Greater Functional Disability Research Articles

Role of cognitive impairment and malnutrition as determinants of quality of life in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Increasing evidence supports the presence of cognitive impairment in patients with systemic sclerosis. Malnutrition is a well-known severe complication of systemic sclerosis and is a consequence of multiple factors, mainly oropharyngeal and gastrointestinal involvement. Recent studies have shown a link between nutrition and cognitive decline in several chronic diseases. Thus, we decided to evaluate a possible association between malnutrition and cognitive impairment in patients with systemic sclerosis. In total, 100 consecutive systemic sclerosis patients were enrolled in a cross-sectional study to assess clinical and demographic features, nutritional status (body mass index, Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria), gastrointestinal involvement (University of California Los Angeles Gastrointestinal Scale 2.0, Eat Assessment Tool 10), cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), anxiety and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9, Beck Depression Inventory II), and quality of life (Short Form 36, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire). Patients were stratified for the presence/absence of malnutrition and cognitive decline and compared for clinical characteristics and quality-of-life measures. Half of the patients had cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment < 26). These patients were older, had more comorbidities, and a significantly worse quality of life. There were no statistically significant associations with body mass index, malnutrition, and gastrointestinal involvement. About one-third of patients had clinically relevant malnutrition. They were older, had higher skin score, lung and esophageal involvement. They also showed significantly worse scores for dysphagia, gastrointestinal symptoms, functional disability, and quality of life. Gastrointestinal symptoms and dysphagia, but not body mass index and Montreal Cognitive Assessment, were significantly associated with depression scores, which in turn were negatively associated to quality-of-life measures. With regression analysis, cognitive impairment was predicted only by age, whereas malnutrition was significantly associated with age, dysphagia, and modified Rodnan skin scores. In this study, we showed that cognitive impairment and malnutrition are not directly linked but are both independently associated with greater functional disability and worse quality of life of patients with systemic sclerosis. Early recognition of these comorbidities is therefore pivotal to better address the chronic needs of patients affected by this disease.

The impact of concomitant Sjögren's disease on rheumatoid arthritis disease activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Sjögren's syndrome (SS) frequently co-exist but the consequence for RA disease activity of having concomitant SS (RA/SS) is not well established. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the impact of SS on disease outcomes in individuals with RA. We searched Web of Science (Core Collection, FSTA, Medline), PubMed and Cochrane databases, without language restriction. Studies reporting RA disease activity scores, joint counts, visual analogue scales (VAS), disability and joint damage, and comparing RA and RA/SS were selected. Outcomes reported in at least 3 studies in which the diagnosis of SS fulfilled classification criteria underwent meta-analysis, using a random effects model where heterogeneity was detected. The literature search identified 2991 articles and abstracts; 23 underwent full-text review and 16 were included. The studies included a total of 29722 patients (8614 with RA/SS and 21108 with RA). Using studies eligible for meta-analysis (744 patients with RA/SS and 4450 with RA), we found higher DAS-28 ESR scores (mean difference 0.50, 95% CI -0.008-1.006; p=0.05), higher swollen joint count scores (mean difference 1.05, 95% CI 0.42-1.67; p=0.001), and greater functional disability as measured by HAQ (mean difference 0.19, 95% CI 0.05-0.34; p=0.009) in RA/SS compared to RA alone. Other outcome measures (tender joint count, fatigue VAS) showed a numerical trend towards higher scores in RA/SS but were not statistically significant. RA/SS patients appear to have higher disease activity and more functional disability than patients with RA alone. The aetiology and clinical implications of this are unclear and warrant further investigation.

Medication adherence and predictive factors among patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A COM-B model guided structural equation modeling analysis

ObjectiveTo assess medication adherence of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and explore predictive factors under the guidance of the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation to Behavior (COM-B) model. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 221 RA patients conveniently recruited from rheumatology outpatient clinics of a university-affiliated hospital in China. Data about patients’ sociodemographic and disease characteristics, medication adherence, functional disability, social support, beliefs about medicines, self-efficacy, and depression were collected via self-administered questionnaires. The influence of factors within the COM-B model on medication adherence were analyzed by the structural equation model. ResultsThe mean score of medication adherence was 63.19 (SD 8.83), and 214 participants (96.8%) were considered non-adherent to their medication regime. Greater functional disability, higher social support, more positive beliefs about medicines, higher self-efficacy, and lower depression were significantly positively associated directly or indirectly with medication adherence, explaining 66% of the total variance. ConclusionPatients with RA demonstrate poor medication adherence. Essentials in improving medication adherence are delaying the occurrence of disability, promoting social support, shaping beliefs about medicines, enhancing self-efficacy, and relieving depression. Practice ImplicationsThe value of integrated interventions targeting the drivers and barriers to medication adherence identified in this study should be further explored.

Explainable Risk Prediction of Post-Stroke Adverse Mental Outcomes Using Machine Learning Techniques in a Population of 1780 Patients.

Post-stroke depression and anxiety, collectively known as post-stroke adverse mental outcome (PSAMO) are common sequelae of stroke. About 30% of stroke survivors develop depression and about 20% develop anxiety. Stroke survivors with PSAMO have poorer health outcomes with higher mortality and greater functional disability. In this study, we aimed to develop a machine learning (ML) model to predict the risk of PSAMO. We retrospectively studied 1780 patients with stroke who were divided into PSAMO vs. no PSAMO groups based on results of validated depression and anxiety questionnaires. The features collected included demographic and sociological data, quality of life scores, stroke-related information, medical and medication history, and comorbidities. Recursive feature elimination was used to select features to input in parallel to eight ML algorithms to train and test the model. Bayesian optimization was used for hyperparameter tuning. Shapley additive explanations (SHAP), an explainable AI (XAI) method, was applied to interpret the model. The best performing ML algorithm was gradient-boosted tree, which attained 74.7% binary classification accuracy. Feature importance calculated by SHAP produced a list of ranked important features that contributed to the prediction, which were consistent with findings of prior clinical studies. Some of these factors were modifiable, and potentially amenable to intervention at early stages of stroke to reduce the incidence of PSAMO.

Network analysis of anxiety and depressive symptoms one year after traumatic brain injury

We used network analysis to explore interrelationships between anxiety and depressive symptoms after traumatic brain injury (TBI). At one year post-injury, 882 adult civilians who received inpatient rehabilitation for moderate-severe TBI self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). The severity of TBI was characterized acutely by the duration of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), and TBI-related functional disability was rated by an examiner at one year post-injury using a structured interview (Glasgow Outcome Scale – Extended). We estimated two cross-sectional, partial correlation networks. In the first network, anxiety and depressive symptoms were densely interconnected yet formed three distinct, data-driven communities: Hyperarousal, Depression, and General Distress. Worrying thoughts and having difficulty relaxing were amongst the most central symptoms, showing strong connections with other symptoms within and between communities. In the second network, TBI severity was directly negatively associated with hyperarousal symptoms but indirectly positively associated with depressive symptoms via greater functional disability. The results highlight the potential utility of simultaneous, transdiagnostic assessment and treatment of anxiety and depressive symptoms after moderate-severe TBI. Worrying thoughts, having difficulty relaxing, and the experience of disability may be important targets for treatment, although future studies examining symptom dynamics within individuals and over time are required.

Using Smartphones to Identify Momentary Characteristics of Persecutory Ideation Associated With Functional Disability.

Though often a feature of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, persecutory ideation (PI) is also common in other psychiatric disorders as well as among individuals who are otherwise healthy. Emerging technologies allow for a more thorough understanding of the momentary phenomenological characteristics that determine whether PI leads to significant distress and dysfunction. This study aims to identify the momentary phenomenological features of PI associated with distress, dysfunction, and need for clinical care. A total of 231 individuals with at least moderate PI from 43 US states participated in a study involving 30 days of data collection using a smartphone data collection system combining ecological momentary assessment and passive sensors, wherein they reported on occurrence of PI as well as related appraisals, responses, and cooccurring states. Most (N = 120, 51.9%) participants reported never having received treatment for their PI, while 50 participants had received inpatient treatment (21.6%), and 60 (26.4%) had received outpatient care only. Individuals with greater functional disability did not differ in PI frequency but were more likely at the moment to describe threats as important to them, to ruminate about those threats, to experience distress related to them, and to change their behavior in response. Groups based on treatment-seeking patterns largely did not differ in baseline measures or momentary phenomenology of PI as assessed by self-report or passive sensors. Smartphone data collection allows for granular assessment of PI-related phenomena. Functional disability is associated with differences in appraisals of and responses to PI at the moment.

Uveitis in psoriatic arthritis: study of 406 patients in a single university center and literature review

Background/purposeThe manifestations of uveitis are well established in axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA), but not in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). We aimed to assess, in a large unselected series of PsA: (A) the...

Respiratory Health Inequities among Children and Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Data Linkage Study.

(1) Background: Respiratory disease is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and poor quality of life in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This study describes the prevalence of CP-related respiratory disease and the non-modifiable risk factors for respiratory-related hospital admissions in the Aotearoa New Zealand population. (2) Methods: New Zealand Cerebral Palsy Register (NZCPR) participant data and de-identified data from the National Minimum Dataset and Pharmaceutical Dispensing Collections were linked to identify all respiratory-related hospital admissions and respiratory illness-related antibiotic exposure over 5 years in individuals with CP (0−26 years). (3) Results: Risk factors for respiratory-related hospital admissions included being classified Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) IV or V compared to GMFCS I [OR = 4.37 (2.90−6.58), p < 0.0001; OR = 11.8 (7.69−18.10), p < 0.0001, respectively,]; having ≥2 antibiotics dispensed per year [OR = 4.42 (3.01−6.48), p < 0.0001]; and being of Māori ethnicity [OR = 1.47 (1.13−1.93), p < 0.0047]. Māori experienced health inequities compared to non-Māori, with greater functional disability, and also experienced greater antibiotic dispensing than the general population. (4) Conclusion: Māori children and young adults have a higher risk of respiratory-related illness. Priority should be given to the screening for potentially modifiable risk factors for all children with CP from diagnosis onwards in a way that ensures Māori health equity.

The role of childhood unpredictability in adult health.

This research differentiated childhood unpredictability (i.e., perceptions of uncertainty or instability due to turbulent environmental changes) from other related constructs to identify its role in adult health. Study 1 (N = 441) showed that, beyond other childhood adversity variables (poverty and adverse childhood experiences or ACEs) and demographic characteristics, perceptions of unpredictability were associated with greater functional disability and worse health-related quality of life (assessed via the CDC's HRQOL Healthy Days measure and the RAND SF-36). Study 2 (N = 564) replicated those findings in a more racially diverse sample and showed that associations with childhood unpredictability held while also controlling for the Big 5 personality traits. Findings suggest that effects of unpredictability were especially pronounced among Hispanic (in Study 1), and Black/African American and low-income participants (in Study 2). Experiencing childhood environments that are perceived to be uncertain, unstable, or uncontrollable may put children on a path toward poor health outcomes in adulthood. Findings advance theories of child adversity and health and identify childhood unpredictability as a potentially valuable target for intervention.

Neurofilament light chain and vaccination status associate with clinical outcomes in severe COVID-19

Blood neurofilament light chain (NFL) is proposed to serve as an estimate of disease severity in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We show that NFL concentrations in plasma collected from 880 patients with COVID-19 within 5 days of hospital admission were elevated compared to controls. Higher plasma NFL associated with worse clinical outcomes including the need for mechanical ventilation, intensive care, prolonged hospitalization, and greater functional disability at discharge. No difference in the studied clinical outcomes between black/African American and white patients was found. Finally, vaccination associated with less disability at time of hospital discharge. In aggregate, our findings support the utility of measuring NFL shortly after hospital admission to estimate disease severity and show that race does not influence clinical outcomes caused by COVID-19 assuming equivalent access to care, and that vaccination may lessen the degree of COVID-19-caused disability.

Trunk muscle function and its association with functional limitations in sedentary occupation workers with and without chronic nonspecific low back pain

The function of trunk muscles in chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNLBP) is controversially discussed, and trunk muscle function in sedentary occupation workers is poorly understood. To investigate whether muscle function differs between sedentary occupation workers with and without CNLBP and to determine the association between functional limitations and muscle function. This study included 32 sedentary occupation workers (16 workers with CNLBP and 16 age- and sex-matched workers without CNLBP). Group differences in isokinetic trunk flexion-extension strength, muscle cocontraction, endurance time (Biering-Sorensen test) and electromyographic muscle fatigue were assessed. The association of these parameters and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score were examined in the CNLBP group. Participants with CNLBP had lower trunk extensor (-20%) and flexor (-18%) strength and less cocontraction (-22%) than participants without CNLBP, but due to large variability in both groups these differences were not statistically significant. Trunk muscle endurance and fatigue were comparable between groups. Variance in endurance time explained 28% of variance in the ODI-score in the CNLBP group (R2= 0.277). In patients with CNLBP, greater functional disability was associated with lower endurance. Further evidence is necessary to elucidate whether specifically training endurance performance may be beneficial for sedentary occupation workers.

INFLUENCE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND TIME IN THE SITTING POSITION ON THE CONDITION OF LOW BACK PAIN AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

ABSTRACT Objective: To verify the influence of sedentary behavior and physical activity on the prevalence and situation of low back pain in medical students at a higher education institution. Methods: Cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, conducted with 220 students. Data were collected between January and February 2021, using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Program. Values of p ≤ 0.05 were accepted as statistically significant. Results: Sixty-five percent of the participants were female, the average student age was 24.19 years, and a predominance of students were in the clinical cycle (60.9%). Of the total sample, 75.9% (n=167) stated that they performed physical activities and 28.2% (n=62) responded that they spend between 7-10 hours sitting studying. The prevalence of low back pain was high (84.1%; n=185), however, only 1.5% (n=3) had scores indicative of functional disability. Women (Mean=5.07, SD=0.35) had greater functional disability than men (Mean=3.33, SD=0.35; p=0.008). Sedentary students had greater disability (Mean=5.79, SD=4.55) than active students (Mean=4.04, SD=3.62; p=0.007); individuals who spent more than 7 hours a day sitting also had higher scores (p=0.02). Conclusion: The findings indicated a significant self-reported prevalence of low back pain among medical students, with greater functional disability in females, sedentary individuals, and those who sat for more than 7 hours a day. Level of Evidence II; Cross-sectional study .

Disordered eating among adolescents with chronic pain: the experience of a pediatric rheumatology subspecialty pain clinic

BackgroundDisordered eating and chronic pain often co-occur in adolescents, but the relationship between these conditions is not well understood. We aimed to determine the prevalence of and to identify the clinical characteristics associated with the presence of disordered eating among adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) presenting to a pediatric rheumatology subspecialty pain clinic.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients presenting to a pediatric rheumatology subspecialty pain clinic for an initial consultation from March 2018 to March 2019. We complemented data from an existing patient registry with secondary chart review for patients identified with disordered eating. We compared patient characteristics based on the presence or absence of disordered eating among adolescents with CMP. Logistic regression modeling was used to determine factors associated with disordered eating.ResultsOf the 228 patients who were seen for an initial consultation in the pain clinic in 1 year, 51 (22.4%) had disordered eating. Only eight (15.7%) of the 51 patients identified with disordered eating had a previously documented formal eating disorder diagnosis. Through multivariate logistic regression modeling, we found that disordered eating was associated with older age, higher functional disability, presence of abdominal pain, presence of gastrointestinal comorbidities, and presence of anxiety (all p < 0.05).ConclusionsAdolescents with chronic pain, especially those who experience gastrointestinal issues, anxiety, and greater functional disability, should be evaluated for disordered eating by the treating clinician in order to ensure timely and appropriate treatment.

Cortical inexcitability defines an adverse clinical profile in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Background and purposeIn amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, studies using threshold‐tracking transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have identified corticomotoneuronal dysfunction as a key pathogenic mechanism. Some patients, however, display no motor response at maximal TMS intensities, termed here an ‘inexcitable’ motor cortex. The extent to which this cortical difference impacts clinical outcomes remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical profile of patients with inexcitability to TMS.MethodsMotor cortex excitability was evaluated using TMS. Patients in whom a motor evoked potential could not be recorded in one or more limbs at maximal TMS intensities were classified as four‐limb or partially inexcitable. Demographic information, clinical variables and survival data were analysed.ResultsFrom 133 patients, 40 were identified with inexcitability. Patients with four‐limb inexcitability were younger (P = 0.03) and had lower‐limb disease onset (64%), greater functional disability (P < 0.001) and faster disease progression (P = 0.02), particularly if inexcitability developed within 1 year of symptoms (P < 0.01). Patients with partial inexcitability had higher resting motor thresholds compared to the excitable cohort (P < 0.01), but averaged short‐interval intracortical inhibition was similar (P = 0.5). Mean survival was reduced if inexcitability involved all limbs within 12 months of symptom onset (P = 0.04).ConclusionAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with inexcitability of all four limbs to TMS have a distinct clinical profile of younger age and lower‐limb onset. Importantly, these patients display a more malignant disease trajectory, with faster progression, greater functional disability and reduced survival when occurring in early disease. This measure may provide an important prognostic marker in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Comorbid Sleep Disturbance in Adolescents with Functional Abdominal Pain

ABSTRACT Objective/Background Sleep disturbances have been commonly reported as comorbid in youth with pain conditions, but prior research specific to functional abdominal pain (FAP) is limited. This study describes individual factors associated with increased risk for sleep disturbance and characterizes the relationship between sleep disturbance and pain-related variables. Participants Participants included 278 adolescents (age 11 to 17 years, M age = 15 years; 89% Caucasian; 65% female) with FAP. Methods Participants reported on sleep disturbances, abdominal pain severity, functional disability, somatic symptoms, and healthcare utilization. Results Female adolescents reported greater sleep disturbance than male adolescents (t(276) = 5.52, p < .001, Cohen’s d = 0.70) and increased age was associated with greater sleep disturbance (r =.20, p =.001). In hierarchical regressions controlling for age, sex, and abdominal pain, greater sleep disturbance was significantly associated with greater functional disability (β =.32), non-gastrointestinal somatic symptoms (β =.35), and emergency department visits (β =.29). Conclusions Results suggest that sleep disturbance is common and should be assessed in youth presenting with FAP and may be a potential target for intervention.

Redefining the Juvenile Bunion

Category:BunionIntroduction/Purpose:The orthopaedic literature is rife with reports of high failure rates following the surgical correction of juvenile bunion deformities. We contend that the reason for these poor outcomes is that although juvenile and adult bunion deformities have similar clinical appearances, the pathophysiology of the two is distinct. As such, successful surgical management of juvenile bunions requires greater understanding of this unique deformity in order to plan appropriate surgical correction. The first step in this process is to redefine the parameters that constitute the juvenile bunion. We propose that the distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA) is the central defining characteristic of the juvenile bunion and that a higher DMAA may correlate with greater symptomatology in this population.Methods:An IRB approved retrospective analysis of prospectively enrolled patients between 10 and 18 years of age with bunion deformities was performed at a single pediatric institution over a two-year period. Patients with metabolic bone disease, neurologic disorders, and inflammatory arthritis were excluded. Demographic data was recorded and standardized weight-bearing radiographs were used to determine the hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle (IMA), distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA), hallux interphalangeus angle, metatarsal cuneiform angle (MCA), cuneiform obliquity, sesamoid position (SP), and joint congruency. Patient reported outcome measures (PROs) including the Oxford Foot and Ankle Questionnaire (OxAFQ-C), Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), Pain Numeric Rating Scale Score (PNRS), and Functional Disability Inventory Score (FDI) were administered at initial presentation. Bivariate analysis using Spearman’s correlation was used to determine the association between individual deformity parameters and the relationship of those parameters to PRO’s.Results:32 patients (57 feet) met inclusion criteria (average age of 14 years; range 11-17 years). 48/57 feet (84%) had an elevated DMAA (average 23.1° ± 7.8°). The DMAA correlated positively with the HVA (r= 0.734, p<0.001), IMA (r= 0.439, p=0.001), and SP (r=0.627, p<0.001). No correlations were identified between deformity parameters and age, gender or BMI percentile. While patients with a greater DMAA and more lateralized SP reported greater functional limitations during play and activities of daily living as determined by OxAFQ-C, FAAM and FAOS sub-scores, those with a higher IMA reported more pain as determined by the FAOS pain sub-score (r= 0.354, p=0.014). Multivariate analysis revealed that the IMA remained significantly associated with pain after controlling for other deformity and demographic parameters (p=0.024).Conclusion:In contrast to the average adult bunion, the vast majority of juvenile bunions demonstrate elevation of the DMAA. Furthermore, the DMAA correlates significantly with deformity parameters more familiar to a general or pediatric orthopaedic surgeon such as the HVA, IMA, and sesamoid position. While a higher DMAA and more lateral SP seem to be associated with greater functional disability, elevations in the IMA seem to correlate with complaints of pain. These findings corroborate the need for a more detailed understanding of this unique deformity to perhaps improve upon the historically poorer results following operative management of this condition.

P3715Impact of sleep-disordered breathing on short-term functional outcomes in ischemic stroke patients: a cardiopulmonary coupling analysis using holter-monitoring

Abstract Background Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) assessed by conventional polysomnography is reported to have close association with worsened clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke. The cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) analysis using Holter-monitoring is an easily assessable method to evaluate SDB. However, its prognostic impact needs to be investigated. Purpose The present study investigated the prognostic impact of SDB defined by CPC analysis using Holter-monitoring at early stage of ischemic stroke on the functional disability at 3-month follow-up. Methods Total 692 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent Holter-monitoring were enrolled. The CPC analysis was conducted and SDB was defined as the presence of narrow-band (NB) coupling during sleep time. We investigated the association between SDB and functional disability at 3-month measured by modified Rankin scale (mRS). Result The NB coupling was present in 216 (31.2%) of 692 patients with mean age of 64.2±12.8 years. The NB group showed significantly higher proportion of severe functional disability (mRS ≥3; 45.3% vs. 12.3%, p&lt;0.001) and persistent disability (ΔmRS≤0; 42.6% vs. 56.4%, p&lt;0.001) after 3-month. In multivariate analysis, the presence of NB coupling was an independent predictor of higher risk of both severe and persistent functional disability (HR: 3.97; 95% CI: 2.37–6.64; p&lt;0.001; and HR 1.92; 95% CI: 1.34–2.77; p&lt;0.001, respectively). The results were consistent after propensity-score matched analysis with 175 patient pairs (C-statistics=0.759). Parameters of functional disability Overall population (n=692) PSM population (n=350) no NB (n=476) NB (n=216) OR (95% CI) p-value no NB (n=175) NB (n=175) OR (95% CI) p-value Initial NIHSS ≥5 89 (18.6) 81 (37.5) &lt;0.001 52 (29.7) 52 (29.7) &gt;0.999 Discharge mRS ≥3 146 (30.6) 126 (58.3) &lt;0.001 90 (51.4) 89 (50.8) 0.915 3-month mRS ≥3 59 (12.3) 98 (45.3) 5.86 (4.00–8.60) &lt;0.001 38 (21.7) 72 (41.1) 2.52 (1.57–4.02) &lt;0.001 3-month ΔmRS ≤0 (persisent disability) 203 (42.6) 122 (56.4) 1.74 (1.26–2.41) 0.001 77 (44.0) 100 (57.1) 1.69 (1.11–2.58) 0.014 Data are expressed as n (%). mRS = modified Rankin's scale; NB = narrow-band; NIHSS = National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; OR = odds ratio; PSM = propensity-score matched. Functional disabilities after 3-month Conclusion SDB assessed by CPC analysis at early phase of ischemic stroke was able to predict both greater and persistent functional disability at 3-month. The CPC analysis using Holter-monitoring is a useful modality for predicting functional disabilities in acute ischemic stroke.

018 Role of transcallosal inhibition in disease spread in ALS

IntroductionThere is substantial evidence for the cortical origin of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Impaired function of the corpus callosum has been demonstrated in ALS patients and may play a role in disease spread, potentially mediating the spread of cortical hyperexcitability between hemispheres. We assessed transcallosal inhibition, utilising the threshold tracking transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technique to assess transcallosal inhibition and related the changes to disease involvement.MethodsThreshold tracking TMS was undertaken in 15 ALS patients and results were compared to 16 healthy controls. Interhemispheric inhibition was assessed using a figure of eight coil over each hemisphere across interstimulus intervals ranging from 8 to 40ms.ResultsTranscallosal inhibition was reduced in ALS patients (0.9 ± 1.0%) when compared to controls (6.6 ± 1.0%, P=0.03). Importantly differences in transcallosal inhibition between hemispheres were evident in ALS patients. Specifically, transcallosal inhibition projecting from the motor cortex contralateral to disease onset (0.9 ± 1.0%) was significantly lower when compared to projection form the ipsilateral motor cortex (3.2 ± 1.0%, P=0.036). Abnormalities of transcallosal inhibition correlated with upper motor neurone dysfunction and greater functional disability in ALS.ConclusionAbnormalities of transcallosal inhibition were demonstrated in ALS patients and were associated with clinical features. Consequently, dysfunction of transcallosal fibres may contribute to development of cortical hyperexcitability, a pathogenic mechanism in ALS. Strategies aimed at modulating dysfunction may prove therapeutically useful in ALS.

Erratum to: Socioeconomic Status Influences Functional Severity of Untreated Cerebral Palsy in Nepal: A Prospective Analysis and Systematic Review.

AbstractBackgroundCerebral palsy (CP) comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders whose clinical manifestations and epidemiologic characteristics vary across socioeconomic and geographic contexts. The functional severity of untreated CP in low-income countries has been insufficiently studied; a bet

Perception and Impact of Life Events in Medically Hospitalized Patients With Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders

We describe the prevalence and perceived impact of life events reported by medically hospitalized patients with somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRD) and highlight patient characteristics and outcomes associated with highly impactful life events. Retrospective chart reviews were conducted of patients with SSRD at a tertiary pediatric hospital who were seen by the psychiatry consultation service and completed various instruments while medically admitted, including a de novo life events checklist. Descriptive statistics, correlations, χ2 tests, and internal consistency analyses were used. Charts of 70.2% of patients with SSRD who completed the life events checklist (N = 172; age range 8-25 years) were reviewed. Of those studied, 94% reported at least 1 life event in the last year, with academic events most prevalent, 81% reported life events across multiple domains, and 56% perceived the life event(s) as having a great impact on their lives. Patients who perceived more great impact life events were older, from households with lower median incomes, had higher self-reported somatization, greater functional disability, more comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, required more psychotropic medications, and had longer medical admissions. Findings reveal that although the majority of medically hospitalized patients with SSRD reported at least 1 relevant life event, it was the patients' perception of the impact of the life event(s) that correlated with high levels of disability and health care use. An assessment of the perception of life events in patients with SSRD may help hospitalists and interdisciplinary providers identify high-risk patients for whom early psychiatry referrals can be made.