Awareness of disease in Alzheimer's dementia: description of a mild to moderate sample of patient and caregiver dyads in Brazil

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 733-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia Dourado ◽  
Valeska Marinho ◽  
Claudia Soares ◽  
Eliasz Engelhardt ◽  
Jerson Laks

Background: Impairment of deficit awareness is a clinically relevant feature of dementia affecting the maintenance of decision capacities, management and safety of patients with risk behaviors, and caregiver burden. This study assessed awareness of disease of patient/caregiver dyads and the relationship between unawareness on various domains and sociodemographic variables among elderly Brazilians with Alzheimer's disease (AD).Methods: The dyads (n = 52), stratified by clinical severity and age groups, responded to the Assessment Scale of Psychosocial Impact of the Diagnosis of Dementia (ASPIDD). Statistical tests were used to compare clinical and sociodemographic variables and to calculate differences in rates of discrepant responses among mild and moderate dyads and between age groups, rates of discrepant responses among the ASPIDD domains, and association between awareness and age/age at onset.Results: Awareness of deficits did not differ significantly among mild patients, whereas moderate patients showed impaired recognition on all domains. Older moderate dyads showed more discrepant responses, as compared to younger dyads at both severity stages. Mild patients could associate the disease with the cognitive deficits and recognized impairments on other domains. There was no significant relation of awareness with age at onset.Conclusion: Mild AD patients could associate the disease process with the presence of cognitive deficits, and also the changes in the emotional response with difficulties in social, family, and affective relations. Moderate AD patients were less aware of the symptoms and did not attribute them to the disease.

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia Dourado ◽  
Valeska Marinho ◽  
Cláudia Soares ◽  
Eliasz Engelhardt ◽  
Jerson Laks

Abstract Objective: To describe the development of the Assessment Scale of Psychosocial Impact of the Diagnosis of Dementia (ASPIDD), a multidimensional scale to evaluate awareness of disease in dementia. Method: The development of this scale was conducted in four steps. In step one, questions were drawn up after a review of the literature. The second step involved the suggestions offered by a neurologist regarding the skills considered important for the scale. The third step involved the re-writing and review of the domains and questions in the scale followed by a semantic evaluation performed by two independent psychiatrists. Step four consisted of the preliminary study aimed at evaluating the applicability of the ASPIDD. Results: In the semantic evaluation only minor changes were proposed. The preliminary sample had 52 patients, comprising 23 CDR 1 (male=9; female=14) and 29 CDR2 (male=13; female=16). Mean age of patients was 69.7±5.51 (CDR1) and 73.6±9.4 (CDR2), and age at onset was 66.4±5.7 years (CDR1) and 68.3±9.3 year (CDR2). Mean schooling was 9.0±4.3 years (CDR1) and 8.8±4.4 years (CDR2). Mean MMSE was 21.0±3.3 (CDR1) and 17.6±3.5 (CDR2). Mean Cornell was 4.8±2.3 (CDR1) and 4.2±1.9 (CDR2). The patient and caregiver dyads were aware of problems, mainly of those related to social, family and affective relations. The higher rates of discrepant responses were found on the awareness of cognitive deficits and changes in ADL. Conclusion: The ASPIDD is a multidimensional instrument to assess awareness of disease among AD patients.


2009 ◽  
Vol 195 (4) ◽  
pp. 286-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. K. Rajji ◽  
Z. Ismail ◽  
B. H. Mulsant

BackgroundThe relationship between cognition and age at onset of schizophrenia is largely unknown.AimsTo compare cognitive deficits in individuals with youth-onset and late-onset schizophrenia with those in adults with first-episode schizophrenia.MethodTwenty-nine databases (including EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsycINFO) were searched from 1980 to 2008. Selected publications had to include healthy controls and analyse separately individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or a related disorder and individuals with first-episode, youth-onset or late-onset schizophrenia. Descriptive and cognitive data were extracted and the latter aggregated into 22 cognitive measures. Cohen's effect size raw and weighted means of cognitive deficits were generated and compared in the three groups.ResultsIndividuals with youth-onset and first-episode schizophrenia demonstrate large deficits (mean effect size ⩾0.8) on almost all cognitive measures. Individuals with youth-onset schizophrenia demonstrate larger deficits than those with first-episode schizophrenia on arithmetic, executive function, IQ, psychomotor speed of processing and verbal memory. In contrast, those with late-onset schizophrenia demonstrate minimal deficits on arithmetic, digit symbol coding and vocabulary, but larger ones on attention, fluency, global cognition, IQ and visuospatial construction.ConclusionsIndividuals with youth-onset schizophrenia have severe cognitive deficits, whereas those with late-onset schizophrenia have some relatively preserved cognitive functions. This finding supports the view that severity of the disease process is associated with different ages at onset. In addition, the cognitive pattern of people with late-onset schizophrenia suggests that their deficits are specific rather than solely as a result of ageing and related factors.


2017 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 80-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Tondo ◽  
M. Pinna ◽  
G. Serra ◽  
L. De Chiara ◽  
R.J. Baldessarini

AbstractBackgroundMenarche age has been associated inconsistently with the occurrence, timing or severity of major depressive disorder (MDD), but rarely studied in women with bipolar (BDs) or anxiety disorders.MethodsWe investigated women patients at a Sardinian mood disorder center for associations of age at menarche with age at illness onset for major affective or anxiety disorders, year of birth, and other selected factors, using bivariate comparisons and multivariate regression modeling.ResultsAmong women (n = 1139) with DSM-IV MDD (n = 557), BD-I (n = 223), BD-II (n = 178), or anxiety disorders (n = 181), born in 1904–1998, of mean age 42.9 years, menarche age averaged 12.8 [CI: 12.7–12.9] years. Illness onset age averaged 30.9 [30.1–31.8] years, ranking: BD-I, 25.8; anxiety disorders, 28.0; BD-II, 30.3; MDD, 34.1 years. Menarche age declined secularly over birth years, and was associated with younger illness-onset, having no or fewer siblings, more psychiatrically ill first-degree relatives, living in rural environments, being suicidal, substance abuse, and being unemployed. Earlier menarche and earlier illness-onset were significantly associated for onset age groups of ≤ 20, 20–39, and > 40 years. Menarche age versus diagnosis ranked: BD-II < BD-I < anxiety disorders < MDD.ConclusionsAge at menarche in Sardinia, as elsewhere, has declined over the past decades. It was strongly associated with age at onset of bipolar and anxiety, as well as major depressive disorders across the age range, suggesting sustained effects of biological maturational factors.


Author(s):  
Jibril Yahya Hudise ◽  
Khalid Ali Alshehri ◽  
Radeif Eissa Shamakhey ◽  
Ali Khalid Alshehri

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">Neck masses are a common complaint in children worldwide, and constitute a major indication for surgical consultation in many pediatric surgical centers. Most of the neck masses in children are benign in their nature and clinical course. The broad spectrum of etiology of neck masses that ranged from congenital benign to acquired neoplastic lesions is varied and related to multiple factors. This retrospective study was done with the objective to assess the distribution of neck masses related to gender, age, pathology, and anatomical location of neck masses in Aseer Central Hospital. </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">Medical records of 62 patients with neck masses were collected from the department of pathology at Aseer Central Hospital KSA. The cases were reviewed for data on gender, age, the type of origin tissue, the type of lesion, and the anatomical location. Comparison between genders, age groups, and tissue origins were performed. All statistical tests were performed with SPSS software. We exclude thyroid, parathyroid and salivary gland masses.  </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">Over a period of 5 years, a total of 62 patients 53.2% and women 46.8% had neck masses resected for pathological assessments. The age of presentation was ranging from 1 to 14 years. 22.6% developed in (from 1 years to 5 years old), 38.7% developed in (6 to 10 years), and 38.7% developed, in (11 to 14 years). The histopathological diagnosis of the neck masses were congenital 40.3%, inflammatory 33.9%, and malignant tumor 25.8%. </span></p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> <span lang="EN-IN">The differential diagnosis of the pediatric neck mass includes a wide array of congenital, inflammatory, benign and malignant lesions. The exact diagnosis may only be obtained by histopathological examination. In our study the most common masses in pediatric patient thyroglossal duct cyst, all midline masses are congenital.</span></p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 1626
Author(s):  
Ivany Lestari Goutama ◽  
Hendsun . ◽  
Yohanes Firmansyah ◽  
Ernawati Su

Background: Cardiovascular relative risk (CVRISK) is the latest cardiovascular relative risk score to evaluate the magnitude of cardiovascular risk in healthy people regardless of age and cardiovascular risk severity. The aim of the study is to determine the correlation between each independent variables of CVRISK score in individuals with and without history of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).Methods: The study design is cross-sectional study. We conducted it online through social media using Google forms from June to August 2020. Participants include all productive age groups from 16 to 60 years. The data were processed using excel and statistically tested. Descriptive data analysis uses tabulated data which is displayed in numbers or proportions (categorical) and single data distribution (numeric). Statistical association analysis uses the categorical-correlation test with 2 statistical tests that use eta on nominal-ordinal variables and contingency coefficients on nominal-nominal variables.Results: There is a strong autocorrelation between hypertension and high tryglyceride levels (p value 0.001; correlation 0.549; risks 30.14%), nutritional status and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in CVD group (p value 0.002; correlation 0.774; risks 59.90%) and non-CVD group (p value 0.000; correlation 0.757; risks 57.3%). Hypertension and risky LDL-C levels firmly proves a very strong correlations and significant relationship in CVD groups (p value 0.014; correlation 0.947; risks 89.68%).Conclusions: There is a correlation that varies from weak to very strong among the independent variables in the CVRISK scoring of the participants. Further research is needed to determine the potentiality of CVRISK as an early prevention in determining the cardiovascular risk of individuals with and without history of CVD.


Neurology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (15) ◽  
pp. e1333-e1338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean K. Mah ◽  
Jia Feng ◽  
Marni B. Jacobs ◽  
Tina Duong ◽  
Kate Carroll ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo investigate motor function associations with age, sex, and D4Z4 repeats among participants with early-onset facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) type 1 as defined by weakness onset before 10 years of age.MethodsWe collected standardized motor assessments, including manual muscle testing (MMT), quantitative muscle testing, functional motor evaluations, and clinical severity scores (CSSs), at 12 Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group centers. To measure associations, we used linear regression models adjusted for sex, evaluation age, age at onset of weakness, and D4Z4 repeats.ResultsAmong 52 participants (60% female, mean age 22.9 ± 14.7 years), weakness was most pronounced in the shoulder and abdominal musculature. Older enrollment age was associated with greater CSSs (p = 0.003). When adjusted for enrollment age, sex, and D4Z4 repeats, younger age at onset of facial weakness was associated with greater CSSs, slower velocities in timed function tests, and lower MMT scores (p < 0.05).ConclusionSignificant clinical variability was observed in early-onset FSHD. Earlier age at onset of facial weakness was associated with greater disease severity. Longitudinal assessments are needed to determine the rate of disease progression in this population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumiao Zhou ◽  
Yuanyuan Huang ◽  
Yangdong Feng ◽  
Hehua Li ◽  
Kai Wu ◽  
...  

AbstractIt was still unclear how homocysteine (Hcy) levels and cognitive deficits change in patients with schizophrenia of various ages. The present article attempts to assess the relationship between Hcy levels and cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia across age groups, especially in young people. Totals of 103 patients and 122 healthy controls were included. All participants were stratified into four groups according to their age: 18–29 years, 30–39 years, 40–49 years, and 50–59 years. Clinical data, plasma Hcy levels, and cognitive function score were collected. Cognitive function was evaluated using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery of tests assessing speed of processing, verbal learning and memory, visual learning and memory, working memory, and attention/vigilance. Compared with the healthy group, Hcy levels increased significantly, and all the measured cognitive function score were significantly lower in all age groups of patients with schizophrenia (p < 0.001). Hcy levels were negatively associated with speed of processing (SoP), working memory (WM), and visual learning and memory (Vis Lrng) score in 18–29 years. Further multiple regression analysis showed that SoP were independently associated with Hcy levels in patients with schizophrenia aged 18–29 years (B = 0.74, t = 3.12, p = 0.008). Based on our results, patients with schizophrenia performed worse on cognitive assessments and Hcy levels were more closely related to cognition in young patients.


Author(s):  
Cathy Hughes

The aim of this chapter is provide an overview of cancer, a biologically similar, but diverse, group of diseases. Understanding the disease process will help the practising nurse to plan nursing care and to seek appropriate specialist advice. Cancer can affect almost any part of the body and has significance for different age groups and within different cultures, so the effect on the individual, the prognosis, and the treatment will significantly differ depending upon cancer site and treatment setting. This chapter will outline symptoms in relation to the site of the body affected to illustrate the effect of cancer on an individual, and consideration will also be given to the wider impact of the disease. This chapter is underpinned by the principles of evidence-based patient-centred care and will focus on the concepts associated with promoting lifestyles that reduce the risk of developing cancer, screening to identify those at risk, detection of early disease, and the care and management of the individual with and beyond cancer. Cancer refers to a condition in which there is abnormal growth of cells. The characteristics of cancer cells are that they divide uncontrollably, do not require stimulation for growth as do normal cells, and are not restrained by the presence of neighbouring cells. Because cancer is concerned with a failure in the growth control mechanism of the cell at a gene or DNA level and because there are potentially as many different types of cancer as there are types of body cell, no two cancers are exactly alike (Cancer Research UK, 2009). The site at which a cancer first develops (primary cancer), such as lung or breast, is often used broadly to describe it; however, cancer is generally defined by the origin of the type of cell that has become cancerous. The most frequent sites and types of cancer are as follows….● Carcinomas—arise in epithelial cells in the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and other internal organs, and make up about 85% of all cancers (Cancer Research UK, 2010a) ● Haematological (blood and lymphatic system) cancers—arise from blood or bone marrow cells; include leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, and make up about 7% of all cancers, but leukaemia is the commonest cancer in children (Cancer Research UK, 2010b)…


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-316
Author(s):  
Suhail Ahmad Bhat ◽  
Mushtaq Ahmad Darzi

The purpose of the study is to explore the influence of sociodemographic variables (gender & age) on consumers’ perception towards online shopping. The article specifically focuses on purchase benefit that has been categorized into three dimensions such as convenience, interactivity and enjoyment, which are associated with demand management of an Indian consumer. The study has adopted survey by questionnaire method for data collection from online shoppers. Quota sampling technique was used for data collection from 660 e-consumers. Data analysis and hypotheses testing were performed through descriptive (mean, percentage and standard deviation) and comparative statistics (Z-test and one-way ANOVA). Analysis revealed that gender does not have any influence on the purchase benefit variables; however, the significant mean difference was observed between ‘Below 20’ and ‘21–30’ years age groups for convenience and interactivity only. The findings of the current study will be helpful to web store executives in building marketing capabilities and demand management strategies for different age groups. The study has a unique contribution of filling the knowledge gaps in the existing literature by statistically evaluating the role of less-studied sociodemographic variables, that is, age and gender on the consumers’ intention towards purchase benefits associated with online shopping.


2000 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary P Cosgrave ◽  
Janette Tyrrell ◽  
Mary McCarron ◽  
Michael Gill ◽  
Brian A Lawlor

AbstractObjectives: To investigate the development of dementia over a five year follow up period in a population of females with Down's syndrome; to examine age at onset and duration of dementia in the population; to document the clinical features of dementia and to highlight scores on functional and cognitive rating scales at diagnosis of dementia and at the onset of complete dependency.Method: A five year follow-up study of 80 female subjects on prevalence of dementia, early clinical features of dementia and patterns of scoring on rating scales at diagnosis and end-stage dementia was completed. Results: Over the five year study period the number of subjects diagnosed with dementia rose from seven (8.75%) to 35 (43.75%). Age related prevalence figures showed that dementia was more common with increasing age. The earliest recognisable symptoms of dementia were memory loss, spatial disorientation and loss of independence especially in the area of personal hygiene. These findings were confirmed by the rating scales used in the study.Conclusions: The earliest recognisable clinical features of dementia include memory loss and increased dependency. The results of this study should facilitate earlier diagnosis of dementia in DS.


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