Increase In Number Of Symptoms Research Articles

An evaluation of symptom domains in the 2 years before pregnancy as predictors of relapse in the perinatal period in women with severe mental illness.

Symptoms may be more useful prognostic markers for mental illness than diagnoses. We sought to investigate symptom domains in women with pre-existing severe mental illness (SMI; psychotic and bipolar disorder) as predictors of relapse risk during the perinatal period. Data were obtained from electronic health records of 399 pregnant women with SMI diagnoses from a large south London mental healthcare provider. Symptoms within six domains characteristically associated with SMI (positive, negative, disorganization, mania, depression, and catatonia) recorded in clinical notes 2years before pregnancy were identified with natural language processing algorithms to extract data from text, and associations investigated with hospitalization during pregnancy and 3months postpartum. Seventy-six women (19%) relapsed during pregnancy and 107 (27%) relapsed postpartum. After adjusting for covariates, disorganization symptoms showed a positive association at borderline significance with relapse during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.99-1.87 per unit increase in number of symptoms) and depressive symptoms negatively with relapse postpartum (0.78; 0.62-0.98). Restricting the sample to women with at least one recorded symptom in any given domain, higher disorganization (1.84; 1.22-2.76), positive (1.50; 1.07-2.11), and manic (1.48; 1.03-2.11) symptoms were associated with relapse during pregnancy, and disorganization (1.54; 1.08-2.20) symptom domains were associated with relapse postpartum. Positive, disorganization, and manic symptoms recorded in the 2years before pregnancy were associated with increased risk of relapse during pregnancy and postpartum. The characterization of routine health records from text fields is relatively transferrable and could help inform predictive risk modelling.

280 A longitudinal study of neuropsychological function in young male divers

Background and ObjectiveExposure to compressed-air diving may affect the nervous system. The aim of the present study was to prospectively assess possible nervous system effects from diving. A further aim...

Cynicism: Incident diabetes and worsening of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women

Objective To determine if self-reported cynical hostility predicted incident diabetes or increase in number of symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women. Design Prospective study of a subsample of women ( n = 3,658) participating in the Women's Health Initiative Clinical Trial. Methods Subjects: Postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 years at baseline who were enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial, Hormone Trial or both. Measures: The Cynicism subscale of the Cook-Medley Hostility Questionnaire was used to assess cynical hostility at baseline. Incident diabetes was ascertained by self-report of treatment with insulin or oral hypoglycemic medication at one year. Metabolic syndrome was defined based on number of Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria met at one year. Statistical Analysis: The relationship between baseline cynical hostility and incident diabetes and worsening of metabolic syndrome was assessed from baseline to one year using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and multivariable logistic regression models, respectively. Results Incident diabetes was 36% higher among women in the upper tertile for baseline cynical hostility compared to the lowest tertile ( p-trend = 0.05). The odds of a worsening of metabolic syndrome was 27% greater in the highest cynical hostility tertile compared to the lowest tertile ( p-trend = 0.04). Conclusions Cynical hostility may increase the risk for developing diabetes and worsening of the metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.

Whiplash-Associated Disorders and Patient Traumatic History

Introduction. A population of 52 patients suffering from whiplash resulting from one or more motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) were studied. Data between patient's trauma history, symptoms, age and MVA profile were analyzed and correlated.Methods. The authors reviewed and studied the clinical files of 93 patients treated for MVA-related symptoms at the NeuroKinetics™ Traumatology and Concussion Clinic. Of these 93 patients, 52 were identified as suffering from whiplash-related disorders. Data concerning these 52 WAD patients were logged into an Excel® spread sheet, and statistics concerning epidemiology of the patients were tabulated. The data were plotted and reviewed together, from which several correlations were found.Results. For these 52 patients, the number of symptoms increased proportionately to the number of traumas experienced. It was also found that the number of MVAs increased proportionate to the number of traumas experienced by a given patient, possibly a feature of increased accident proneness in patients with increased numbers of traumas. The number of symptoms experienced did increase with patients who suffered higher severity MVAs; however this increase was observed to be less when compared with the correlation to the number of traumas. Age was shown not to have any correlation with increase in number of symptoms, symptom severity, or number of traumas (including MVAs) to be considered a factor contributing to WAD. The most common traumas seen in these patients were head traumas (87%), followed by sports-related trau mas (54%), emotional traumas (50%), and birth traumas (17%).Conclusions. These results indicate that a patient's history of trauma may be a factor worth considering when evaluating WAD sym ptomatology and intensity patterns.

Leishmune ® vaccine blocks the transmission of canine visceral leishmaniasis : Absence of Leishmania parasites in blood, skin and lymph nodes of vaccinated exposed dogs

Leishmune ® vaccine is the first licensed vaccine against canine visceral leishmaniasis. It contains the Fucose–Mannose-ligand (FML) antigen of Leishmania donovani. The potential Leishmune ® vaccine effect on the interruption of the transmission of the disease, was assayed by monitoring, in untreated ( n = 40) and vaccinated dogs ( n = 32) of a Brazilian epidemic area: the kala-azar clinical signs, the FML-seropositivity and the Leishmania parasite evidence by immunohistochemistry of skin and PCR for Leishmanial DNA of lymph node and blood samples. On month 11 after vaccination, untreated controls showed: 25% of symptomatic cases, 50% of FML-seropositivity, 56.7% of lymph node PCR, 15.7% of blood PCR and 25% of immunohistochemical positive reactions. The Leishmune ®-vaccinated dogs showed 100% of seropositivity to FML and a complete absence of clinical signs and of parasites (0%) in skin, lymph node and blood PCR samples ( p < 0.01). The positivity in FML-ELISA in untreated dogs significantly correlates with the PCR in lymph node samples ( p < 0.001) and with the increase in number of symptoms ( p = 0.006) being strong markers of infectiousness. The absence of symptoms and of evidence of Leishmania DNA and parasites in Leishmune ®-vaccinated animals indicates the non-infectious condition of the Leishmune ®-vaccinated dogs.

Psychosomatic Symptoms among Victims of School Bullying

Associations between being a victim of bullying and psychosomatic health have been examined among 856 Norwegian school adolescents aged 13 to 15 years. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were applied. Pupils being bullied sometimes or more often during the previous term had significantly higher odds of every psychosomatic symptom except sleeplessness, compared to pupils who reported that they were never exposed to bullying. The highest odds ratio was observed in analysis of feeling low. No significant interactions with gender or age were seen, but the association with irritability, headache and backache tended to be strongest for boys, whereas the association with nervousness and sleeplessness was strongest for girls. Increasing exposure to bullying was associated with a highly significant increase in number of symptoms. The strong and consistent associations with different symptoms and the dose-response relationship suggest a causal relationship.

Classification of chronic psychoses including delusional disorders and schizophrenias.

A classification of chronic psychoses including nonparanoid schizophrenia, paranoid schizophrenia, paranoid state and paranoia (delusional disorder) is presented. This classification is dependent on a systematic increase in number of symptoms with each group. In particular, delusional disorder is examined with regard to family history. It is clear from the data which are presented that delusional disorder is more likely to be associated with a family history of such traits as suspiciousness, jealousy, secretiveness, and the presence of paranoid behavior or delusions. There is evidence that such familial traits are not seen in schizophrenia, only in delusional disorder.