Large Proportion Of Participants Research Articles

May measurement month 2017: Latin America.

To raise awareness of blood pressure, measured by number of countries involved, number of people screened, and number of people who have untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged at least 18 years was carried out in May 2017. Blood pressure measurement, the definition of hypertension and statistical analysis followed the standard May measurement month protocol. Eighteen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean participated in the campaign, providing us with a wide sample for characterization. During May measurement month 2017 in Latin America and the Caribbean, 105 246 individuals were screened. Participants who had cardiovascular disease, 2245 (2.3%) had a prior myocardial infarction, and 1711 (1.6%) a previous stroke, additionally 6760 (6.4%) individuals were diabetic, 7014 (6.7%) current smokers and 9262 (8.8%) reported alcohol intake once or more per week. Mean SBP was 122.7 mmHg and DBP was 75.6 mmHg. After imputation, 42 328 participants (40,4%) were found to be hypertensive. The high numbers of participants detected with hypertension and the relatively large proportion of participants on antihypertensive treatment but with uncontrolled hypertension reinforces the importance of this annual event in our continent, to raise awareness of the prevention of cardiovascular events.

Family Involvement in Adult Audiology Appointments

Family Involvement in Adult Audiology Appointments

Attitudes towards Cpr among Allied Health Students in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with increased survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This aim of this study was to explore the attitudes to CPR among allied health students in Jordan; and to compare the attitudes to performing chest compression-only (CC) CPR versus CPR with mouth-to-mouth ventilation (MMV). Methods A cross-sectional study using a 17-item attitude questionnaire that assessed the attitude to CPR in general, and to performing MMV and CC on different patient groups (the other gender, strangers, relatives, children), and despite infection concerns. Results A total of 856 participants completed the questionnaire (mean age 20.8 years, 74.0% female); 79.2% of participants were willing to learn and practise CPR encouraged by their cultural values and religious beliefs and had a positive attitude towards the benefits of CPR. Compared to MMV, a greater proportion of students had a positive attitude towards performing CC on strangers (71.7% vs 29.6%, p<0.001), relatives (77.9% vs 40.4, p<0.001), patients of the other gender (62.3% vs 29.8%, p<0.001), and despite infection concerns (67.9% vs 24.1%, p<0.001). Compared to males, a higher proportion of females had a positive attitude about delivering CC to relatives (80.7% vs 70.0%, p=0.004) and despite the infection concerns (71.1% vs 58.7%, p=0.007). Females were more reluctant to perform MMV on males (26.1% vs 40.4%, p=0.02), strangers (25.3% vs 41.7%, p=0.01) and relatives (36.5% vs 51.6%, p=0.01). Conclusion A large proportion of participants were willing to learn CPR and had positive attitudes towards its benefits. Females were more inclined to perform CC compared to males, whereas males were more likely than females to deliver MMV. More training is recommended, and clear legislation regarding the legal liabilities of rescuers is needed in Jordan.

Anaesthetists' use and ethical and legal knowledge of social media

Background: The exact role social media has in healthcare is still being defined. The aim of this study is to describe how anaesthetists are currently using social media and their knowledge of ethical and legal aspects relating to its use. Methods: A prospective, contextual, descriptive research design was followed. The study population consisted of all anaesthetists working in the Department of Anaesthesiology at the University of the Witwatersrand. A convenience sampling method was used. Data were collected in the form of a self-administered questionnaire. Results: Of 170 questionnaires that were distributed, 159 were completed. Social media is used by 135 (84.9%) participants both personally and professionally. Eight (5%) participants do not use social media at all. Facebook was the most commonly used platform for personal use (n = 121; 80.1%). For professional use, restricted online professional communities were the most commonly used (n = 92; 57.9%). Participants younger than 42 years used social media for personal reasons significantly more frequently than participants aged 42 years or older (p = 0.001). Only nine (5.7%) participants had adequate knowledge of ethical and legal aspects. Conclusion: The large proportion of participants using social media demonstrate it has a role personally, as well as professionally. It was affirmed that there is potential for social media to enhance the profession of anaesthesiology. The lack of knowledge regarding ethical and legal aspects needs to be addressed. It is essential for doctors that, from an early point in their careers, social media guidelines are ingrained to protect themselves and their patients from potential harm.

Energy and nutrient intakes in relation to National Nutrition Recommendations in a Norwegian population-based sample: the Tromsø Study 2015-16.

IntroductionAccording to the Global Burden of Disease project, unhealthy diet accounts for most of the disease burden in Norway. Current recommendations on nutrient intake in Norway reflect those published in the evidence-based Nordic Nutrition Recommendations from 2012 (NNR2012).AimTo study energy and nutrient intakes and compliance with the NNR2012 among women and men in a population-based study.MethodsA total of 15,146 participants (aged 40–99 years) completed a validated food frequency questionnaire (261 questions on food items, meals, and beverages) in the seventh survey of the Tromsø Study in 2015–16; 11,425 participants were eligible for the current analysis. Nutrient intake was estimated by a food and nutrient calculation system at the University of Oslo, Norway. We compared energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient intakes with the NNR2012.ResultsIn total, 85% of the women and men were not in compliance with the maximum recommended intake of saturated fat, and 40 and 77% of women and men, respectively, were not in compliance with the lowest recommended intake of fiber. More than 30% of women and 25% of men had a relatively high probability of inadequate intake of vitamin D, and more than 10% of the men had a relatively high probability of inadequate intake of vitamin B6 and vitamin C. More than 20% of women and men had a high probability of excessive intake of niacin, and almost 40% of women had a high probability of excessive intake of vitamin A.ConclusionAlthough most participants were in compliance with NNR2012, a large proportion of participants had higher intakes than maximum recommended for saturated fat, and lower than recommended for fiber and vitamin D.

Profiles of stereotyped behaviour in people with combined sensory impairments and intellectual disabilities

Stereotyped and repetitive behaviours are characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but also occur in individuals with combined intellectual and sensory disabilities. This article looked at the differences in type, frequency, and duration of stereotyped behaviours between individuals with and without ASD in this population. The study included 59 individuals with intellectual disabilities and sensory impairments. The presence of ASD was assessed using Observation of Autism in people with Sensory and Intellectual Disabilities (OASID). Separate from these assessments, video recordings were scored by observers naive to the ASD status of participants for stereotyped and repetitive behaviours. Stereotyped and repetitive behaviours were more prevalent in participants with ASD, though a large proportion of participants without ASD showed them too. Participants with ASD showed, on average, more frequent and in duration longer stereotyped and repetitive behaviours, especially self-injurious behaviours. No differences were found for vocal, motoric, and stereotyped behaviours with objects. The mean duration of each episode of stereotyped behaviour did not differ between groups. Cluster analysis revealed a distinct group of individuals without ASD who showed a high number of stereotyped behaviours.

The nature and extent of upper limb associated reactions during walking in people with acquired brain injury

BackgroundUpper limb associated reactions (ARs) are common in people with acquired brain injury (ABI). Despite this, there is no gold-standard outcome measure and no kinematic description of this movement disorder. The aim of this study was to determine the upper limb kinematic variables most frequently affected by ARs in people with ABI compared with a healthy cohort at matched walking speed intention.MethodsA convenience sample of 36 healthy control adults (HCs) and 42 people with ABI who had upper limb ARs during walking were recruited and underwent assessment of their self-selected walking speed using the criterion-reference three dimensional motion analysis (3DMA) at Epworth Hospital, Melbourne. Shoulder flexion, abduction and rotation, elbow flexion, forearm rotation and wrist flexion were assessed. The mean angle, standard deviation (SD), peak joint angles and total joint angle range of motion (ROM) were calculated for each axis across the gait cycle. On a group level, ANCOVA was used to assess the between-group differences for each upper limb kinematic outcome variable. To quantify abnormality prevalence on an individual participant level, the percentage of ABI participants that were outside of the 95% confidence interval of the HC sample for each variable were calculated.ResultsThere were significant between-group differences for all elbow and shoulder abduction outcome variables (p < 0.01), most shoulder flexion variables (except for shoulder extension peak), forearm rotation SD and ROM and for wrist flexion ROM. Elbow flexion and shoulder abduction were the axes most frequently affected by ARs. Despite the elbow being the most prevalently affected (38/42, 90%), a large proportion of participants had abnormality, defined as ±1.96 SD of the HC mean, present at the shoulder (32/42, 76%), forearm (20/42, 48%) and wrist joints (10/42, 24%).ConclusionThis study provides valuable information on ARs, and highlights the need for clinical assessment of ARs to include all of the major joints of the upper limb. This may inform the development of a criterion-reference outcome measure or classification system specific to ARs.

TuThor: an innovative new training model for video-assisted thoracic surgery.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is a complex technique requiring dedicated surgical training. Platforms for such training are scarce and often rely on the use of live animals, which raises ethical concerns. The objective of this study was to develop a box trainer that is dedicated for VATS training and able to reproduce bleeding scenarios. The developed Tuebingen Thorax Trainer comprises 5 components that are mounted on a human anatomy-like thoracic cavity containing a porcine organ complex. Any standard thoracoscopic instrument can be used. The organ complex is attached to a perfusion module. We assessed the applicability of the system in four 1-day VATS training courses at the Tuebingen Surgical Training Center. Assessment was performed using a questionnaire handed out to all participants. Forty participants have been trained with the Tuebingen Thorax Trainer at our institution since November 2016. Thirty-five (87.5%) participants stated that the Tuebingen Thorax Trainer is an adequate model for VATS training. The ex vivo organ complex was reported to be realistic with regards to the level of detail and scale (76%). A large proportion of participants (27.5%) were experienced with VATS and reported having performed >50 procedures before taking the training course. This new training device allows realistic training for VATS procedures. 'Stagnant hydrostatic perfusion' permits simulation of reproducible bleeding scenarios. The device is low in production costs and offers a strong resemblance to the clinical scenario. It reduces the use of animal models and contributes to the efforts in making surgical skills training for VATS more accessible.

Sacred groves and serpent‐gods moderate human–snake relations

Abstract Serpent‐god worship is an ancient tradition still practiced in many sacred groves across the Western Ghats of India. Although sacred groves there hold ecological conservation value, few studies have focused on arguably the most iconic taxon in the region, snakes. We thus investigated the impact of sacred groves and snake deity worshipping on attitudes towards snakes by conducting surveys with people who had entered sacred groves in the past. We found that very few participants who had encountered snakes inside sacred groves in the past harmed them during these encounters. However, nearly a quarter of all participants do harm snakes if encountered outside sacred groves. We also found that a larger proportion of participants who do not harm snakes outside sacred groves worship snake deities, relative to those that do harm them. Our work thus highlights the influence of sacred groves and snake deity worshipping on pacifistic human–snake relations in Southwestern India. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Benefits and harms of aspirin to reduce colorectal cancer risk: a cross-sectional study of methods to communicate risk in primary care.

New Australian guidelines recommend that GPs actively consider prescribing low-dose aspirin to patients aged 50-70 years to reduce their risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients and GPs need to understand the relative benefits and harms to support informed decision making. To develop and examine different methods to communicate the benefits and harms of taking aspirin for CRC prevention. A cross-sectional, vignette study with patients aged 50-70 years consecutively recruited from general practices in Melbourne, Australia, between July and August 2018. Summary estimates from meta-analyses of the effects of aspirin on the incidence of CRC, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and incidence rates in the Australian population to estimate outcomes in a hypothetical population of 10 000 people aged 50-70 years. These estimates were presented using four different risk communication formats. Participants were shown these different formats and asked if they would take aspirin to prevent CRC. A total of 313 participants were recruited (95.1% recruitment rate), of whom 304 completed the study. Most participants (71.7-75.3%) reported they would take aspirin irrespective of risk format presented. Bar charts (odds ratio [OR] 1.20, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.01 to 1.44) and expected frequency trees (OR 1.18, 95% CI = 0.99 to 1.41) were more strongly associated with the intentions to take aspirin compared with icon arrays. Bar charts were most preferred for presenting risk information. A large proportion of participants in this study intended to take aspirin to reduce their CRC risk regardless of risk communication format. Bar charts and expected frequency trees were the preferred methods to present the benefits and harms of taking aspirin to prevent CRC.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Electronic Cigarettes: Awareness among Medical Students

Background: Whereas the use of electronic nicotine devices, such as e‐cigarettes and nicotine replacement therapy, is on the rise, the awareness of these treatment options among health workers especially medical students is not well investigated. &#x0D; Objective: This study was aimed to determine the knowledge and perception of the nicotine, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and e‐cigarettes among medical students.&#x0D; Methodology: This study is a descriptive study in which the research is measuring the knowledge and perception regarding tobacco cigarettes, nicotine, NRT and e‐cigarettes, as well as observing the smoking rate in a given population simultaneously. A questionnaire was designed and applied to medical students in all 5 years. The sample size targeted was 200 with equal distribution among pre-clinical and clinical medical students. However, the number of responses obtained during the process of data collection was 184.&#x0D; Results: The results of this study showed the knowledge and perception of the tobacco smoking hazards towards health and its substitutes had 46.0% and 53.6% on moderate knowledge levels and the majority 91.0% and 97.6% did not smoking among the preclinical and clinical respectively. The overall findings regarding opinion and knowledge on health risk among all participants are shown the majority participants 93 (76.9%) the tobacco cigarettes caused health risk. Regarding NRT, majority of preclinical 42(57.6%) and clinical 33 (69.8%) participants having low knowledge of NRT of health risk with a P value of 0.08 between the two groups. Also, majority of participants showed extremely agreed the smoking-related to the lung cancer, atherosclerosis in coronary and peripheral arteries. Majority of the participants in both preclinical and clinical agreed with the smoking addiction and agreed that facts on electronic cigarettes contain tobacco. Majority of preclinical and clinical students showed low knowledge of health risk and dependence potential.&#x0D; Conclusion: medical students are not reasonable and overestimate the true hazards of tobacco smoking towards health. Additionally they are not knowledgeable about nicotine, NRT and e-cigarettes. Although, a large proportion of participants were exposed frequently to smokers, especially clinical phase students, they lack the knowledge and the correct perception regarding nicotine replacement therapy.

Predicting overweight and obesity in young adulthood from childhood body-mass index: comparison of cutoffs derived from longitudinal and cross-sectional data

Historically, cutoff points for childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity have been based on population-specific percentiles derived from cross-sectional data. To obtain cutoff points that might better predict overweight and obesity in young adulthood, we examined the association between childhood body-mass index (BMI) and young adulthood BMI status in a longitudinal cohort. In this study, we used data from the International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohort (i3C) Consortium (which included seven childhood cohorts from the USA, Australia, and Finland) to establish childhood overweight and obesity cutoff points that best predict BMI status at the age of 18 years. We included 3779 children who were followed up from 1970 onwards, and had at least one childhood BMI measurement between ages 6 years and 17 years and a BMI measurement specifically at age 18 years. We used logistic regression to assess the association between BMI in childhood and young adulthood obesity. We used the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) to assess the ability of fitted models to discriminate between different BMI status groups in young adulthood. The cutoff points were then compared with those defined by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), which used cross-sectional data, and tested for sensitivity and specificity in a separate, independent, longitudinal sample (from the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project [STRIP] study) with BMI measurements available from both childhood and adulthood. The cutoff points derived from the longitudinal i3C Consortium data were lower than the IOTF cutoff points. Consequently, a larger proportion of participants in the STRIP study was classified as overweight or obese when using the i3C cutoff points than when using the IOTF cutoff points. Especially for obesity, i3C cutoff points were significantly better at identifying those who would become obese later in life. In the independent sample, the AUROC values for overweight ranged from 0·75 (95% CI 0·70-0·80) to 0·88 (0·84-0·93) for the i3C cutoff points, and the corresponding values for the IOTF cutoff points ranged from 0·69 (0·62-0·75) to 0·87 (0·82-0·92). For obesity, the AUROC values ranged from 0·84 (0·75-0·93) to 0·90 (0·82-0·98) for the i3C cutoff points and 0·57 (0·49-0·66) to 0·76 (0·65-0·88) for IOTF cutoff points. The childhood BMI cutoff points obtained from the i3C Consortium longitudinal data can better predict risk of overweight and obesity in young adulthood than can standards that are currently used based on cross-sectional data. Such cutoff points should help to more accurately identify children at risk of adult overweight or obesity. None.

Health care professionals' personal and professional views of herbal medicines in the United Kingdom.

Health care professionals (HCPs) have a pivotal role in optimizing patient care and should be familiar with complementary and alternative medicines. The aim of the study was to explore UK-based HCP personal and professional opinions and experiences of herbal medicines (HMs). An online questionnaire was distributed via social media to recruit (n=112) a range of HCPs from across the United Kingdom. HCPs from primary and secondary care, the private sector, and academia took part. A large proportion of participants (62%) said they did not personally use any HMs, and 38% did use HMs. HCPs who had personally used HMs had a positive impression of HMs and were more likely to recommend HMs to patients than those who had not used HMs themselves. Participants were given the opportunity to share their perceptions on the safety and efficacy of HMs and their experiences with patients reporting adverse drug reactions to HMs and herb-drug interactions. HCPs identified their lack of knowledge on HMs and insufficient training, which made them unable to advise patients on the safe use of HMs. More education on HMs would help improve HCP knowledge of HMs and help them make better informed decisions when considering patient pharmaceutical care plans.

Psychotherapy Outcome at Youth Clinics — An Integrative Approach

ABSTRACTThe present study was the first of its kind to examine the outcome of psychotherapy offered at youth clinics (YCs) in Sweden. YCs are unique services offering young people easy access to free treatment for physical, sexual, mental and social problems without the requirement for parental consent. The psychotherapies, conducted with 31 participants aged 13–20, were integrative psychodynamic, individually tailored to each patient. A strong emphasis was put on forming positive therapeutic relationships. Whole-group analysis showed significant improvement on the CORE-OM self-assessment questionnaire as well as on the clinician-rated C-GAS, despite relatively short treatment duration and a very heterogenic study population. Analysis of individual change suggested that a large proportion of participants had improved after therapy, even though some of the therapies were still ongoing at the point of follow-up. Interview data helped to shed light on factors within and outside of therapy that contributed to the experience of change. Moreover, the qualitative analysis helped to create a better understanding of some of the differences that had emerged between participants’ and therapists’ assessments. The results support the need for youth-oriented services that offer young people easy access to individualized psychological treatment conducted in a collaborative and flexible manner.

The Campus Awareness of Nursing Mothers’ Right to Breastfeed and Pump Breast Milk (P11-039-19)

ObjectivesWith the rising number of parent students on university campuses, it is important to create a baby-friendly climate and provide effective support for nursing mothers. Few studies examine the awareness of student mothers’ rights and campus support for breastfeeding and pumping. This study aimed to assess the scope of awareness and intention to support breastfeeding on campus among university employees and students. MethodsIn Fall 2018, all employees and students at one university in Northern New Jersey were invited to participate in an online survey that measured attitude toward and intention to support public nursing, and awareness of nursing mothers’ right to breastfeed and pump on campus. Pearson’s r and ANOVA were used to examine attitude, awareness level, and intention relationships and the differences between genders. ResultsA total of 646 individuals (540 female, 102 male, 4 other) participated in this study. Participants consisted of 84.2% students, 15.8% employees, 20.5% parents (students comprising 44.3% of those), 23.5% Hispanic, and 68.3% having seen breastfeeding in public. Intention to support was significantly correlated with attitude toward public nursing (r = 0.238, P < 0.001). A majority of participants (58.7%) were unaware of existing lactation rooms on campus. Participants expressed the lowest comfort level (1.98, 1-extremely uncomfortable, 4-extremely comfortable) seeing “nursing in public,” with no gender differences in responses, F (1, 570) = 0.213, P = 0.644. Females’ sum awareness of support and nursing mothers’ right was significantly higher (8.44 vs. 6.97, P = 0.018) than male, but similar to other gender. A large proportion of participants were not informed of “[nursing mothers’] rights to breastfeed or pump on campus (58.5%),” that students are “allowed to be excused from class to pump [varying class hours] (54%),” and that “[professors] have to allow students to make up the work they missed while out for pumping (62.2%).” ConclusionsA campus-wide campaign is needed to inform employees and students of professors’ role and student mothers’ right to breastfeed and pump on campus, hence creating a dynamic and functional baby-friendly campus. Funding SourcesNone.

Judging Popular Novels as Creative Products: Which Creative Attributes Contribute to their Success?

Abstract The purpose of the present study was threefold. First, to explore whether a German version of the Creative Product Semantic Scale can be applied to novels, a hitherto poorly investigated creative product. Second, to determine which of the emerging attributes might affect the potential for success of a novel. Third, to check whether the novels judged are distinguishable in terms of their creative attributes. In an online study, participants judged four popular novels from recollection: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, The Hobbit, Twilight, and Inkheart. A factor analysis of items based on the Harry Potter subsample indicated four major dimensions: Resolution, Novelty, Style and Complexity. Among the dimensions, Resolution was the only dimension predicting potential for commercial success in a multiple regression. Novels were not distinguishable on the basis of the dimensions judged, indicating that the present CPSS did not have enough discriminatory power to detect differences among novels from the same genre. Additional measures indicated judgments had been relatively stable since the reading experience. Furthermore, a large proportion of participants was presumably biased in their memory, due to having watched the respective movie adaptation. This was suggested by a false memory check. Surprisingly however, there were no detectable differences in judgment between those who passed and those who failed the false memory check.

Intimate partner violence, HIV and sexually transmitted infections in fishing, trading and agrarian communities in Rakai, Uganda

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV), HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) can contribute to disparities in population health, depending on the individual, social and environmental factors characterizing a setting. To better understand the place-based determinants and patterns of these key interrelated public health problems in Uganda, we compared risk factors for IPV, HIV and STI in fishing, trading and agrarian communities in Rakai, Uganda by gender.MethodThis study used cross-sectional data collected from 14,464 sexually active men (n = 6531) and women (n = 7933) as part of the Rakai Community Cohort Study, a population-based open cohort study of men and women aged 15–49 years. We used multilevel modified poisson regression models, which incorporated random intercepts for community and households. Factors associated with IPV, HIV and STI were assessed separately for men and women in fishing, trading and agrarian communities.ResultsA larger proportion of participants in the fishing communities than those in trading and agrarian communities were HIV positive, engaged in HIV risk behaviors, had STI symptoms and reported perpetration of or victimization by IPV. Female gender was a shared correlate of IPV, HIV and STI in the fishing communities. Engagement in multiple sexual relationships or partner’s engagement in multiple relationships were shared correlates of IPV, and HIV in agrarian communities and IPV and STI in trading communities.ConclusionPrograms should target factors at multiple levels to reduce risk for syndemic conditions of HIV, STI and IPV in Rakai, Uganda particularly among men and women in fishing communities.

Long-Term Test–Retest Reliability of the UPSIT in Cognitively Intact Older Adults

The objective of this study was to determine the long-term test-retest reliability of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), and its individual items, in cognitively intact older adults. A community sample of older adults received a neuropsychological test battery, including the 12-item, 6-trial Selective Reminding Test (SRT). The UPSIT was administered at baseline and follow-up that occurred between 1 and 4 years after baseline. UPSIT scores of participants who were cognitively intact and did not decline cognitively were examined for test-retest reliability. In 92 older adults with mean age 77.6 years followed for 2.79 (standard deviation [SD] 0.69) years, mean UPSIT score declined from 30.29 (SD 5.83) to 27.80 (SD 5.50). In linear mixed models that adjusted for time, age, sex, and education, intraclass correlation coefficients for UPSIT were 0.65, SRT delayed recall 0.59, and SRT total immediate recall 0.49. Among 4 possible response combinations, the largest proportion of participants had correct responses at both visits for 35 out of 40 items. Consistency of item responses ranged from 50% to 90% across the 2 time points. The long-term test-retest reliability of the UPSIT was moderately strong without practice effects over long periods of time in older adults. These results provide indirect support to prior findings on odor identification impairment predicting cognitive decline and dementia, and suggest potential use of olfactory testing as a biomarker in prevention and treatment trials of cognitive enhancers.

Prevalence and Correlation between Diet and Dysmenorrhea among High School and College Students in Saint Vincent and Grenadines.

BACKGROUND:Dysmenorrhea occurs as one of the symptoms of menstruation. While not necessarily a condition that plagues every woman, it is known to cause significant distress. Absenteeism from school and work as well as general discomfort are some of its adverse effects.AIM:This study aims to investigate the effects of certain diets on the prevalence and severity of dysmenorrhea.METHODS:Questionnaires was given to 478 women ranging from ages 1-55. The survey was centred around the age of menarche, presence and incidence of dysmenorrhea as well as how it is related to certain diets.RESULTS:Majority of the participants (81.74%) belonged to the age groups of 11-15 and 16-20. 45.5% of the participants attested to dysmenorrhea at each menstrual cycle. statistical correlation between diet and dysmenorrhea was insignificant (p > 0.05). Consumption of caffeinated beverages correlated with dysmenorrhea (p < 0.05). Although not statistically significant (p > 0.05), the study reported dysmenorrhea in a large proportion of participants who consumed high quantities of sugars.CONCLUSION:No relationship was established between diet and the incidence and severity of dysmenorrhea amongst the sample screened in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. However, it appears that diet high in sugars might benefit from further research.

851: Impact of perinatal primary hyperparathyroidism on maternal and fetal/neonatal outcomes

To provide a thorough description of maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes associated with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) in the contemporary setting, permitting a better understanding of the implication of pHPT in pregnancy. A retrospective case series at a Canadian tertiary-care referral center including 23 pregnancies in 19 women diagnosed with pHPT either pre-conceptionally, during gestation or within 6 weeks postpartum. An extensive evaluation of perinatal outcomes is presented. Over a period of 17.5-years, 19 women (with 23 pregnancies) were diagnosed with pHPT; typically mid- pregnancy. Most women (79%) were symptomatic at presentation, though often with non-specific manifestations. While 14% of pregnancies were affected by maternal/obstetric complications, fetal complications were observed in 45% of pregnancies for which data were available. Mild hypercalcemia (with accompanied hypophosphatemia in 46% and hypomagnesemia in 36%) was present in 57%, yet surgical intervention was the treatment of choice in 89%, and no complications were encountered. In contrast, of the two medically managed women with mild hypercalcemia, one term infant required NICU admission for hypercalcemia. Normal calcium levels in those treated before conception did not fully eliminate perinatal risk. The rates of maternal and fetal/neonatal complications in our series are more reassuring than the ubiquitously quoted rates, which are based on small and now dated studies. The diagnosis of pHPT may be easily missed during pregnancy, owing to the non-specific symptoms with which it presents. A high-index of suspicion leading to measurement of ionized calcium levels is encouraged, especially in cases of excessive nausea/vomiting, nephrolithiasis, atypical presentation of hypertensive disorders, or isolated polyhydramnios, and mild degrees of calcium derangement should not be assumed to be fully protective. Indeed, the attenuated rate of complications noted may have been the result of surgical intervention in a large proportion of participants, though this will require verification via meta-analysis or future prospective work.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)