Neuroscience & Medicine, 2017, 8, 29-32
http://www.scirp.org/journal/nm
ISSN Online: 2158-2947
ISSN Print: 2158-2912
DOI: 10.4236/nm.2017.83004 Sep. 28, 2017 29 Neuroscience & Medicine
West Syndrome Secondary to Biotinidase
Deficiency about a Case
Madiha Abouelarais
1
, Nour Mekaoui
1
, Fatima Zohra Oudghiri
1
, Khaoula Mammad
2
,
Lamia Karboubi
1
, Badr Sououd Benjelloun Dakhama
1
1
Pediatric Medical Emergency Department, Rabat Children’s Hospital, University Hospital of Ibn Sina, Faculty of Medicine and
Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
2
Unit of Neuroscience and Applied Nutrition, Laboratory of Nutrition, Health and Environment, Department of Biology, Faculty
of Science, Kenitra, Morocco
Abstract
Biotinidase deficiency is an abnormality of biotin metabolism which is mani-
fested by neurological, cutaneous, ophthalmological and auditory signs. It has
been described as a cause of West syndrome, but there are few observations
that report an association between these latter two. We report the observation
of an 18-month old infant born from a first-degree consanguineous marriage,
followed since the age of 2 months and half for West syndrome associated
with alopecia, also an eczema and deafness in whom the etiological investiga-
tion was in favor of a biotinidase deficiency. Thus treatment with biotin re-
sulted in a marked clinical improvement.
Keywords
West Syndrome Secondary, One Case, Biotinidase Defiency
1. Introduction
The biotinidase deficiency is an autosomal recessive hereditary abnormality, and
biotin metabolism, resulting in the inability to recycle biotin from its dietary and
endogenous sources [1]. It is due to mutations in the BTD gene of biotin me-
tabolism, this disorder, if untreated, can affect many parts of the body and cause
delayed development. While the incidence is estimated at 1/60,000 newborns [2],
the clinical manifestations usually appear between the 2
nd
and 5
th
month of life,
and a convulsions are almost constant and begin within the first 3 months of life.
The clinical features that should guide the diagnosis are the presence of severe
atopic dermatitis, alopecia, deafness, optic atrophy and deep hypotonia espe-
How to cite this paper: Abouelarais, M.,
Mekaoui, N., Oudghiri, F.Z., Mammad, K.,
Karboubi, L. and Dakhama, B.S.B. (2017)
West Syndrome Secondary to Biotini dase
Deficiency about a Case. Neuroscience &
Medicine, 8, 29-32.
https://doi.org/10.4236/nm.2017.83004
Received: August 28, 2017
Accepted: September 25, 2017
Published: September 28, 2017
Copyright © 2017 by authors and
Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative
Commons Attribution International
License (CC BY 4.0).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Open Access