The Early Presentation of a Classic Case of Tuberous Sclerosis: A Case Report

Cureus. 2023 Oct 17;15(10):e47241. doi: 10.7759/cureus.47241. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Abstract

Tuberous sclerosis (TS) is a potentially severe medical disorder that poses a life-threatening risk and can lead to drastic lifestyle changes. In infants and young children, the typical diagnostic criteria for this condition encompass cutaneous manifestations and seizures, and the development of cellular growths termed hamartomas, astrocytomas, myolipomas, and even carcinomas observed within the cardiac, cerebral, renal, and retinal tissues. The usual age of presentation varies widely, which affects the prognosis. We report a case of a four-month-old male patient who presented with early signs of TS. The patient showed signs of infantile spasms and seizures. On further examination, he had neurological, cutaneous, cardiac, and retinal manifestations, which pointed toward the diagnosis of TS. This case report emphasizes the importance of screening for TS at an early age due to the possibility of patients presenting earlier than the usual age of presentation. To the best of our knowledge, there is scarce data on this kind of early-onset signs of TS; therefore, we feel that it is imperative to start screening infants earlier to improve the prognosis and decrease the complications of this disease. The screening tests and the incidence of screening will vary based on the cost and availability of proper diagnostic and screening tests and the accessibility of efficient treatments.

Keywords: ash leaf spots; case report; epilepsy; rhabdomyoma; tuberous sclerosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports