The diffusion of autism spectrum disorder in Costa Rica: Evidence of information spread or environmental effects?

In the U.S., children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been found to live in spatial clusters. Studies have suggested that the clustering is caused by social or environmental factors, but determining the cause of the clustering is difficult in the U.S. setting because of unmeasured variation in healthcare access and diagnostic practices. The present study explores the diffusion of ASD in a small setting in which the diagnosis is not widely publicised and there is no variation in healthcare access or diagnostic practices. Costa Rica provides universal healthcare and only has one diagnosing clinic for young children, and the diagnosis is relatively new and little known among clinicians and parents. In addition, the potential for mercury exposure from the source that has been associated with ASD is absent, and areas with high levels of air pollution are spatially concentrated. Focusing on all young children who underwent an ASD assessment from 2010 to 2013, we identify spatial clusters that suggest a mechanism that does not depend on information about ASD, healthcare access, diagnostic practices, or environmental toxicants. These findings provide details of the “contextual drivers” of the increasing worldwide prevalence of ASD.     

注意缺陷多动障碍共患数学学习困难儿童韦氏儿童智力结构特征

目的探讨合并数学困难(mathematical difficulties,MD)的注意缺陷多动障碍(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,ADHD)儿童在韦氏儿童智力量表第四版(Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-The Fourth Vision,WISC-Ⅳ)中的智力结构特征。方法选取根据美国《精神障碍诊断和统计手册第四版》(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual,DSM-Ⅳ)诊断标准确诊为ADHD且数学成绩低于同年级P10、语文成绩不低于同年级P50的儿童30名,并按性别、年龄匹配抽取确诊为ADHD且语文、数学成绩不低于同年级P25的30名作为对照组。使用WISC-Ⅳ对两组儿童的智力结构特点进行比较。结果研究组儿童总智商及四指数均低于对照组儿童(P0.05),两组儿童在字母-数字排序、背数、译码、矩阵推理、积木、理解等分测验的差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论 WISC-Ⅳ可以全面评估儿童的一般认知功能,MD-ADHD儿童有独特认知特点,应根据与数学能力相关的认知缺陷进行个体化的科学干预。     

95例孤独症儿童血串联质谱检测的分析报告

目的应用串联质谱(tandem mass spectrometry,MS/MS)技术进行孤独症谱系障碍(autism spectrum disorder,ASD)儿童的遗传代谢病(inborn errors of metabolism,IEM)筛查,了解ASD患儿的高发IEM病种,并探讨IEM与儿童ASD之间的关系。方法利用MS/MS技术对2010年11月-2013年12月于复旦大学附属儿科医院儿童保健科门诊就诊、根据DSM-Ⅳ诊断标准确诊的95名ASD患儿的血液样本进行IEM筛查。结果 1名(1.95%)患儿存在苯丙酮尿症,1名(1.95%)患儿戊二酸血症-II型不能除外,其他患儿(96.1%)均不存在本研究所涉及的IEM。结论本研究为晚诊断的苯丙酮尿症与ASD之间的关联提供了案例支持,苯丙酮尿症可能是儿童ASD的共患病之一;戊二酸血症-II型与ASD之间可能存在一定联系。对于IEM高危患儿、特别是生后未行新生儿筛查的ASD患儿,及时地进行IEM筛查对于全面诊断和治疗ASD有着重要意义。     

代谢异常在单纯性肥胖儿童脂肪肝中的作用

目的：探讨代谢异常在单纯性肥胖儿童脂肪肝发生中的作用。方法2012年7月至2013年7月在武警陕西省总队医院小儿内分泌专科门诊确诊的158例单纯性肥胖儿童,根据研究对象是否合并代谢异常,分为代谢异常组96例及非代谢异常组62例。对所有研究对象测量身高、体重、腰围、臀围及血压。空腹12小时后,进行肝脏B超,并采集空腹血,检测血脂全套、转氨酶、血糖。结果肥胖代谢异常组身体质量指数、腰臀比与非代谢异常组相比,均具有显著差异（ t值分别为6．22和4．14,均P＜0．05）;腰围身高比与非代谢异常组相比,差异无统计学意义（t＝2．00,P＞0．05）。代谢异常组儿童甘油三酯,谷草转氨酶及谷丙转氨酶的水平均显著高于非代谢异常儿童（t值分别为5．42、7．34和9．56,均P＜0．05）。肥胖儿童仅合并1项代谢异常时脂肪肝发病率为44．44％,当合并4项代谢异常时,发病率高达85．71％,不同程度代谢异常组儿童脂肪肝发病率之间比较具有统计学差异（χ2＝14．32,P＜0．05）。结论肥胖儿童体内代谢异常越严重,脂肪肝发病越高,脂肪肝可能是肥胖儿童体内代谢紊乱达到一定程度的结果。     

Examining Potential Substance Use Disorders Among Former Interscholastic Athletes

Background: Despite numerous studies examining the association between competitive sports participation and substance use behaviors among adolescents and young adults, the use of standardized measures to assess potential substance use disorders has been largely neglected. The objective of this study was to examine if past involvement in interscholastic sports (competitive school-sponsored sports) was associated with potential substance use disorders in young adulthood. Methods: Data for this study were taken from the Student Life Survey (SLS). A total of 3442 young adults participated in the SLS during the spring semester in 2013, with 74% of males and 71% of females indicating participation in interscholastic sport during high school. Results: Respondents who participated in interscholastic sports during high school had higher odds of positive screens for potential alcohol use disorders when compared with their peers who did not participate in interscholastic sports. No association was detected between interscholastic sports participation and potential drug abuse disorders. Moreover, previous involvement in certain types of sports was found to be associated with positive screens for potential alcohol use disorders (i.e., crew and football) and positive screens for potential drug abuse disorders (i.e., lacrosse) among the sample of young adults. Conclusions: School and community sport organizations should be aware of the potential link between sports participation and potential substance use disorders, and may consider brief substance use screeners during yearly physicals to monitor potential substance use problems among athletes.     

Psychiatric Morbidity in Ketamine Users Attending Counselling and Youth Outreach Services

Background: No study has examined ketamine users’ psychiatric morbidity using structured diagnostic instruments. The aim of this study was thus to determine the psychiatric comorbidity of community-based ketamine users using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition), Axis I Disorders (SCID). Methods: A convenience sample of 200 frequent ketamine users was recruited from community organizations in Hong Kong. Participants were screened with the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADSA), and SCID psychotic symptoms. Those who scored above the threshold (cutoff point of 8/9 on the BDI and 4/5 on HADSA) or displayed evidence of psychotic symptoms were referred for a structured clinical interview conducted by a psychiatrist. Results: One hundred and seventy participants scored above the cutoff point on 1 or more of the scales, and 115 participants attended the SCID interview. Fifty-one of these 115 participants received a psychiatric diagnosis of 1 or more comorbidities for the month preceding the interview. Mood disorders accounted for 80.4% of the diagnoses, anxiety disorders for 33.3%, and psychotic disorders for 7.8%. Conclusions: Female gender and history of psychiatric/psychological clinic attendance were significantly associated with comorbid psychiatric disorders, whereas ketamine dependence had a borderline association.