scholarly journals Co-occurrence of apathy and impulsivity in progressive supranuclear palsy

Author(s):  
Zi Qi Kok ◽  
Alexander G. Murley ◽  
Timothy Rittman ◽  
James B. Rowe ◽  
Luca Passamonti

AbstractBackgroundApathy and impulsivity are common problems in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and can worsen its prognosis. They can co-exist in the same patients although their concomitant prevalence remains unclear. Their relationship to emotional lability is also unknown.ObjectivesTo estimate the co-occurrence of apathy and impulsivity and their relationship to emotional lability in PSP. To characterize the demographic, clinical, and cognitive features of PSP patients with apathy and impulsivity.MethodsIn a retrospective study of a long-term clinical cohort, we assessed the prevalence of apathy, impulsivity, and emotional lability from clinical interviews, medical records, and contemporary carer questionnaires. N=154 patients with a diagnosis of probable or possible PSP (according to the 2017 Movement Disorder Society criteria) were identified. N=64 of these patients had neuropathological confirmation of PSP. PSP patients with both apathy and impulsivity were compared in terms of demographic, clinical, and cognitive characteristics to PSP patients with either one or neither of these neuropsychiatric features.ResultsApathy and impulsivity co-existed in two-thirds of people with PSP. A fifth displayed emotional lability in addition to apathy and impulsivity. Apathy and impulsivity were more commonly co-expressed than by chance. There was no single demographic, clinical or cognitive feature that distinguished between PSP patients with versus patients without apathy and impulsivity.ConclusionsThe co-existence of apathy and impulsivity in PSP suggests that these neuropsychiatric features may share similar risk factors and etio-pathogenetic mechanisms. Apathy and impulsivity should be jointly assessed when planning symptomatic treatments for behavioural problems in PSP.

Author(s):  
B. Mathura Bai ◽  
N. Mangathayaru ◽  
B. Padmaja Rani ◽  
Shadi Aljawarneh

: Missing attribute values in medical datasets are one of the most common problems faced when mining medical datasets. Estimation of missing values is a major challenging task in pre-processing of datasets. Any wrong estimate of missing attribute values can lead to inefficient and improper classification thus resulting in lower classifier accuracies. Similarity measures play a key role during the imputation process. The use of an appropriate and better similarity measure can help to achieve better imputation and improved classification accuracies. This paper proposes a novel imputation measure for finding similarity between missing and non-missing instances in medical datasets. Experiments are carried by applying both the proposed imputation technique and popular benchmark existing imputation techniques. Classification is carried using KNN, J48, SMO and RBFN classifiers. Experiment analysis proved that after imputation of medical records using proposed imputation technique, the resulting classification accuracies reported by the classifiers KNN, J48 and SMO have improved when compared to other existing benchmark imputation techniques.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktoria Larsson ◽  
Cecilia Nordenson ◽  
Pontus Karling

Abstract Objectives Opioids are commonly prescribed post-surgery. We investigated the proportion of patients who were prescribed any opioids 6–12 months after two common surgeries – laparoscopic cholecystectomy and gastric by-pass (GBP) surgery. A secondary aim was to examine risk factors prior to surgery associated with the prescription of any opioids after surgery. Methods We performed a retrospective observational study on data from medical records from patients who underwent cholecystectomy (n=297) or GBP (n=93) in 2018 in the Region of Västerbotten, Sweden. Data on prescriptions for opioids and other drugs were collected from the patients` medical records. Results There were 109 patients (28%) who were prescribed opioids after discharge from surgery but only 20 patients (5%) who still received opioid prescriptions 6–12 months after surgery. All 20 of these patients had also been prescribed opioids within three months before surgery, most commonly for back and joint pain. Only 1 out of 56 patients who were prescribed opioids preoperatively due to gallbladder pain still received prescriptions for opioids 6–12 months after surgery. Although opioid use in the early postoperative period was more common among patients who underwent cholecystectomy, the patients who underwent GBP were more prone to be “long-term” users of opioids. In the patients who were prescribed opioids within three months prior to surgery, 8 out of 13 patients who underwent GBP and 12 of the 96 patients who underwent cholecystectomy were still prescribed opioids 6–12 months after surgery (OR 11.2; 95% CI 3.1–39.9, p=0,0002). Affective disorders were common among “long-term” users of opioids and prior benzodiazepine and amitriptyline use were significantly associated with “long-term” opioid use. Conclusions The proportion of patients that used opioids 6–12 months after cholecystectomy or GBP was low. Patients with preoperative opioid-use experienced a significantly higher risk of “long-term” opioid use when undergoing GBP compared to cholecystectomy. The indication for being prescribed opioids in the “long-term” were mostly unrelated to surgery. No patient who was naïve to opioids prior surgery was prescribed opioids 6–12 months after surgery. Although opioids are commonly prescribed in the preoperative and in the early postoperative period to patients with gallbladder disease, there is a low risk that these prescriptions will lead to long-term opioid use. The reasons for being prescribed opioids in the long-term are often due to causes not related to surgery.


2021 ◽  
pp. 000348942110155
Author(s):  
Leonard Haller ◽  
Khush Mehul Kharidia ◽  
Caitlin Bertelsen ◽  
Jeffrey Wang ◽  
Karla O’Dell

Objective: We sought to identify risk factors associated with long-term dysphagia, characterize changes in dysphagia over time, and evaluate the incidence of otolaryngology referrals for patients with long-term dysphagia following anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF). Methods: About 56 patients who underwent ACDF between May 2017 to February 2019 were included in the study. All patients were assessed for dysphagia using the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) survey preoperatively and late postoperatively (≥1 year). Additionally, 28 patients were assessed for dysphagia early postoperatively (2 weeks—3 months). Demographic data, medical comorbidities, intraoperative details, and post-operative otolaryngology referral rates were collected from electronic medical records. Results: Of the 56 patients enrolled, 21 patients (38%) had EAT-10 scores of 3 or more at long-term follow-up. None of the demographics, comorbidities, or surgical factors assessed were associated with long-term dysphagia. Patients who reported no long-term dysphagia had a mean EAT-10 score of 6.9 early postoperatively, while patients with long-term symptoms had a mean score of 18.1 ( P = .006). Of the 21 patients who reported persistent dysphagia symptoms, 3 (14%) received dysphagia testing or otolaryngology referrals post-operatively. Conclusion: Dysphagia is a notable side effect of ACDF surgery, but there are no significant demographics, comorbidities, or surgical risk factors that predict long-term dysphagia. Early postoperative characterization of dysphagia using the EAT-10 questionnaire can help predict long-term symptoms. There is inadequate screening and otolaryngology follow-up for patients with post-ACDF dysphagia.


Author(s):  
Dimitri Sneiders ◽  
Gijs H. J. de Smet ◽  
Floris den Hartog ◽  
Yagmur Yurtkap ◽  
Anand G. Menon ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Patients with a re-recurrent hernia may account for up to 20% of all incisional hernia (IH) patients. IH repair in this population may be complex due to an altered anatomical and biological situation as a result of previous procedures and outcomes of IH repair in this population have not been thoroughly assessed. This study aims to assess outcomes of IH repair by dedicated hernia surgeons in patients who have already had two or more re-recurrences. Methods A propensity score matched analysis was performed using a registry-based, prospective cohort. Patients who underwent IH repair after ≥ 2 re-recurrences operated between 2011 and 2018 and who fulfilled 1 year follow-up visit were included. Patients with similar follow-up who underwent primary IH repair were propensity score matched (1:3) and served as control group. Patient baseline characteristics, surgical and functional outcomes were analyzed and compared between both groups. Results Seventy-three patients operated on after ≥ 2 IH re-recurrences were matched to 219 patients undergoing primary IH repair. After propensity score matching, no significant differences in patient baseline characteristics were present between groups. The incidence of re-recurrence was similar between groups (≥ 2 re-recurrences: 25% versus control 24%, p = 0.811). The incidence of complications, as well as long-term pain, was similar between both groups. Conclusion IH repair in patients who have experienced multiple re-recurrences results in outcomes comparable to patients operated for a primary IH with a similar risk profile. Further surgery in patients who have already experienced multiple hernia re-recurrences is justifiable when performed by a dedicated hernia surgeon.


Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Shaver ◽  
Daniel S. Foy ◽  
Todd D. Carter

Abstract OBJECTIVE To describe signalment, clinical signs, serologic test results, treatment, and outcome of dogs with Coccidioides osteomyelitis (COM) and to compare those findings with findings for dogs with osteosarcoma (OSA). ANIMALS 14 dogs with COM and 16 dogs with OSA. PROCEDURES Data were retrospectively gathered from electronic medical records. RESULTS Dogs with COM were younger and weighed less than dogs with OSA. Six dogs with COM had appendicular lesions, 5 had axial lesions, and 3 had both appendicular and axial lesions; 9 had monostotic disease, and 5 had polyostotic disease. Axial lesions and nonadjacent polyostotic disease were more common in dogs with COM than in dogs with OSA, but radiographic appearance was not different between the 2 groups. Median IgG titer at diagnosis of COM was 1:48 and was significantly decreased after 6 and 12 months of treatment. Percentage of dogs with COM that had clinical signs was significantly decreased after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment. One year after initiation of treatment, 9 of 9 dogs were still receiving fluconazole and 8 of 9 dogs had positive results for serum IgG titer testing. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Dogs with COM typically had a rapid improvement in clinical signs after initiating treatment with fluconazole but required long-term antifungal treatment. Dogs with COM differed from dogs with OSA, but radiographic features had a great degree of overlap between groups, confounding the ability to make a diagnosis on the basis of diagnostic imaging alone.


2012 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen L. Idler ◽  
David A. Boulifard ◽  
Richard J. Contrada

Marriage has long been linked to lower risk for adult mortality in population and clinical studies. In a regional sample of patients ( n = 569) undergoing cardiac surgery, we compared 5-year hazards of mortality for married persons with those of widowed, separated or divorced, and never married persons using data from medical records and psychosocial interviews. After adjusting for demographics and pre- and postsurgical health, unmarried persons had 1.90 times the hazard of mortality of married persons; the disaggregated widowed, never married, and divorced or separated groups had similar hazards, as did men and women. The adjusted hazard for immediate postsurgical mortality was 3.33; the adjusted hazard for long-term mortality was 1.71, and this was mediated by married persons’ lower smoking rates. The findings underscore the role of spouses (both male and female) in caregiving during health crises and the social control of health behaviors.


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