; physical findings that include presentation of skin, eyes, nose, throat, chest, neck, muscular, neurological findings and more. Blood workups are discussed as well as the usefulness of the Cunningham Panel™.
Infectious disease evaluations include persistent infections such as strep, mycoplasma pneumonia, ebstein barr, influenze, lyme and more. Guidelines to differentiate between autoimmune encephalitis and PANDAS-PANS are given. The Consortium advises evaluation of both immunodeficiency, MRI's and lumbar puncture in particular - narrowly outlined situations.
May this serve to force the hands of insurers to cover, follow and the next paper must discuss how to HEAL the children!!
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