Lifetime Diagnosis Research Articles

Psychiatric comorbidity and risk of premature mortality and suicide among those with chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes in Sweden: A nationwide matched cohort study of over 1 million patients and their unaffected siblings.

BackgroundPersons with noncommunicable diseases have elevated rates of premature mortality. The contribution of psychiatric comorbidity to this is uncertain. We aimed to determine the risks of premature mortality and suicide in people with common noncommunicable diseases, with and without psychiatric disorder comorbidity.Methods and findingsWe used nationwide registries to study all individuals born in Sweden between 1932 and 1995 with inpatient and outpatient diagnoses of chronic respiratory diseases (n = 249,825), cardiovascular diseases (n = 568,818), and diabetes (n = 255,579) for risks of premature mortality (≤age 65 years) and suicide until 31 December 2013. Patients diagnosed with either chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, or diabetes were compared with age and sex-matched population controls (n = 10,345,758) and unaffected biological full siblings (n = 1,119,543). Comorbidity with any psychiatric disorder, and by major psychiatric categories, was examined using diagnoses from patient registers. Associations were quantified using stratified Cox regression models that accounted for time at risk, measured sociodemographic factors, and unmeasured familial confounders via sibling comparisons. Within 5 years of diagnosis, at least 7% (range 7.4% to 10.8%; P < 0.001) of patients with respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, or diabetes (median age at diagnosis: 48 to 54 years) had died from any cause, and 0.3% (0.3% to 0.3%; P < 0.001) had died from suicide, 25% to 32% of people with these medical conditions had co-occurring lifetime diagnoses of any psychiatric disorder, most of which antedated the medical diagnosis. Comorbid psychiatric disorders were associated with higher all-cause mortality (15.4% to 21.1%) when compared to those without such conditions (5.5% to 9.1%). Suicide mortality was also elevated (1.2% to 1.6% in comorbid patients versus 0.1% to 0.1% without comorbidity). When we compared relative risks with siblings without noncommunicable diseases and psychiatric disorders, the comorbidity with any psychiatric disorder was associated with substantially increased mortality rates (adjusted HR range: aHRCR = 7.2 [95% CI: 6.8 to 7.7; P < 0.001] to aHRCV = 8.9 [95% CI: 8.5 to 9.4; P < 0.001]). Notably, comorbid substance use disorders were associated with a higher mortality rate (aHR range: aHRCR = 8.3 [95% CI: 7.6 to 9.1; P < 0.001] to aHRCV = 9.9 [95% CI: 9.3 to 10.6; P < 0.001]) than depression (aHR range: aHRCR = 5.3 [95% CI: 4.7 to 5.9; P < 0.001] to aHRCV = 7.4 [95% CI: 7.0 to 7.9; P < 0.001]), but risks of suicide were similar for these 2 psychiatric comorbidities.One limitation is that we relied on secondary care data to assess psychiatric comorbidities, which may have led to missing some patients with less severe comorbidities. Residual genetic confounding is another limitation, given that biological full siblings share an average of half of their cosegregating genes. However, the reported associations remained large even after adjustment for shared and unmeasured familial confounders.ConclusionsIn this longitudinal study of over 1 million patients with chronic health diseases, we observed increased risks of all-cause and suicide mortality in individuals with psychiatric comorbidities. Improving assessment, treatment, and follow-up of people with comorbid psychiatric disorders may reduce the risk of mortality in people with chronic noncommunicable diseases.

Oncologic Diseases as a Risk Factor for Cryptogenic Stroke

Background. Acute cerebrovascular accidents in general, and ischemic stroke (IS) in particular, are multifactorial diseases with extremely heterogeneous and numerous risk factors. Currently, despite the development of diagnostic technologies, in approximately 25% of patients with IS, it is not possible to establish the causes and mechanism of its development (the so-called cryptogenic stroke (CS)). As a result, the optimal antithrombotic therapy as a secondary prevention in this group of patients remains unclear. It was found that in 10–20% of patients with CS, a detailed examination reveals oncological disease (OD). It is highly likely that the prevalence of OD-related IS will increase. The US National Cancer Registry has shown a decrease in mortality in patients with the most common forms of OD (lung, breast and prostate cancer). Active OD is a proven risk factor for both IS and other thrombotic events. Nevertheless, about 50% of IS in patients with OD are classified as cryptogenic, which significantly exceeds this indicator in patients without OD. This is associated with the difficulties of intravital diagnosis of the pathogenetic mechanism of IS in patients with OD.Aim of study. Raising the awareness of neurologists about the causes, pathogenetic mechanisms of development and methods of diagnosing IS in patients with OD.Materials and methods. To achieve this goal, the results of scientific research on OD as a risk factor for CS were analyzed. The literature search was carried out in electronic search engines Scopus, eLibrary, PubMed by keywords: ischemic stroke, cryptogenic stroke, cancer, pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Scientific articles published between 1856 and 2021 were selected for analysis, 45% of the analyzed papers on the topic of CS were published not earlier than 5 years ago.Conclusion. The cause of the development of ischemic stroke can be both the oncological process itself and the means and methods of treating it. Despite the fact that in 10–20% of patients with cryptogenic stroke OD is diagnosed, the question remains whether patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke should be screened for latent oncological pathology, and if so, how full should the screening be. Typical radiological patterns of ischemic stroke in patients with OD are multiple foci of acute cerebral ischemia in different vascular areas, which may indicate a cardioembolic nature and, in particular, non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis. Lifetime diagnosis of the causes of cryptogenic stroke in patients with OD is extremely difficult. Since nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis is one of the leading causes of cryptogenic stroke in the setting of cancer, it is advisable to perform transesophageal echocardiography due to the low sensitivity of transthoracic echocardiography.

Racial/ethnic minorities have greater declines in sleep duration with higher risk of cardiometabolic disease: An analysis of the U.S. National Health Interview Survey

ObjectiveHabitual insufficient sleep may contribute to cardiometabolic disease in the United States, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities. However, there is mixed evidence on secular trends in U.S. sleep duration. Study designCross-sectional data from 413,417 individuals were acquired from the National Health Interview Survey from 2005–2018. Variables included self-reported sleep duration as well as lifetime diagnosis of hypertension, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and pre-diabetes, and obesity. Population-weighted robust Poisson models estimated annual trends in sleep duration and the prevalence risk ratios (PRR) of cardiometabolic disease as a function of sleep duration. SettingPopulation-based survey. ResultsDaily sleep duration decreased -0.62 min ([-0.71, 0.54], p < 0.01) annually from 2005–2018. However, this decline began only after 2010, when sleep duration fell by 1.04 min ([-1.21, -0.86], p < 0.01) each year. This trend varied by race (two-way ANOVA, p = 0.02), such that Mexican Hispanic individuals saw a greater decline (-1.83 [-2.37, -1.30] min per year, p < 0.01) than whites (-0.83 [-1.02, -0.64] min per year, p < 0.01). Additionally, a 1-h loss in daily sleep duration was linked to 4% greater prevalence of hypertension (PRR: 1.04, [1.04, 1.05]), 3% greater prevalence of diabetes (PRR: 1.03 [1.01, 1.05]), and 8% greater prevalence of obesity (PRR: 1.08 [1.07, 1.09]) after adjusting for age, sex, employment, marital status, and survey year. ConclusionsThere is a secular decline in U.S. daily sleep duration that is greater among Mexican Hispanic individuals. Moreover, reduced sleep duration is associated with more prevalent cardiometabolic disease.

Specific and cumulative lifetime stressors in the aetiology of major depression: A longitudinal community-based population study.

Early-life stressful circumstances (i.e. childhood maltreatment) coupled with stressful events later in life increase the likelihood of subsequent depression. However, very few studies have been conducted to examine the specific and cumulative effects of these stressors in the development of depression. There is also a paucity of research that simultaneously considers the role of biological factors combined with psychosocial stressors in the aetiology of depression. Guided by the biopsychosocial model proposed by Engel, the present study aims to examine to what extent the experience of stressors across the lifespan is associated with depression while taking into account the role of genetic predispositions. Data analysed were from the Social and Psychiatric Epidemiology Catchment Area of the Southwest of Montreal (ZEPSOM), a large-scale, longitudinal community-based cohort study. A total of 1351 participants with complete information on the lifetime diagnoses of depression over a 10-year follow-up period were included in the study. Stressful events across the lifespan were operationalised as specific, cumulative and latent profiles of stressful experiences. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to explore the clustering of studied stressors including childhood maltreatment, poor parent-child relationship, and stressful life events. A polygenetic risk score was calculated for each participant to provide information on genetic liability. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between specific, cumulative and latent profiles of stressors and subsequent depression. We found that different subtypes of childhood maltreatment, child-parent bonding and stressful life events predicted subsequent depression. Furthermore, a significant association between combined effects of cumulative stressful experiences and depression was found [odds ratio (OR) = 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12-1.28]. Three latent profiles of lifetime stressors were identified in the present study and named as 'low-level of stress' (75.1%), 'moderate-level of stress' (6.8%) and 'high-level of stress' (18.1%). Individuals with a 'high-level of stress' had a substantially higher risk of depression (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.08-3.00) than the other two profiles after adjusting for genetic predispositions, socio-demographic characteristics, and health-related factors. While controlling for genetic predispositions, the present study provides robust evidence to support the independent and cumulative as well as compositional effects of early- and later-on lifetime psychosocial stressors in the subsequent development of depression. Consequently, mental illness prevention and mental health promotion should target the occurrence of stressful events as well as build resilience in people so they can better cope with stress when it inevitably occurs.

Gender Differences in the Association Between Cataract and Mental Health in Adults With Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From the Spanish National Health Survey 2017.

Objective: This study aimed to explore gender differences in the associations between cataracts and self-reported depression and chronic anxiety in Spanish adults with diabetes.Methods: Cross-sectional data from the Spanish Health Survey 2017 were analyzed. Inclusion criterion was a positive response to the question “Have you ever been diagnosed with diabetes?” Diabetes, cataracts, depression and chronic anxiety were based on self-reported lifetime diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess the association between cataracts and depression or anxiety among respondents with diabetes, stratifying by gender.Results: Out of a total 23,089 respondents, 2,266 people self-reported suffering from diabetes (50.2% women; average age 69.7 ± 12.7 years; age range 15-98 years). In people with diabetes, the presence of cataracts was associated with significantly higher odds for depression (OR = 1.655; 95% CI = 1.295-2.115). Gender-stratified analyses showed that only women with cataracts were significantly associated with higher odds for depression (OR = 1.762; 95% CI = 1.307-2.374) and chronic anxiety (OR = 1.519; 95% CI = 1.067-2.163).Conclusion: Cataracts are a significant risk factor for depression and chronic anxiety in Spanish women with diabetes, but not in men. Women with both diabetes and cataracts require assessment for depression and chronic anxiety, and possibly earlier interventions in order to reduce the potential risk of further mental health complications.

Generalised anxiety and panic symptoms in the German National Cohort (NAKO)

Objectives Anxiety disorders (AD) are common in the general population, leading to high emotional distress and disability. The German National Cohort (NAKO) is a population-based mega-cohort study, examining participants in 16 German regions. The present study includes data of the first 101,667 participants and investigates the frequency and severity of generalised anxiety symptoms and panic attacks (PA). Methods The Generalised Anxiety Disorder Symptoms Scale (GAD-7) and the first part of the Patient Health Questionnaire Panic Disorder (PHQ-PD) were filled out by NAKO participants (93,002). We examined the correlation of GAD-7 and PHQ-PD with demographic variables, stress (PHQ-Stress), depression (PHQ-9) and childhood trauma (CTS). Results The total proportion of prior lifetime diagnoses of AD in the NAKO cohort reached 7.8%. Panic attacks were reported by 6.0% and possible/probable current GAD symptoms in 5.2% of the examined participants. Higher anxiety severity was associated with female sex, lower education level, German as a foreign language and younger age as well as high perceived stress and depression. Conclusions Clinically relevant GAD symptoms as well as panic attacks are frequent in the NAKO and are associated with sociodemographic factors, and high anxiety symptoms are accompanied by pronounced stress and depression levels.

Clinical and morphological case of lung cancer with generalized metastases to the internal organs

Lung cancer has occupied a leading position in the structure of cancer morbidity and mortality throughout the world for many years. Lifetime diagnosis is often difficult due to the absence of any defining signs of cancer, and it is quite difficult to track the first signs of lung cancer. This is justified by the fact that the lungs are completely devoid of nerve endings and the presence of 26% of healthy lung tissue is sufficient to provide the body with the required amount of oxygen. Prolonged absence of clinical manifestations leads to late seeking medical help, which is often fatal. Description of the case. A 65-year-old patient who died at home was referred for a postmortem examination. The sectional study revealed signs of peripheral cancer of the right lung with multiple metastases in all fields of the lungs, in the liver, spleen, pancreas, with no metastases in the lymph nodes. Histological examination revealed extensive areas of tumor tissue, consisting of solid structures with glandular differentiation of tumor tissue of various sizes and shapes, with round and oval atypical nuclei. There was a pronounced polymorphism of cells, with a large number of pathological mitoses. Thrombi were detected in the lumen of the segmental and small branches of the pulmonary artery. Thus, the presented case is of particular interest for practicing physicians due to the fact that with adenocarcinoma of the lung, there were no characteristic metastases to the lymph nodes. Hematogenous metastasis occurred with the development of generalized metastases to the internal organs.

Playing High School Football Is Not Associated With an Increased Risk for Suicidality in Early Adulthood.

To determine if playing high school football is associated with suicide ideation between the ages of 24 and 32 years. Data were analyzed from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. This prospective cohort study sampled nationally representative US participants at 4 time points from 1994 to 2008. In-home assessment. There were 3147 boys (age: median = 14.9, SD = 1.8) who participated during adolescence in 1994 to 1995 (wave I), of whom 2353 were reinterviewed in 2008 (wave IV, age: median = 29.1, SD = 1.8). Football participation, history of psychological counseling, suicide ideation, and a suicide attempt in the past year during high school. Lifetime history of depression, suicide ideation within the past year, and feeling depressed in the past 7 days at wave IV. Men who played high school football, compared with those who did not, reported similar rates of lifetime diagnosis of depression, suicide ideation in the past year, and feeling depressed in the past 7 days. Those who played football reported similar rates of suicide ideation in the past year when they were in their early 20s. Individuals who underwent psychological counseling during adolescence were more likely to report a lifetime history of depression and suicide ideation in the past year. Young men who played high school football are not at an increased risk for suicide ideation during both their early 20s and late 20s. By contrast, those who experienced mental health problems in high school were much more likely to experience suicide ideation during their 20s.

Childhood Maltreatment and Psychiatric Comorbidity in Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Disorders.

To determine whether childhood maltreatment is associated with immune-mediated inflammatory disorders (IMIDs; multiple sclerosis [MS], inflammatory bowel disease [IBD], and rheumatoid arthritis [RA]). We further aimed to determine the relationship between maltreatment and psychiatric comorbidity in IMIDs and whether these relationships differed across IMID. Six hundred eighty-one participants (MS, 232; IBD, 216; RA, 130; healthy controls, 103) completed a structured psychiatric interview to identify psychiatric disorders, and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire to evaluate five types of maltreatment: emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect. We evaluated associations between maltreatment, IMID, and psychiatric comorbidity using multivariable logistic regression models. The prevalence of having ≥1 maltreatment was similar across IMID but higher than in controls (MS, 63.8%; IBD, 61.6%; RA, 62.3%; healthy controls, 45.6%). Emotional abuse was associated with having an IMID (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.37; 1.15-4.89). In the sex-specific analysis, this association was only present in women. History of childhood maltreatment was associated with a lifetime diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder in the IMID cohort (OR = 2.24; 1.58-3.16), but this association did not differ across diseases. In those with IMID, total types of maltreatments (aOR = 1.36; 1.17-1.59) and emotional abuse (aOR = 2.64; 1.66-4.21) were associated with psychiatric comorbidity. Childhood maltreatment is more common in IMID than in a healthy population and is associated with psychiatric comorbidity. Given the high burden of psychiatric disorders in the IMID population, clinicians should be aware of the contribution of maltreatment and the potential need for trauma-informed care strategies.

Race-Dependent Association of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in TrkB Receptor in People Living with HIV and Depression.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated cognitive disorders (HAND) is characterized by impaired motor and intellectual functions, as well as mood disorders. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor TrkB (or NTRK2) mediate the efficacy of antidepressant drugs. Genomic studies of BDNF/TrkB have implicated common single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the pathology of depression. In the current study, we investigated whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs1212171, rs1439050, rs1187352, rs1778933, rs1443445, rs3780645, rs2378672, and rs11140800) in the NTRK2 has a functional impact on depression in HIV-positive subjects. We have utilized the Central Nervous System (CNS) HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) cohort. Our methods explored the univariate associations of these SNPs with clinical (current and lifetime) diagnosis of depression via chi-square. The distribution of alleles was significantly different for African-Americans and Caucasians (non-Hispanic) for several SNPs, so our regression analyses included both "statistical controls" for race group and models for each group separately. Finally, we applied a method of simultaneous analysis of associations, estimating the mutually shared information across a system of variables, separately by race group. Our results indicate that there is no significant association between clinical diagnosis of major depression and these SNPs for either race group in any analysis. However, we identified that the SNP associations varied by race group and sex.

A Case of a Brain Tumor Alexander Pilez (Psychiatr.-Neurolog. W. No. 21.1932)

Alexander Pilez (Psychiatr.-Neurolog. W. No. 21. 1932) reports a case of a brain tumor a metastatic carcinomatous node compressing the left half of the cerebellum whose lifetime diagnosis remained impossible.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Substance Use Disorder in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

ObjectiveIn this study, we aimed to determine the lifetime prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) in a Canadian rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cohort and factors associated with SUD in RA.MethodsParticipants with RA (N = 154) were recruited via rheumatology clinics as part of a larger cohort study of psychiatric comorbidity in immune‐mediated inflammatory diseases. SUD is defined as the uncontrolled use of a substance despite the harmful consequences of its use. To identify lifetime SUD, the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition was administered to participants. Participants’ sociodemographic and RA clinical characteristics were also assessed. We examined factors associated with lifetime SUD using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression modeling.ResultsTwenty‐three (14.9%) of 154 participants with RA met the criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of SUD. The majority of the participants were women, were White, had postsecondary education, and were on a disease‐modifying antirheumatic drug. Factors associated with increased odds of SUD were male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03‐12.73), younger age (aOR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90‐0.98), and ever smoking (aOR: 6.44, 95% CI: 1.53‐27.07).ConclusionWe found that approximately 1 in 7 individuals with RA had a lifetime diagnosis of SUD, highlighting the importance of identifying and treating SUD in those with RA. In particular, the following factors were associated with higher odds of SUD: male sex, younger age, and smoking behaviors.

Everyday flexibility and functional milestones in anorexia nervosa: survey results from a mixed community sample.

PurposeThis study examined the relationship between self-reported cognitive-behavioral flexibility scores on the Eating Disorder Flexibility Index (EDFLIX) and objective social and occupational functional milestones in participants with a lifetime diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN). The Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) was included to compare objective and subjective measures.Methods114 female adult participants with a current (53.5%) or past (46.5%) full or partial AN syndrome diagnosis completed an online survey which included functional milestone questions, the EDFLIX, WSAS, EDE-Q, and DASS-21.ResultsEveryday flexibility scores were significantly associated with WSAS scores, but not functional milestones for the same domain. Lower flexibility was related to higher WSAS work impairment but was not associated with poor occupational outcomes. Lower flexibility was related to higher WSAS social impairment but was not associated with less frequent social contact with friends. Milestones across work, social and relationship areas were not significantly correlated, suggesting individuals have areas of strength and weakness across functional domains. In contrast, WSAS ratings indicated broad functional impairment.ConclusionResults from the milestones suggest self-reported cognitive-behavioral flexibility is not a strong determinant of everyday function. Results from the subjective WSAS function measure and the more objective functional milestones were not consistent. To obtain a more balanced assessment of everyday functioning in AN, both subjective and objective measures should be considered.Level of evidenceLevel III Case–control analytic study.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40519-021-01300-7.

Trichinelloscopy of domestic and wild animal carcasses

The purpose of the research is analyze the localization of Trichinella sp. in animals muscle and to evaluate the methods of intravital and post-mortem diagnosis of trichinellosis in domestic, wild and game animals.Materials and methods. In order to prevent trichinellosis in human population and animals, life-time and post-mortem diagnosis methods for trichinellosis are widely used. Life-time diagnosis of trichinellosis is based on detection of specific antibodies in blood serum of sick animals. Modern immunological assays allow detecting specific antibodies (immunoglobulins J and M) at 10–12 days after infection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with fractionated antigen has the greatest real possibility of application for individual and mass seroepizootic studies of pigs and horses; ELISA is a highly sensitive and specific test. Veterinary and sanitary examination is conducted by methods of compressor trichinelloscopy and peptolysis (muscle tissue digested in artificial gastric juice). For the compression research method, in particular for pig carcasses, 2 samples of the diaphragmatic peduncles of 60 g each are taken. It is also possible to study samples from masticatory muscles, tongue, intercostal space or esophagus. Twelve sections are made from each sample (24 in total). A more sensitive and productive method is the digestion of muscle tissue using a set of diagnostic devices and instruments such as AVT. The method is based on peptolysis of crushed muscle tissue in technological reactors. Diagnosis of trichinellosis using such devices makes it possible to automate and mechanize all processes associated with the isolation of Trichinella larvae. The main application areas of the devices are meat processing factories, fur farms or veterinary and sanitary examination laboratories in the markets.Results and discussion. We presented data on the role of veterinary and sanitary examination for trichinellosis in susceptible animals as the core measure in the system of measures to prevent this infection. We analyzed indicators of diagnostic efficiency, performance and usability of methods of compressor trichinelloscopy and digestion of muscle tissue in artificial gastric juice. Factors of diagnostic efficiency, performance and usability of methods of compressor trichinelloscopy and digestion of muscle tissue in artificial gastric juice were analyzed. Information was given on localization of Trichinella larvae in various species of domestic and wild animals, optimal sampling sites and volumes of muscle tissue samples with the existing methods of examination for trichinellosis. To study fresh carcasses for trichinellosis at meat processing factories, the peptolysis method is recommended.

Epidemiology of binge eating disorder: prevalence, course, comorbidity, and risk factors.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a new diagnosis in the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the Eleventh Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). DSM-5 BED is currently estimated to affect 1.5% of women and 0.3% of men worldwide; a lifetime diagnosis of DSM-5 BED is reported by 0.6-1.8% of women and 0.3-0.7% of men. In adolescence, BED is even more prevalent, but often transient. Many adults with BED report longstanding symptoms; less than half are recognized in healthcare. Commonly co-occurring conditions include obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. In a nationally representative US-based study, up to 23% of individuals with BED had attempted suicide, and virtually all (94%) reported lifetime mental health symptoms: 70% mood disorders, 68% substance use disorders, 59% anxiety disorders, 49% borderline personality disorder, and 32% posttraumatic stress disorder. Data on mortality are scarce, but the standardized mortality ratio of BED is estimated to be 1.5-1.8. Various minority statuses, deprivation, violence, trauma, and major mental illness may increase the risk of BED. BED is often invisible and overlooked, perhaps due to societal biases. For this reason, prevention, detection, and management of BED are closely linked with social justice and equity.

Incidence and comorbidities of pediatric alopecia areata: A retrospective matched cohort study using the Rochester Epidemiology Project

To the Editor: Following institutional review board approval, we used the Rochester Epidemiology Project and identified 258 children aged 0-18 years in Olmsted County, Minnesota, with the first lifetime diagnosis of alopecia areata (AA) between 1966 and 2013. Charts were reviewed to confirm their AA diagnosis, past medical history, and family history.

Magnitude of psychiatric comorbidity in patients with obesity in Northern Indian population

Background and aimsTo determine the prevalence of different psychiatric comorbidities in patients with obesity and study their relationship with the degrees of obesity. MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 151 patients with a BMI≥25 kg/m2. Subjects with diagnosed psychiatric illness, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease or any neurological illness were excluded. Prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities was assessed by MINI screening tool for all major axis 1 disorders including anxiety, eating and mood disorders. The WHOQOL-BREF was used for assessment of well-being, in the four domains, physical, psychological, social and environmental. ResultsFemales constituted 68.6% of the study population. Lifetime diagnosis of any psychiatric illness was present in 24%, higher in females than males [31% vs 9%, p = 0.003]. The WHOQOL-BREF average scores of psychological, physical and environmental domains were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in patients diagnosed with depression as compared to those without. The WHOQOL-BREF average score of only the physical domain were significantly lower in individuals with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 as compared to those with BMI <30 kg/m2. ConclusionsThe burden of undiagnosed psychiatric comorbidity in patients with obesity decreases the quality of life. There is need to screen for psychiatric comorbidities for effective management of obesity.

Associations of age, sex, sexual abuse, and genotype with monoamine oxidase a gene methylation

Epigenome-wide studies report higher methylation among women than men with decreasing levels with age. Little is known about associations of sex and age with methylation of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA). Methylation of the first exonic and partial first intronic region of MAOA has been shown to strengthen associations of interactions of MAOA-uVNTR genotypes and adversity with aggression and substance misuse. Our study examined associations of sex and age with MAOA first exon and intron methylation levels in 252 women and 157 men aged 14–73 years. Participants included adolescents recruited at a substance misuse clinic, their siblings and parents, and healthy women. Women showed ~ 50% higher levels of exonic, and ~ 15% higher intronic, methylation than men. Methylation levels were similar between younger (M = 22.7 years) and older (M = 46.1 years) participants, and stable across age. Age modified few associations of methylation levels with sex. MAOA genotypes modified few associations of methylation with sex and age. Higher methylation levels among women were not explained by genotype, nor interaction of genotype and sexual abuse. Findings were similar after adjusting for lifetime diagnoses of substance dependence (women = 24.3%; men = 34.2%). Methylation levels were higher among women who experienced sexual abuse than women who did not. Results extend on prior studies by showing that women display higher levels of methylation than men within first intronic/exonic regions of MAOA, which did not decrease with age in either sex. Findings were not conditioned by genotype nor interactions of genotype and trauma, and indicate X-chromosome inactivation.

The contribution of sleep to anorexia nervosa severity.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with poor sleep and altered circadian rhythms. Evidence is unclear as to whether these features relate to ongoing psychiatric symptoms of AN, or are merely concomitant with low weight. In this study, we sought to evaluate subjective sleep quality and sleep-wake preferences in a sample of individuals with lifetime AN. Furthermore, we aimed to examine whether sleep quality would significantly predict AN symptom severity, after accounting for demographic features and negative emotions (depression, anxiety and stress). Adults with a lifetime diagnosis of AN (n = 96) or no lifetime psychiatric diagnoses (NC; n = 246) completed an online survey assessing demographics, sleep quality, circadian sleep-wake preferences, eating disorder symptoms, and negative emotions. AN participants reported significantly poorer sleep quality overall, including increased sleep disturbances, use of sleep medications, and daytime dysfunction, as compared to NC participants. Groups did not differ significantly in circadian sleep-wake preferences. Regression analysis showed that among AN participants, sleep quality and negative emotions significantly predicted AN symptom severity, while sex and body mass index (BMI) did not. The findings demonstrate that poor sleep quality was associated with more severe symptoms of AN, even when accounting for negative emotions and BMI. Future research should investigate causal interactions between sleep quality and AN symptom severity longitudinally and across different recovery stages. Level III-Cohort and case-control analytic studies.

Non-medical Use of Prescription Stimulants Among College Students: Non-oral Routes of Administration, Risk Factors, Motivations, and Pathways.

Introduction: Non-medical use (NMU) of prescription stimulant medications is a continuing public health concern. Stimulant medications prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are widely available on college campuses, and, as a consequence, college students may have multiple opportunities to engage in prescription stimulant NMU. This online self-report survey examined prescription stimulant NMU among college students, including: (1) patterns of non-oral route of administration (ROA); (2) motivations for non-oral ROAs; and (3) retrospectively recalled pathways of initiation.Method: The survey sample was created from a pool of 3,379 respondents, who were matched to a sampling frame constructed from the 18–26-year-old, college student sample of the 2016 American Community Survey (ACS). About 14% (n = 486) from the overall pool were identified as college students with self-reported prescription stimulant NMU, all of whom completed the survey. The survey covered user characteristics, prescription and illicit substance use, age of first NMU, motivations for NMU, sources of procurement, and ROAs used.Results: Among 486 students reporting prescription stimulant NMU, 43% had a lifetime diagnosis of ADHD. More than 90% reported polysubstance use, with 55% using illicit substances other than marijuana. Slightly more than 2 in 5 (43.3%) reported using illicit substances prior to prescription stimulant NMU, 24.6% used both at the same age, and 32.0% engaged in NMU of prescription stimulants prior to using illicit substances. Prescription stimulant NMU preceded prescription opioid NMU 45% of the time. More than a quarter of those engaged in prescription stimulant NMU (27.9%) initiated prescription stimulants alone or at the same age as other drugs. Most prescription stimulant NMU was oral, however 23.0% reported any non-oral use: snorting (20.4%), smoking (6.0%)and/or injection (3.5%). Non-oral use was associated with being male, obtaining medication from a dealer, use to get high, and/or a substance use disorder diagnosis.Conclusions: Prescription stimulant NMU often occurs in the larger context of other substance use among college students. Injection, an under-researched route for prescription stimulants, was associated with male gender, history of substance use and higher likelihood of illicit substance use. Nearly a quarter of college student survey respondents reported use with non-oral routes, which is associated with other high-risk behaviors. Efforts to reduce non-oral prescription stimulant NMU in college students are warranted.