Health‐related quality of life in multiple system atrophy

Although multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disorder leading to progressive disability and decreased life expectancy, little is known about patients' own evaluation of their illness and factors associated with poor health‐related quality of life (Hr‐QoL). We, therefore, assessed Hr‐QoL and its determinants in MSA. The following scales were applied to 115 patients in the European MSA‐Study Group (EMSA‐SG) Natural History Study: Medical Outcome Study Short Form (SF‐36), EQ‐5D, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Mini‐Mental state examination (MMSE), Unified MSA Rating Scale (UMSARS), Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) Parkinson's disease staging scale, Composite Autonomic Symptom Scale (COMPASS), and Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS). Forty‐six percent of patients had moderate to severe depression (BDI ≥ 17); Hr‐QoL scores on the SF‐36 and EQ‐5D were significantly impaired. Pain, the only domain with similar scores in MSA and published PD patients, was reported more frequently in patients with MSA‐P (predominantly parkinsonian motor subtype) than MSA‐C (predominantly cerebellar motor subtype; 76% vs. 50%; P = 0.005). Hr‐QoL scores correlated most strongly with UMSARS motor, COMPASS, and BDI scores but not with MMSE scores, age at onset, or disease duration. The COMPASS and UMSARS activities of daily living scores were moderate‐to‐strong predictors for the SF‐36 physical summary score and the BDI and UMSARS motor scores for the SF‐36 mental summary score. This report is the first study to show that Hr‐QoL is significantly impaired in MSA. Although not all possible factors related to impaired Hr‐QoL in MSA could be assessed, autonomic dysfunction, motor impairment, and depression were most closely associated with poor Hr‐QoL, and therapeutic management, therefore, should concentrate upon these aspects of the disease. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society     

Association of diabetes-related emotional distress with diabetes treatment in primary care patients with Type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: To characterize the determinants of diabetes-related emotional distress by treatment modality (diet only, oral medication only, or insulin). METHODS: A total of 815 primary care patients with Type 2 diabetes completed the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) Scale and other questions. We linked survey data to a diabetes clinical research database and used linear regression models to assess the associations of treatment with PAID score. RESULTS: PAID scores were significantly higher among insulin-treated (24.6) compared with oral-treated (17.8, P < 0.001) or diet-treated patients (14.7, P < 0.001), but not different between oral- vs. diet-treated patients (P = 0.2). Group scores remained similar, but the statistical significance of their differences was reduced and ultimately eliminated after sequential adjustment for diabetes severity, HbA(1c), body mass index, regimen adherence, and self-blood-glucose monitoring. Insulin-treated patients reported significantly higher distress than oral- or diet-treated patients on 16 of 20 PAID items. 'Worrying about the future' and 'guilt/anxiety when ... off track with diabetes' were the top two serious problems (PAID >or= 5) in all treatment groups. Not accepting diabetes diagnosis was a top concern for oral- and diet-treated patients, and unclear management goals distressed diet-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care patients treated with insulin reported higher diabetes-related emotional distress compared with oral- or diet-treated patients. Greater distress was largely explained by greater disease severity and self-care burdens. To improve diabetes-specific quality of life, clinicians should address patients' sense of worry and guilt, uncertain acceptance of diabetes diagnosis, and unclear treatment goals.     

努力提高严重多发伤的基础研究和临床救治水平

目的:探讨提高严重多发伤的基础研究和临床救治水平。方法:结合我们的有关研究和参加抢救的临床救治体会,并引用国内外公开发表的相关论文及著作进行分析研究。结果:善于应用现有的先进科技手段,提高严重多发伤的基础研究和临床救治水平。降低伤残率和死亡率。结论:严重多发伤具有脏器损伤率高、出血性休克率高、感染率高、MODS发生率高、死亡率高等“五高”特点,所以其诊治的复杂性、紧迫性远远超过其他许多疾病。因此努力提高我国严重多发伤的基础研究及诊断和救治水平已是当务之急。     

Serial in vivo MR tracking of magnetically labeled neural spheres transplanted in chronic EAE mice.

Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation has been shown to attenuate the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Central to the future success of NSC transplantation in MS is the ability of transplanted cells to migrate from the site of transplantation to relevant foci of disease. Using magnetically labeled mouse neurospheres and human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived neurospheres, we applied serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the biodynamics of transplanted cell migration in a chronic mouse EAE model. Magnetic labeling did not affect the in vitro and in vivo characteristics of cells as multipotential precursors. Cell migration occurred along white matter (WM) tracts (especially the corpus callosum (CC), fimbria, and internal capsule), predominantly early in the acute phase of disease, and in an asymmetric manner. The distance of cell migration correlated well with clinical severity of disease and the number of microglia in the WM tracts, supporting the notion that inflammatory signals promote transplanted cell migration. This study shows for the first time that hESC-derived neural precursors also respond to tissue signals in an MS model, similarly to rodent cells. The results are directly relevant for designing and optimizing cell therapies for MS, and achieving a better understanding of in vivo cell dynamics and cell-tissue interactions.     

No support for a truncated interferon-α17 allele as risk factor for MS

Cytokines have a central role in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis and may contribute to the aetiology of MS. A polymorphism in the IFNA17 gene with an allele carrying a pre-mature stop codon has been suggested to convey a 26-fold increased risk for MS. We investigated the possible association between this polymorphism and MS using population-based samples from a genetically well-characterized population. The IFNA17 gene variant was found in 2.8% of 327 MS cases and 3.3% of 698 referents ( P  = 0.64). Thus, our study does not support an association between the IFNA17 allele and risk for MS.     

急性脑梗死诱发全身炎症反应综合征致多器官功能障碍综合征的临床研究

目的　探讨急性脑梗死 (ACI)诱发全身炎症反应综合征 (SIRS)致多器官功能障碍综合征(MODS)的发病机制 ,以及血清肿瘤坏死因子 (TNF α)、白细胞介素 (IL 1) β含量变化在ACI诱发SIRS发生、发展并向MODS转化的临床意义。方法　 6 8例ACI患者根据病情变化分为 3组 ,其中单纯性ACI(SACI组 ) 36例 ,ACI致SIRS(SIRS组 ) 32例 ,ACI致SIRS后发展为MODS(MODS组 ) 2 4例 ;应用酶联免疫吸附法 (ELISA法 )分别测定患者不同病程中血清TNF α、IL 1β值 ,并与对照组 (为 2 8名同期健康体检者 )比较。 结果　 (1) 6 8例ACI中 4 7.0 6 %发生SIRS;SIRS时 75 %发生MODS。 (2 )血清TNF α、IL 1β的含量MODS 组 >SIRS组 >SACI组 >对照组 ,各组间比较 ,差异具有极显著性 (均P <0 0 1)。MODS重症者 (积分≥ 9分 )血清TNF α、IL 1β含量高于轻症者 (积分 <9分 ) (均P <0 0 1) ;MODS死亡者血清TNF α、IL 1β含量高于存活者 (均 P <0 0 1)。结论　 (1)ACI后出现SIRS可导致MODS的发生。 (2 )患者血清TNF α、IL 1β水平异常变化可作为判断ACI致SIRS、MODS病情进展、预后及转归的一项指标     

Some behavioral effects of repeated d-amphetamine administrations

Effects of daily administrations of d-amphetamine were studied on key peck responses of pigeons maintained under a multiple fixed-interval 2-min, fixed-ratio 30-responseschedule. Under the fixed-interval schedule, a pause was followed by a transition to increasing rates of responding until food presentation. Under the fixed-ratio schedule, higher sustained rates of responding were maintained. Low to intermediate doses (0.3-1.0 mg/kg) of d-amphetamine changed the temporal patterns and occasionally increased rates of responding under the fixed-interval schedule. Higher doses decreased rates of responding under bothschedules. With daily injections of 1.0 mg/kg d-amphetamine prior to experimental sessions, the effects of this dose on rates and patterns of responding were attenuated, and d-anphetamine dose-effect curves were shifted to the right, primarily under the fixed-ratio schedule. Similar results were obtained with daily presession injections of 5.6 mg/kg d-amphetamine in a second group of pigeons, except that rates of responding under both schedules were decreased by this daily dose, and did not return completely to control values with repeated injections. In a third group of pigeons, 1.0 mg/kg d-amphetamine administered daily, after experimental sessions, did not alter dose-effect functions for d-amphetamine. In a second experiment, pigeons were trained to peck one response key when given 1.0 mg/kg d-amphetamine and a different key when given presession water injections. Increasing doses of d-amphetamine produced incresing percentages of d-amphetamine-key responses. Repeated administration of 5.6 mg/kg d-amphetamine shifted these dose-effect functions to the right one-half log unit. Results suggested that decreases in reinforcement frequency are not a necessary condition for the development of behavioral tolerance to d-amphetamine.     

Lymphocyte subclasses and function in patients with optic neuritis in childhood with special reference to multiple sclerosis

Ten patients with childhood optic neuritis (5 with a single attack of ON and 5 with later MS) were studied at various stages of the disease. Lymphocyte count and function were analysed in the peripheral blood of all patients, 3 repeatedly, and in one they were also analysed in the CSF. T-lymphocytes counts were normal in all but 2 MS cases who had high counts. In acute stages the T4/T8 ratio were high in 1/3 determinations, in recovery low in 2/2 determinations, and in stable stages normal in 6/8 determinations. Lymphocyte function, measured by PHA, ConA and PWM stimulation, was normal in all but one. One patient showed significantly higher T-cell percentages and a high number of stimulated lymphocytes in CSF but a lower count of suppressor cells than in the blood. We found no abnormalities specific to MS nor to childhood MS or to disease activity stage. Rather than peripheral blood, it would seem more worthwhile to study CSF to clarify the pathogenesis of ON and MS.     

Depression Scale (DEPS) among suicide attempters

The Depression Scale (DEPS), a new screening instrument for detecting depression in primary health care, was compared with the Hamilton Depression Scale (HDS) among 50 suicide attempters. Using the HDS as a gold standard, the positive and negative predictive values of the DEPS for the diagnosis of depression were 98% and 20%, respectively. The correlation between the total HDS scores and the total DEPS scores was 0.60. The DEPS may help general practitioners to detect depression among suicide attempters, but it should not be used to exclude depression.