Reviews

Abstract

DISEASE, PAIN AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR. Elsbeth Stenager and Egon Stenager. New York: The Haworth Medical Press, 1998, 121 pages, $9.00. Paperback. Reviewed by Nancy Deeds Meister.

HEAR HOW I FEEL. A video produced by the Baton Broadcasting System and Mid Canada Television (24 minutes, 30 seconds), 1996. No charge at present. Reviewed by Linda McLellan.     

No clear evidence of a clinical benefit of a sequential therapy regimen with abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men in most western countries. New agents for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) developed in the past 3 years include abiraterone acetate (AA) and enzalutamide (ENZ), which inhibit signaling by and synthesis of androgens, respectively. Because they share the same target, potential clinical cross-resistance between AA and E is possible. In this review, we discuss the results of clinical studies in which CRPC patients were treated with AA and E either separately or in sequence after first-line treatment with docetaxel. Our review suggests that sequential administration of AA and E in either order has limited activity after docetaxel therapy. Prospective studies that further examine sequential treatments with AA and E are warranted.     

The Effect of Therapeutic Horseback Riding on Gross Motor Function and Gait Speed in Children Who Are Developmentally Delayed

The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of a seven-week therapeutic horseback riding program and to determine if changes were retained after therapeutic riding was discontinued. A repeated-measures within-participants design was used to assess performance on the Gross Motor Function Measure and timed 10-meter walk in seven developmentally delayed children. A statistically significant improvement in gross motor function was found in post-intervention measures. Improvements were maintained seven weeks after therapeutic riding had ended. No considerable difference in gait speed was noted. This study indicates that therapeutic riding may lead to improvement in gross motor function in developmentally delayed children and that these improvements remain once therapeutic riding ceases.     

A comparison of the efficacy of weight-shift vs. joystick control of a robotic mobility device by infants ages 5 to 10 months

The onset of crawling in infants contributes to cognitive, perceptual, social, and emotional development. Conversely, infants with motor impairment that delays or prevents autonomous mobility often have associated developmental delays. Evidence suggests that providing mobility may have positive developmental outcomes, however powered wheelchairs may not be recommended for very young children, due to safety concerns and the child’s level of cognitive maturity. The WeeBot is a mobility device controlled by infant weight shifting while seated; infants as young as 5 months have learned to use it. This study compares the efficacy of using the WeeBot vs. using the traditional manual joystick to control a robotic mobility device. Participants were 20 typically developing infants between 5 and 10 months who had not yet achieved independent mobility. A quasi-experimental two-group design was used: The first 10 participants recruited used the WeeBot (weight-shift); the next 10 used the joystick. Results showed that infants learned to use weight-shift control more easily and more skilfully than did infants using the joystick. The ability of infants to use the WeeBot suggests that an intuitive alternative control might allow very early powered mobility for children with disabilities, which might have implications for various aspects of their development.     

Everyday memory difficulties in children and adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To investigate whether significant differences exist in everyday memory between youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum (FASD) compared with a nonexposed (NE) control group, while controlling for socioeconomic status and other comorbidities.

Methods: Caregiver ratings using the Everyday Memory Questionnaire were obtained for 105 youth (9–17 years of age). Scores were compared between youth with a FASD diagnosis (N = 41; 56% male) and the NE group (N = 64; 53% male) using multivariate analysis of variance.

Results: Significantly poorer scores were found across all domains of everyday memory in youth with FASD (p<0.01 for all comparisons). Findings maintained significance after controlling for group differences in socioeconomic status, presence of learning, and attention disorders, as well as exposure to other teratogens.

Conclusions: This study provides important insights regarding the memory issues that underlie daily functional challenges faced by youth with FASD and the need for future intervention research.     

Ductal stent endocarditis resulting in a large aortic pseudoaneurysm

An infant with ductal dependent pulmonary blood flow who underwent neonatal ductal stenting and, 4 months later, developed ductal stent endocarditis due to Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus was described. The infection was associated with a moderate aortic pseudoaneurysm and the patient was treated with antibiotics as well as surgical aortic pseudoaneurysm repair. This novel and unusual complication of ductal stent placement warrants reporting.