TRANSIENT VISUAL SYMPTOMS AS THE INITIAL MANIFESTATION OF CHILDHOOD ADRENOLEUKODYSTROPHY

We report two patients with transient visual symptoms after an acute i llness (hypoglycemia and head trauma) who, went on to develop a progre ssive neurodegenerative disease (adrenoleukodystrophy). This report su pports the suggestion that environmental factors play a role ire the i nitial expression of the disease and reviews atypical visual manifesta tions of adrenoleukodystrophy. Proper diagnosis and institution of ear ly treatment before the catastrophic deterioration typical of its natu ral history requires a high degree of suspicion. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Science Inc, All rights reserved.