Applying item response theory to enhance health outcomes assessment

Background Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is an accepted outcome measure in patients with mood and anxiety disorders. Yet, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the determinants. In this paper we test the hypothesis that it is associated with personality traits while controlling for mental disorders. Methods A large sample of outpatients (n=640) with mood and anxiety disorders was studied. The empirically supported five factor model of normal personality traits was assessed using the NEO-FFI and includes: neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Mental disorders were assessed with the CIDI, and HRQL with the SF-36. Results Regression analyses revealed that the NEO-FFI scores, with the exception of conscientiousness, were significantly associated with SF-36 subscales and summary scores, independently from the mental disorders. The percentage of explained variance due to the personality traits was highest for the subscales Vitality (10.0%), Mental Health (13.3%) and the Mental Health Summary Score (9.5%). Furthermore, specific personality traits were related to specific SF-36 subscales. Conclusions A low HRQL of patients with mood or anxiety disorders is not only determined by the disease or the current health but is also shaped by personality traits that are relatively stable throughout an individual's life time.     

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目的通过对比合并与不合并注意缺陷多动障碍(ADHD)的阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(OSAHS)儿童的多导睡眠监测指标,试图从睡眠结构和睡眠主要参数的层次上来探讨ADHD的发病机制。方法选择2004-01—2006-10于广州市儿童医院就诊的OSAHS患儿36例作为OSAHS组,合并有OSAHS的ADHD患儿20例作为观察组,选取无OSAHS及ADHD的儿童30例作为对照组,三组之间在年龄、性别、体重指数等方面相比,差异无显著性。通过多导睡眠监测(PSG),并由神经康复科专科医生对其是否患有ADHD作出诊断。采用相应的统计学方法,对OSAHS组、观察组及对照组的睡眠结构进行比较,并对OSAHS组和观察组进行呼吸事件及血氧状况的比较。结果(1)与对照组相比,OSAHS组及观察组睡眠Ⅰ期增加,睡眠Ⅱ期、SWS及REM睡眠减少,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),OSAHS组的REM%为8.66±3.94,观察组的REM%为5.65±5.41,REM%的改变有统计学意义(P<0.05)。(2)观察组儿童呼吸事件的次数与持续时间及血氧饱和度下降较OSAHS儿童严重,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论观察组儿童REM%及血氧饱和度的下降可能在ADHD的发病中起一定的作用。     

Narrowband UVB therapy for vitiligo: does the repigmentation last?

BACKGROUND: Since 1997, a number of trials have shown promising results in treating generalized vitiligo with narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) both in adults and children. However, there is little knowledge concerning the duration and permanency of the treatment-induced repigmentation. OBJECTIVE: Our main objective was to perform a follow-up trial of successfully treated patients receiving narrowband UVB for generalized vitiligo. METHODS: We have investigated to what degree the treatment-induced repigmentation remains stable for up to 2 years post-treatment. We performed an initial open trial including 31 patients with generalized vitiligo. They received narrowband UVB thrice weekly for up to 12 months. Patients experiencing > 75% repigmentation were defined responders and were included in the follow-up trial. Responders were followed every 6 months for up to 2 years after cessation of treatment. We observed the pigmentation status and registered any changes indicating loss of pigmentation and relapse. RESULTS: Eleven of the 31 treated patients were included in the follow-up trial. Six patients had relapse and five patients had stable response 24 months after cessation of treatment. Four out of six relapses were within 6 months post-treatment. CONCLUSION: In our study population of 31 patients with generalized vitiligo, five patients (16%) experienced > 75% stable repigmentation 2 years after cessation of a treatment programme of up to 1 years narrowband UVB therapy.     

惊恐障碍临床特征及误诊分析

目的 :分析惊恐障碍的临床特征 ,探讨其误诊原因。方法 :回顾性分析惊恐障碍 78例在精神科确诊前的临床资料。结果 :全部多次误诊为躯体疾病 ,尤其易误诊为心血管疾病。误诊时间 1.5～ 5 6个月 ,平均 ( 9.6 5± 13.2 1)个月。结论 :惊恐障碍极易误诊 ,综合医院应提高临床医生对惊恐障碍的认识以减少误诊率。     

Bipolar disorder in children and adolescents: obstacles to early diagnosis and future directions

Aim: This article reviews research centred around juvenile bipolar disorder with particular reference to diagnostic difficulties. Putative deficits are scrutinized with respect to trait likelihood and the roles of neuropsychology and neuroimaging in enhancing our understanding of juvenile bipolar disorder are discussed. Methods: Search terms including childhood, adolescent, youth and juvenile combined with the terms ‘bipolar disorder’, mania, depression and hypomania were used to identify relevant studies in MEDLINE and PsychLit. Results: Over recent years research into this relatively new disorder has increased phenomenally. Key issues within the field include diagnostic specificity, the heritability of the disorder, the impact of comorbidity and the implications of neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings. Conclusion: Despite concerning controversies in literature the diagnosis of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents as compared with adults, promising future research directions include better neurological characterization of the disorder through the application of findings from clinical populations, neuropsychological and neuroimaging research.     

The clinical phenotypes of juvenile bipolar disorder: toward a validation of the episodic-chronic-distinction.

BACKGROUND: Recent research has addressed the issue of subtyping juvenile bipolar disorder (JBD). Accordingly, we set out to find out, in a naturalistic sample of bipolar children and adolescents with mania and mixed mania, whether the most useful subtyping should be based on clinical features (elated vs. irritable) or course (episodic vs. chronic). METHODS: We studied 136 patients, 81 male patients (59.6%) and 55 female patients (40.4%), mean age 13.5 +/- 2.9 years, meeting the DSM-IV diagnosis of bipolar disorder, assessed by a structured clinical interview (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version [K-SADS-PL]). RESULTS: Regarding course, 77 patients (56.6%) had an episodic course and 59 patients (43.4%) had a chronic course. Patients with chronic course were significantly younger, had an earlier onset of JBD, and presented a more frequent comorbidity with disruptive behavior disorders. According to the prevalent mood disturbance, 75 patients (55.1%) showed an elated and 61 patients (44.9%) showed an irritable mood. Elated mood was more frequent in patients with episodic course, whereas irritable mood was more frequent in the patients with chronic course. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that chronic versus episodic course may be a putative differential feature. Further validation of such a distinction would require prospective studies, temperament evaluation, gender and neurobiologic approaches, and differential psychopharmacologic assignment and response.     

米氮平与氯丙咪嗪治疗抑郁和焦虑共病的疗效对照

目的比较米氮平、氯丙咪嗪抗抑郁和焦虑的共病作用和不良反应。方法65例同时符合抑郁症与焦虑障碍诊断标准的门诊患者,HAMD17项评分总分≥17分,≤23分、HAMA总分≥14分, ≤29分。分别随机给予口服米氮平(简称A组)和氯丙咪嗪(简称B组)。研究全程为期4周。疗效评定按HAMD、HAMA得分≤7分为治愈,减分50％为有效。数据进行X2及t检验。结果入组时两组 HAMD、HAMA得分无显著性差异(t=0．32,P>0．05),治疗第1周A组HAMD得分下降比B组明显, HAMA得分下降更为明显。治疗第2周开始A组HAMD、HAMA得分下降均比B组来的显著。第4周末A组临床治愈18例(56．3％,18／32),临床有效28例(87．5％,28／32)。B组临床治愈15例(45．5％, 15／33)临床有效27例(81．9％,27／33)。米氮平组有效率87．5％,氯丙咪嗪组有效率81．9％,无显著性差异(X2分别为0．76、0．40,P>0．05)。B组的不良反应例数及严重程度均远高于A组。结论对具有抑郁和焦虑共病的患者可用米氮平治疗。     

Mapping brain size and cortical gray matter changes in elderly depression.

BACKGROUND: In elderly depression, volumetric brain imaging findings suggest abnormalities of the frontal lobe, particularly the orbitofrontal cortex, and the hippocampus. No studies to date have mapped cortical abnormalities over the entire brain surface in major depression. Here, we conducted detailed spatial analyses of brain size and gray matter within the cortical mantle in elderly patients with major depression. METHODS: High-resolution, three-dimensional, structural magnetic resonance imaging data and cortical pattern matching methods were used in 24 depressed elderly patients and 19 group-matched controls to measure local brain size and proportions of gray matter at thousands of homologous cortical surface locations. RESULTS: Prominent brain size reductions were observed in the depressed subjects in the orbitofrontal cortex bilaterally. Cortical gray matter measurements revealed significant gray matter increases in the orbitofrontal cortex, adjacent to focal trend level significant decreases of gray matter in the same region. Depressed patients also exhibited significant gray matter increases in parietal cortices, as well as the left temporal cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Complex cortical changes may contribute to the brain size reduction of the orbitofrontal cortex and to the gray matter abnormalities detected in orbitofrontal cortex and temporoparietal cortices, thereby providing a potentially new window into the pathophysiology of elderly depression.     

抑郁患者血清皮质醇与血压在应激前后的变化

目的研究抑郁患者血清皮质醇浓度、血压在应激前后的变化以及它们之间的关系。方法分别在安静状态、心理应激状态和心理应激后 (恢复状态 )测量抑郁组和对照组的血清皮质醇浓度、血压 ,比较两组上述指标的差异 ,以及心理应激前后的变化。心理应激以规定时间内的计算试验模拟 ,血清皮质醇以酶联免疫试验检测 ,血压为常规检测。结果 1.皮质醇 :抑郁组在安静状态、应激状态、恢复状态的皮质醇浓度显著高于对照组 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,抑郁组应激前后皮质醇浓度的波动显著小于对照组 (P <0 .0 5 )。2 .收缩压 :安静状态和恢复状态时抑郁组的收缩压显著高于对照组 (P <0 .0 5 ) ,应激状态时两组无统计学差异 ;应激前后收缩压的波动两组无统计学差异。 3 .舒张压 :抑郁组在安静状态时舒张压显著高于对照组(P <0 .0 5 ) ,在应激状态和恢复状态时两组无统计学差异 ;应激前后舒张压的波动两组无统计学差异。结论抑郁患者存在基础血压升高 ,此现象可能与抑郁患者血清皮质醇浓度升高有关。