Frequency of dementia etiologies in four ethnic groups

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Research on dementia among ethnically diverse populations in the USA has focused primarily on Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia, but there are limited data on other neurodegenerative causes of dementia. METHODS: To determine the frequency of neurodegenerative disorders in four ethnic groups, data collected at Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers of California for assessments between 1992 and 2002 were analyzed retrospectively. Cases of Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Parkinson disease and progressive supranuclear palsy were identified for 452 Asian and Pacific Islander, 472 Black, 675 Latino and 4,926 White patients. RESULTS: The percentage of non-Whites diagnosed as having dementia with Lewy bodies was lower than that of Whites. Frontotemporal lobar degeneration was as common in Asians and Pacific Islanders compared to Whites, but less common in Blacks and Latinos. Progressive supranuclear palsy was more frequent in Asians and Pacific Islanders compared to Whites, but equally common in Blacks and Latinos. CONCLUSION: Additional study is needed on the social and biological factors that influence the diagnosis and prevalence of non-Alzheimer and nonvascular dementias among diverse ethnic groups.     

Aseptic meningitis and viral myelitis

Meningitis and myelitis represent common and very infrequent viral infections of the central nervous system, respectively. The number of cases of viral meningitis that occurs annually exceeds the total number of meningitis cases caused by all other etiologies combined. Focal central nervous system infections, such as occur in the spinal cord with viral myelitis, are much less common and may be confused with noninfectious disorders that cause acute flaccid paralysis. This article reviews some of the important clinical features, epidemiology, diagnostic approaches, and management strategies for patients with aseptic meningitis and viral myelitis. Particular focus is placed on the diseases caused by enteroviruses, which as a group account for most aseptic meningitis cases and many focal infections of the spinal cord.     

Aseptic meningitis after glatiramer acetate

Journal of Neurology -     

Neighborhood ethnic density and psychotic disorders among ethnic minority groups in Utrecht City

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology - Recent studies have shown increased incidence of non-affective psychotic disorders (NAPD) among ethnic minorities compared to the native population,...     

Gender and ethnic differences in formal and informal help seeking among Israeli adolescents

This study examines the willingness of Jewish and Arab Israeli adolescents to look for help in times of distress and explores the factors that are associated with the willingness of these adolescents to look for help from formal vs. informal sources. The sample consisted of 6017 randomly selected respondents, 14-18 years old, attending secondary schools. Multiple regression analyses were used in order to explore what predicts formal vs. informal help seeking. Results indicate that satisfaction with school, family and friends, and ethnicity are all important predictors that are associated with the willingness of Israeli adolescents to ask for formal and informal help. The interaction between gender and ethnicity was also examined. The findings present the specific differences between formal and informal help seeking and are discussed in the Israeli context.     

颅后窝肿瘤切除术后并发无菌性脑膜炎

我科2003年2月至2003年11月共收治儿童颅后窝肿瘤37例,手术治疗效果良好,其中12例患儿术后并发无菌性脑膜炎,经治疗后均痊愈出院,现总结报告如下.     

Awareness,understanding and attitudes towards epilepsy among Iranian ethnic groups

ObjectiveThis study is an attempt to identify and specify the differences among five major Iranian ethnic groups, i.e. Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, and Arab regarding their awareness, understanding and attitudes towards epilepsy and their beliefs about the treatment of epilepsy.MethodThis survey was carried out cross-sectionally on a sample containing 500 participants from five major ethnic groups in Iran. These groups were selected using cluster random sampling method in April and May 2008. A standardized questionnaire was used for data collection which was composed of four parts: sociodemographic grounds, awareness of epilepsy, attitudes toward epilepsy and causes of epilepsy.ResultsThe results of the analysis suggest that Iranian ethnic groups were significantly different in their awareness of epilepsy (p < .001) and in this regard the level of awareness about epilepsy was quiet high. Most of the respondents in all ethnic groups emphasized physical causes of epilepsy and rejected metaphysical causes. Iranian ethnic groups’ attitudes toward their children's marriage with a person suffering from epilepsy and their living in isolation was highly negative, but they had positive attitude regarding their children's association with those who have epilepsy and their employment and their having children. There was a significant difference among these groups in their beliefs about the treatment of epilepsy (p < .05). Although a great number of people in different ethnic groups emphasized the treatment of epilepsy but a quite large number also were unaware of the treatment.ConclusionThe level of awareness, understanding and also beliefs about epilepsy among Iranian ethnic groups was fairly desirable. In spite of this, Iranian's attitudes about their children's marriage with people who have epilepsy were highly negative as it was in other parts of the world. Although they had a positive attitude about their employment, childbearing, and their association with healthy people.     

Differences in psychotropic drug prescriptions among ethnic groups in the Netherlands

Background  

Psychotropic drug use in Europe and the USA has increased in the past 20 years. The rise in mental health-care use instigated a debate about possible differences in prevalence rates between different ethnic groups in the Netherlands, although the exact differences were unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether these minority groups were more or less likely than the native population to receive psychotropic drugs.     

Aseptic meningitis as initial presentation of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis

BACKGROUND: It is well known that upper respiratory infections or vaccinations are etiologic factors in the majority of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) cases. However, it is less well known that aseptic meningitis may be an initial manifestation of ADEM. OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical and laboratory findings between aseptic meningitis associated with ADEM (AM-ADEM) and isolated aseptic meningitis (AM-alone), and to determine possible predictive factors for progression to ADEM. METHODS: Twenty-five adults initially diagnosed as having aseptic meningitis were included in the present study. Clinical features, CSF, and laboratory parameters were retrospectively analyzed and compared between those with AM-alone and those who went on to develop AM-ADEM. RESULTS: Twenty patients were diagnosed as AM-alone, whereas five were AM-ADEM. Neurological features associated with ADEM including somnolence, diplopia, ataxia, paresis, and bladder disturbance developed 5-19 days after the first symptoms of aseptic meningitis. Sustained high fever >38 degrees C and hyponatremia <135 mEq/l were seen more frequently in cases with AM-ADEM compared with those with AM-alone. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with an initial diagnosis of aseptic meningitis may develop ADEM during hospitalization. Sustained high fever and hyponatremia upon admission might be useful predictive factors for the subsequent development of ADEM in patients with aseptic meningitis.     

Aseptic meningitis as a complication of scinticysternography utilizing indium-DTPA

The intrathecal administration of numerous substances has been known to cause arachnoiditic as well as aseptic meningitic reactions. Pleocytosis and increased protein in the CSF are well known findings following administration of air or myelographic dyes. This has also been observed with antibiotics. Even intrathecal steroids (e.g. depo-medrol) have been implicated in aseptic meningitic reactions. Despite the wide variety of causative agents, only a small percentage of patients develop clinical manifestations of aseptic meningitis. Are these reactions then caused by specific auto-immune type responses, or are they directly related to local irritants in each case, or a combination of both factors?     

朝鲜族、鄂伦春族醇代谢酶基因多态性与酒依赖的研究

目的了解醇脱氢酶（ＡＤＨ）和醛脱氢酶（ＡＬＤＨ）基因多态性与朝鲜族和鄂伦春族酒依赖发病的相互关系。方法采用耳血聚合酶链反应及等位基因特异性寡核苷酸杂交方法，检测ＡＤＨ和ＡＬＤＨ基因型在酒依赖患者（朝鲜族５５例，鄂伦春族３１例）与正常对照者（朝鲜族５０名，鄂伦春族３７名）人群中的分布频率。结果在酒依赖组与正常对照组之间，朝鲜族仅ＡＬＤＨ２基因频率的分布差异有非常显著性（Ｐ＜０．０１），而鄂伦春族的ＡＤＨ３基因频率分布和ＡＬＤＨ２基因频率分布的差异有非常显著性和显著性（Ｐ＜０．０１，Ｐ＜０．０５），两个民族的ＡＤＨ２基因频率分布差异均无显著性。结论提示朝鲜族酒依赖的发生与ＡＬＤＨ２基因有关，鄂伦春族则为ＡＬＤＨ２和ＡＤＨ３基因共同影响酒依赖的发生。     

Treatment of depression among impoverished primary care patients from ethnic minority groups

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether supplementing traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression with clinical case management would reduce the rate of dropout from care and improve outcomes for ethnically diverse, impoverished medical outpatients. METHODS: The study was a randomized trial that compared cognitive-behavioral group psychotherapy alone (N=103) with the same therapy supplemented by clinical case management (N=96). RESULTS: The patients who received supplemental case management had lower dropout rates than those who received cognitive-behavioral group therapy alone. Supplemental case management was associated with greater improvement in symptoms and functioning than cognitive-behavioral therapy alone for patients whose first language was Spanish (N=77) but was less effective for those whose first language was English (N=122). CONCLUSIONS: Supplemental case management improves retention in traditional mental health outpatient care and can improve outcomes for Spanish-speaking patients.     

Aseptic meningitis after posterior fossa surgery treated by pseudomeningocele closure

Aseptic meningitis is a recognised complication after posterior fossa surgery. It is often self limiting but occasionally runs a protracted course requiring repeated CSF examination to exclude infection, and treatment with systemic steroids. A patient is described with aseptic meningitis after posterior fossa surgery who underwent posterior fossa re-exploration nearly 3 years after the initial operation. This disclosed a pseudomeningocele, which was closed. The patient remains symptom free almost 2 years after closure. In this case of chronic aseptic meningitis after posterior fossa surgery, closure of the pseudomeningocele found at exploratory surgery led to resolution of the symptoms.     

Aseptic meningitis associated with high dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.

Two cases of aseptic meningitis occurred in temporal association with high dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy to treat thrombocytopenia. In neither case was any other aetiological agent identified and both patients completely recovered within a few days. This phenomenon has been reported in only one previous paediatric case.     

Prevalence of tardive dyskinesia among three ethnic groups of chronic psychiatric patients.

The relationship between prevalence of tardive dyskinesia and ethnicity (black, white, or Hispanic) was examined in a group of 491 chronic psychiatric patients at a large state psychiatric hospital in California. Overall, the prevalence of tardive dyskinesia was 17.7 percent. No significant differences in the prevalence of tardive dyskinesia or in neuroleptic dosage levels were found among the three groups. A relationship was found between lower prevalence of tardive dyskinesia and higher current neuroleptic dosage, suggesting that higher dosage masks symptoms of tardive dyskinesia.     

Aseptic meningitis associated with cephalosporins in an infant with trisomy 21

The authors report a case of aseptic meningitis associated with cephalosporins in an infant. A 1-year-old boy with trisomy 21 received several antimicrobials including cefotaxime and ceftriaxone for bacterial meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae b. High fever continued for more than a month, and discontinuation of cefotaxime broke the fever and improved the findings of cerebrospinal fluid. Because third-generation cephalosporins are the first choice against bacterial meningitis for infants, recognition and diagnosis of this rare occurrence of drug-induced aseptic meningitis is important. It is treatable by withdrawal of the drug, and recurrence can be prevented.