ATP1A3 mutations in infants: a new rapid-onset dystonia-Parkinsonism phenotype characterized by motor delay and ataxia.

We report new clinical features of delayed motor development, hypotonia, and ataxia in two young children with mutations (R756H and D923N) in the ATP1A3 gene. In adults, mutations in ATP1A3 cause rapid-onset dystonia-Parkinsonism (RDP, DYT12) with abrupt onset of fixed dystonia. The parents and children were examined and videotaped, and samples were collected for mutation analysis. Case 1 presented with fluctuating spells of hypotonia, dysphagia, mutism, dystonia, and ataxia at 9 months. After three episodes of hypotonia, she developed ataxia, inability to speak or swallow, and eventual seizures. Case 2 presented with hypotonia at 14 months and pre-existing motor delay. At age 4 years, he had episodic slurred speech, followed by ataxia, drooling, and dysarthria. He remains mute. Both children had ATP1A3 gene mutations. To our knowledge, these are the earliest presentations of RDP, both with fluctuating features. Both children were initially misdiagnosed. RDP should be considered in children with discoordinated gait, and speech and swallowing difficulties.

Diabetes control among Hispanics in the action to control cardiovascular risk in diabetes trial.

BACKGROUND: Hispanics in the United States represent diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, and manifest heterogeneous cardiovascular risks including diabetes. It is not known if there are residual differences in the control of diabetes among Hispanic groups given uniform access to diabetes care. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate glucose control differences among Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Dominicans receiving substantial diabetes care and support in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial comparing two treatment strategies: intensive, targeting glycated hemoglobin below 6.0 %, and standard, targeting glycated hemoglobin between 7.0 % and 7.9 %. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred and sixteen Hispanic and 6066 non-Hispanic white participants were recruited from 77 clinical sites across the United States and Canada. There were 243 Mexicans, 199 Puerto Ricans, and 150 Dominicans; and 135 of these Hispanic groups were born in the United States. MAIN MEASURE: Glycated hemoglobin RESULTS: Compared to Puerto Ricans, Mexicans were more likely (HR=1.38, CI:0.90-2.10) and Dominicans as likely (HR=1.01, CI:0.66-1.54) to achieve glycated hemoglobin goal in the intensive arm. Participants born in the United States achieved glycated hemoglobin goal at a higher rate than those born elsewhere (HR=1.57, CI:0.99-2.51 in the intensive arm, HR=1.51, CI:0.95-2.43 in the standard arm). These differences were not statistically significant. In the intensive arm, Puerto Ricans (OR=0.47, CI:0.31-0.71), and Dominicans (OR=0.41, CI:0.26-0.66) were less likely than non-Hispanic whites to achieve glycated hemoglobin goal, whereas the difference between non-Hispanic whites and Mexicans was not statistically significant, (OR=0.66, CI:0.43-1.02). CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic groups, given access to comprehensive diabetes care, differed from each other non-significantly and had a variable divergence from non-Hispanic whites in achieving intensive glycated hemoglobin goal. These differences, if confirmed, could be due to such factors as variable acculturation and functional health literacy levels that were not measured in the ACCORD trial, but should be further explored in future studies.

New triggers and non-motor findings in a family with rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism.

BACKGROUND: A woman from Italy presented with dystonic leg symptoms at the age of 59. Rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism (RDP) was not suspected until 3 affected children (2 male, 1 female) with presentations consistent with the disorder were recognized. METHODS: The mother and four of her children (3 with and 1 without dystonia) were evaluated with an extensive battery including standardized history questionnaire and rating scales. In addition, all four children had cognitive testing and three of the four children had psychiatric interviews. RESULTS: In this family, a T613M mutation in the ATP1A3 gene was confirmed, the most common mutation present in patients with RDP. The proband's limb dystonia was atypical of RDP, symptoms of the others affected included dysarthria, asymmetric limb dystonia, and dysphagia more consistent with RDP. The two sons developed dystonia-parkinsonism in adolescence after consuming large amounts of alcohol. All 3 of those with psychiatric interviews reached diagnosable thresholds for mood disorder (bipolar or dysthymia) and some form of anxiety disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The phenotype and age of onset is broader than previously reported in RDP, suggesting that it could be under-reported. Prior to this study, neuropsychologic symptoms associated with RDP were under-appreciated. Those patients who are at risk or suspected of having RDP should be cautioned to avoid excessive alcohol intake. Further study is needed to assess if the cognitive and psychiatric features are part of a broader RDP phenotype and this may have implications for future research into genetic susceptibility for psychiatric disease.

Is silent myocardial infarction more common in women with type 2 diabetes than in men?

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine if silent myocardial infarction (MI) is more common in women with type 2 diabetes than in men. Our secondary aim was to examine the relationships between silent MI and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) database was used to determine if women had more silent MI on baseline electrocardiograms (ECGs) than did men with a similar unremarkable cardiovascular history. MI was diagnosed using ECG analysis according to the Minnesota code. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to compare demographic and clinical associations. Interactive effects of risk factors by gender were tested using a forward selection algorithm. RESULTS: Men were found to have a higher prevalence of silent MI on baseline ECGs than women (6% vs 4%, P = .001). Women had lower odds of silent MI than men after adjusting for other risk factors (OR = 0.80, P = .04). Race and ethnicity were significantly associated with silent MI (P = .02), with Asians having the highest and African Americans and Hispanics having lower odds relative to whites. CONCLUSIONS: Our main findings provide no evidence that silent MI, as detected by the Minnesota code, was more common in women than in men in the ACCORD cohort. If, as in the general population, the women in ACCORD are found to have a higher heart disease mortality rate than the men, it seems unlikely that failure to recognize clinically silent heart disease in the years before study enrollment could be a major cause.

Assessment of parental report for 2009-2010 seasonal and monovalent H1N1 influenza vaccines among children in the emergency department or hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of parental report for seasonal and monovalent H1N1 influenza vaccinations among children 6 months to <18 years who were recommended to receive both vaccines in 2009-2010. METHODS: Children with fever or respiratory symptoms were prospectively enrolled in both emergency departments in Forsyth County, North Carolina, and the only pediatric hospital in the region. Enrollment occurred from September 1, 2009, through April 12, 2010, during the H1N1 influenza pandemic. A parental questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers to ascertain the status of seasonal and monovalent H1N1 influenza vaccines. Parental report was compared with that documented in the medical record and/or the North Carolina immunization registry. RESULTS: Among 297 enrolled children 6 months to <18 years of age, 174 (59%) were 6 months to 4 years, 67 (23%) were 5-8 years, and 56 (19%) were 9 to <18 years. Parents reported that 140 (47%) children had received ≥1 dose of 2009-2010 influenza vaccine-128 (43%) for seasonal vaccine and 63 (21%) for H1N1 vaccine. Confirmed vaccination data indicated that 156 (53%) children had received ≥1 dose of any 2009-2010 vaccine-120 (40%) for seasonal vaccine and 53 (18%) for H1N1 vaccine. Parental report of any seasonal influenza vaccination was 92% sensitive and 86% specific and had a kappa of 0.76. Parental report for any H1N1 influenza vaccination was 88% sensitive and 92% specific with a kappa of 0.71. CONCLUSIONS: Parental report of 2009-2010 seasonal and monovalent H1N1 influenza vaccinations was sensitive and specific and had reasonable agreement with the medical record and/or immunization registry.

Buffy coat specimens remain viable as a DNA source for highly multiplexed genome-wide genetic tests after long term storage.

BACKGROUND: Blood specimen collection at an early study visit is often included in observational studies or clinical trials for analysis of secondary outcome biomarkers. A common protocol is to store buffy coat specimens for future DNA isolation and these may remain in frozen storage for many years. It is uncertain if the DNA remains suitable for modern genome wide association (GWA) genotyping. METHODS: We isolated DNA from 120 Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) clinical trial buffy coats sampling a range of storage times up to 9 years and other factors that could influence DNA yield. We performed TaqMan SNP and GWA genotyping to test whether the DNA retained integrity for high quality genetic analysis. RESULTS: We tested two QIAGEN automated protocols for DNA isolation, preferring the Compromised Blood Protocol despite similar yields. We isolated DNA from all 120 specimens (yield range 1.1-312 ug per 8.5 ml ACD tube of whole blood) with only 3/120 samples yielding < 10 ug DNA. Age of participant at blood draw was negatively associated with yield (mean change -2.1 ug/year). DNA quality was very good based on gel electrophoresis QC, TaqMan genotyping of 6 SNPs (genotyping no-call rate 1.1% in 702 genotypes), and excellent quality GWA genotyping data (maximum per sample genotype missing rate 0.64%). CONCLUSIONS: When collected as a long term clinical trial or biobank specimen for DNA, buffy coats can be stored for up to 9 years in a -80°C frozen state and still produce high yields of DNA suitable for GWA analysis and other genetic testing.

Impact of maternal immunization on influenza hospitalizations in infants.

We sought to determine whether maternal vaccination during pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalizations in infants <6 months old. Active population-based, laboratory-confirmed influenza surveillance was conducted in children hospitalized with fever and/or respiratory symptoms in 3 US counties from November through April during the 2002 through 2009 influenza seasons. The exposure, influenza vaccination during pregnancy, and the outcome, positive/negative influenza testing among their hospitalized infants, were compared using logistic regression analyses. Among 1510 hospitalized infants <6 months old, 151 (10%) had laboratory-confirmed influenza and 294 (19%) mothers reported receiving influenza vaccine during pregnancy. Eighteen (12%) mothers of influenza-positive infants and 276 (20%) mothers of influenza-negative infants were vaccinated (unadjusted odds ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.88 and adjusted odds ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.30-0.91). Infants of vaccinated mothers were 45-48% less likely to have influenza hospitalizations than infants of unvaccinated mothers. Our results support the current influenza vaccination recommendation for pregnant women.

Examining gender differences in risk factors for suicide attempts made 1 and 7 years later in a nationally representative sample.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the prospective risk factors for making a nonfatal suicide attempt and whether they varied by gender. METHODS: We used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. A nationally representative sample of 10,828 youth was assessed over three different time points spanning 7 years. We conducted multivariable logistic regression to examine the main and interactive effects on the odds of making a suicide attempt 1 and 7 years later. RESULTS: Regardless of an individual's gender, multivariable analyses indicated unique risk factors including suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, a friend's past history of attempted and completed suicide, and a family member's past history of attempted suicide that were significantly associated with increased odds of suicide attempts made 1 and 7 years later. Parental loss predicted likelihood of suicide attempt 1 year later but not 7 years later. Moderational analyses indicated that gender did not interact with most of the risk factors. However, post hoc probing of two significant interaction terms indicated that young age was a risk factor for making a nonfatal suicide attempt 1 year later for females but not for males, and that females with high somatic symptoms had a greater risk for making a nonfatal suicide attempt as compared with those with low somatic symptoms and with males with low or high somatic symptoms. CONCLUSION: These results indicate similar risk factors for nonfatal suicide attempts among males and females. However, younger age and somatic symptoms were reported to be risk factors for females but not for males, suggesting the need for targeted interventions with young females with somatic complaints.

Sickle cell trait, hemoglobin C trait, and invasive pneumococcal disease.

BACKGROUND: The cause of historically higher rates of invasive pneumococcal disease among blacks than whites has remained unknown. We tested the hypothesis that sickle cell trait or hemoglobin C trait is an independent risk factor for invasive pneumococcal disease. METHOD: Eligible children were born in Tennessee (1996-2003), had a newborn screen, enrolled in TennCare aged <1 year, and resided in a Tennessee county with laboratory-confirmed, pneumococcal surveillance. Race/ethnicity was ascertained from birth certificates. Children were followed through 2005 until loss of enrollment, pneumococcal disease episode, fifth birthday, or death. We calculated incidence rates by race/ethnicity and hemoglobin type before and after pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) introduction. Poisson regression analyses compared invasive pneumococcal disease rates among blacks with sickle cell trait or hemoglobin C trait with whites and blacks with normal hemoglobin, controlling for age, gender, time (pre-PCV7, transition year, or post-PCV7) and high-risk conditions (eg, heart disease). RESULTS: Over 10 years, 415 invasive pneumococcal disease episodes occurred during 451,594 observed child-years. Before PCV7 introduction, disease rates/100,000 child-years were 2941 for blacks with sickle cell disease, 258 for blacks with sickle cell trait or hemoglobin C trait and 188, 172, and 125 for blacks, whites, and Hispanics with normal hemoglobin. Post-PCV7, rates declined for all groups. Blacks with sickle cell trait or hemoglobin C trait had 77% (95% CI = 22-155) and 42% (95% CI = 1-100) higher rates than whites and blacks with normal hemoglobin. CONCLUSION: Black children with sickle cell trait or hemoglobin C trait have an increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease.

Protective behaviors and high-risk drinking among entering college freshmen.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the use of protective behaviors to reduce risks associated with alcohol consumption among adolescents during the summer preceding college enrollment. METHODS: Survey data were collected in fall 2006 and 2007 that assessed demographic characteristics, drinking behaviors, and use of protective behaviors in the 3 months preceding the survey. RESULTS: Female participants reported using 4 out of 10 protective behaviors more often than did males, and using protective behaviors was significantly related to fewer negative drinking-related consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight potential benefits of using protective behaviors and the need to promote effective behaviors.