A new clinical feature associated with familial early-onset of dystonic-guttural tics: An unusual diagnosis of PANDAS

Until today there is a large debate about the existence of PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections) or PANS (pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome). These children usually have dramatic, “overnight” onset of symptoms, including motor or vocal tics, obsessions, and/or compulsions. In addition to these symptoms, children may also have comorbid features of associated disorders. Herein, we report a family with an early onset of tics, with exclusively dystonic and guttural tics. All patients had a particularly strong excitement trigger. Two of the patients were shown to have signs suggestive of PANDAS and all family members were Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (GABHS) carriers. The PANDAS spectrum is probably a group of disorders. We have described a PANDAS variant, in which the family seems to share common autoimmune pattern and may be viewed in the large spectrum of PANDAS.