scholarly journals The Greater Houston Area Bipolar Registry—Clinical and Neurobiological Trajectories of Children and Adolescents With Bipolar Disorders and High-Risk Unaffected Offspring

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Paim Diaz ◽  
Valeria A. Cuellar ◽  
Elizabeth L. Vinson ◽  
Robert Suchting ◽  
Kathryn Durkin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Clinical Course ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Clinical Information ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Neurocognitive Performance ◽  
Clinical Predictors ◽  
Conversion Rates ◽  
Houston Area

The aims of this article are to discuss the rationale, design, and procedures of the Greater Houston Area Bipolar Registry (HBR), which aims at contributing to the effort involved in the investigation of neurobiological mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder (BD) as well as to identify clinical and neurobiological markers able to predict BD clinical course. The article will also briefly discuss examples of other initiatives that have made fundamental contributions to the field. This will be a longitudinal study with participants aged 6–17 at the time of enrollment. Participants will be required to meet diagnostic criteria for BD, or to be offspring of a parent with BD. We will also enroll healthy controls. Besides clinical information, which includes neurocognitive performance, participants will be asked to provide blood and saliva samples as well as to perform neuroimaging exams at baseline and follow-ups. Several studies point to the existence of genetic, inflammatory, and brain imaging alterations between individuals at higher genetic risk for BD compared with healthy controls. Longitudinal designs have shown high conversion rates to BD among high-risk offspring, with attempts to identify clinical predictors of disease onset, as well as clarifying the burden associated with environmental stressors. The HBR will help in the worldwide effort investigating the clinical course and neurobiological mechanisms of affected and high-risk children and adolescents with BD.

HIGHER RATES OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN THE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AT GENETIC HIGH RISK OF BIPOLAR DISORDER AND SCHIZOPHRENIA COMPARED TO HEALTHY CONTROLS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

2010 ◽  
Vol 117 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 439-440
Author(s):  
Vanessa Sanchez-Gistau ◽  
Elena de la Serna ◽  
Soledad Romero ◽  
Montse Vila ◽  
Inma Baeza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Preliminary Results

scholarly journals A Review on the Use of Anti-TNF in Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 2529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martine A. Aardoom ◽  
Gigi Veereman ◽  
Lissy de Ridder
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Bowel Disease ◽  
Pubertal Development ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Therapeutic Drug ◽  
Clinical Predictors ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) presents with disabling symptoms and may lead to insufficient growth and late pubertal development in cases of disease onset during childhood or adolescence. During the last decade, the role of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the treatment of paediatric-onset IBD has gained more ground. The number of biologicals presently available for children and adolescents with IBD has increased, biosimilars have become available, and practices in adult gastroenterology with regards to anti-TNF have changed. The aim of this study is to review the current evidence on the indications, judicious use, effectiveness and safety of anti-TNF agents in paediatric IBD. A PubMed literature search was performed and included articles published after 2000 using the following terms: child or paediatric, Crohn, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, anti-TNF, TNF alpha inhibitor, infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab and biological. Anti-TNF agents, specifically infliximab and adalimumab, have proven to be effective in moderate and severe paediatric IBD. Therapeutic drug monitoring increases therapy effectiveness and safety. Clinical predictors for anti-TNF response are currently of limited value because of the variation in outcome definitions and follow-ups. Future research should comprise large cohorts and clinical trials comparing groups according to their risk profile in order to provide personalized therapeutic strategies.

Contraception and thrombophilia

2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (02) ◽  
pp. 193-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Rott ◽  
A. Kruempel ◽  
G. Kappert ◽  
U. Nowak-Göttl ◽  
S. Halimeh
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Illness ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Hormonal Contraception ◽  
Hormonal Contraceptives ◽  
Thromboembolic Events ◽  
Contraceptive Methods ◽  
Secondary Complications ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Coagulation Proteins

SummaryThe risk of thromboembolic events (TE) is increased by acquired or inherited thrombo -philias (IT). We know that some hormonal contraceptives also increase the risk of thrombosis, thus, the use of such contraceptives are discussed as contraindications in women with IT. TEs are infrequent events in children and adolescents and in the majority of cases are associated with secondary complications from underlying chronic illness. Although adolescents are not typically considered to be at high-risk for TE, this cohort is frequently using hormonal contraception, leading to an increased risk in cases with unknown IT. The risk of TE with pregnancy alone is higher than associated with combined hormonal contra -ception. Progestin-only methods have not been found to increase the risk of TE with only moderate changes of coagulation proteins compared to normal reference values. Conclusion: Thrombophilic women are good candidates for progestin-only contraceptive methods.

scholarly journals Children and Adolescents Treated for Valvular Aortic Stenosis Have Different Physical Activity Patterns Compared to Healthy Controls: A Methodological Study in a National Cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Skovdahl ◽  
Cecilia Kjellberg Olofsson ◽  
Jan Sunnegårdh ◽  
Jonatan Fridolfsson ◽  
Mats Börjesson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Aortic Stenosis ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Sedentary Time ◽  
Heart Defects ◽  
Sports Participation ◽  
Accelerometer Data ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Valvular Aortic Stenosis

AbstractPrevious research in children and adolescents with congenital heart defects presents contradictory findings concerning their physical activity (PA) level, due to methodological limitations in the PA assessment. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to compare PA in children and adolescents treated for valvular aortic stenosis with healthy controls using an improved accelerometer method. Seven-day accelerometer data were collected from the hip in a national Swedish sample of 46 patients 6–18 years old treated for valvular aortic stenosis and 44 healthy controls matched for age, gender, geography, and measurement period. Sports participation was self-reported. Accelerometer data were processed with the new improved Frequency Extended Method and with the traditional ActiGraph method for comparison. A high-resolution PA intensity spectrum was investigated as well as traditional crude PA intensity categories. Children treated for aortic stenosis had a pattern of less PA in the highest intensity spectra and had more sedentary time, while the adolescent patients tended to be less physically active in higher intensities overall and with less sedentary time, compared to the controls. These patterns were evident using the Frequency Extended Method with the detailed PA intensity spectrum, but not to the same degree using the ActiGraph method and traditional crude PA intensity categories. Patients reported less sports participation than their controls in both age-groups. Specific differences in PA patterns were revealed using the Frequency Extended Method with the high-resolution PA intensity spectrum in Swedish children and adolescents treated for valvular aortic stenosis.

Handwriting in Alzheimer’s Disease

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Margarete Delazer ◽  
Laura Zamarian ◽  
Atbin Djamshidian
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Clinical Course ◽  
Typical Feature ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Spearman Correlation ◽  
Writing Difficulties ◽  
Motor Programs ◽  
Processing Level ◽  
Diagnostic Values

Background: Agraphia is a typical feature in the clinical course of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Objective: Assess the differences between AD and normal aging as regards kinematographic features of handwriting and elucidate writing deficits in AD. Methods: The study included 23 patients with AD (78.09 years/SD = 7.12; MMSE 21.39/SD = 3.61) and 34 healthy controls (75.56 years/SD = 5.85; MMSE 29.06/SD = 0.78). Both groups performed alphabetical and non-alphabetical writing tasks. The kinematographic assessment included the average number of inversions per stroke (NIV; number of peaks in the velocity profile in a single up or down stroke), percentage of automated segments, frequency (average number of strokes per second), writing pressure, and writing velocity on paper. Results: A total of 14 patients showed overt writing difficulties reflected by omissions or substitutions of letters. AD patients showed less automated movements (as measured by NIV), lower writing velocity, and lower frequency of up-and-down strokes in non-alphabetical as well as in alphabetical writing. In the patient group, Spearman correlation analysis between overt writing performance and NIV was significant. That means patients who had less errors in writing a sentence showed a higher automaticity in handwriting. The correctness of alphabetical writing and some kinematographic measures in writing non-alphabetical material reached excellent diagnostic values in ROC analyses. There was no difference in the application of pressure on the pen between patients and controls. Conclusion: Writing disorders are multi-componential in AD and not strictly limited to one processing level. The slow and poorly automated execution of motor programs is not bound to alphabetical material.

Effects of cannabis use on event related potentials in subjects at ultra high risk for psychosis and healthy controls

2013 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam J. van Tricht ◽  
Emma C. Harmsen ◽  
Johannes H.T.M. Koelman ◽  
Lo J. Bour ◽  
Thérèse A. van Amelsvoort ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Ultra High Risk ◽  
Related Potentials

scholarly journals Scalp hair cortisol for diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome

2017 ◽  
Vol 176 (6) ◽  
pp. 695-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent L Wester ◽  
Martin Reincke ◽  
Jan W Koper ◽  
Erica L T van den Akker ◽  
Laura Manenschijn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cushing’S Syndrome ◽  
Scalp Hair ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Cushing's Syndrome ◽  
Screening Tests ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Hair Cortisol ◽  
First Line ◽  
Free Cortisol

Objective Current first-line screening tests for Cushing’s syndrome (CS) only measure time-point or short-term cortisol. Hair cortisol content (HCC) offers a non-invasive way to measure long-term cortisol exposure over several months of time. We aimed to evaluate HCC as a screening tool for CS. Design Case-control study in two academic referral centers for CS. Methods Between 2009 and 2016, we collected scalp hair from patients suspected of CS and healthy controls. HCC was measured using ELISA. HCC was available in 43 confirmed CS patients, 35 patients in whom the diagnosis CS was rejected during diagnostic work-up and follow-up (patient controls), and 174 healthy controls. Additionally, we created HCC timelines in two patients with ectopic CS. Results CS patients had higher HCC than patient controls and healthy controls (geometric mean 106.9 vs 12.7 and 8.4 pg/mg respectively, P < 0.001). At a cut-off of 31.1 pg/mg, HCC could differentiate between CS patients and healthy controls with a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 90%. With patient controls as a reference, specificity remained the same (91%). Within CS patients, HCC correlated significantly with urinary free cortisol (r = 0.691, P < 0.001). In two ectopic CS patients, HCC timelines indicated that cortisol was increased 3 and 6 months before CS became clinically apparent. Conclusions Analysis of cortisol in a single scalp hair sample offers diagnostic accuracy for CS similar to currently used first-line tests, and can be used to investigate cortisol exposure in CS patients months to years back in time, enabling the estimation of disease onset.

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