Objective: to determine the correlation between personal characteristics and semiology of the first tic episode in children with Tourette syndrome.

Background: there is a lack of information in literature regarding the effect of personal characteristics on tic semiology at the onset of the chronic tic disorder.

Methods: we abstracted the data from electronic medical records of children seen in our outpatient clinic between 1.1.2014 and 31.12.2016 fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for Tourette syndrome. We grouped them in 5 groups according to the semiology of their first tic episode (1 – single motor, 2 – multiple motor, 3 – single phonic, 4 – multiple phonic, 5 multiple motor and phonic). We determined the age at the onset of the disorder (age), sex and family history for tic disorders of children in each group and analyzed the differences between groups. We merged groups together to acquire additional information (in example groups 3 and 4 – only phonic tics at the onset).

Results: 60 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. 36 (60%) were included in group 1 (single motor), age 5.28 years (2 – 10), 10 (27%) were female, 18 (50%) had positive family history. 12 (20%) children were included in group 2 (multiple motor), age 5.67 years (3 – 13), 5 (42%) were female, 6 (50%) had positive family history. 6 (10%) children were included in group 3 (single phonic), age 5.83 (3 – 7), none were female, 1 (17% had positive family history). 1 child was included in group 4 (multiple phonic), he was 8 at the onset, male, with negative family history. 5 (8%) children were included in group 5 (multiple motor and phonic), age 5.80 (3 – 9), 2 (40%) were female, 3 (60%) had positive family history.  

Conclusions: additionally to the results that we expected (majority of children presented with motor tics, children that presented with phonic tics were older), our analysis showed some data, that was not previously reported. None of the female patients had isolated (single or multiple) phonic tics as their presenting semiology. Percentage of females in groups with multiple (motor, phonic or both) tics at the onset was larger than in groups with single one (39 vs 24%). Family history was less likely to be reported as positive in patients that presented with isolated phonic tics compared to patients that presented with at least one motor tic (14 vs 51%).

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/effect-of-personal-characteristics-on-semiology-of-the-first-tic-episode-in-children-with-tourette-syndrome/