Improvement in quality of life after adenotonsillectomy in a child with Prader Willi syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: We report a child with Prader Willi syndrome who developed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This patient underwent surgical treatment for OSA. There was improvement not only on her OSA but in her quality of life score as well. This report highlights the need for a comprehensive assessment in the management of patients with Prader Willi syndrome.

Chinese translation and validation of the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT3).

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to translate, adapt and validate the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3rd edition (SCAT3), a test for assessing athletes for concussion, into the Chinese context. METHODS: Translation and adaptation were performed in several stages, which included forward translation by two independent teams, translation merging, backward translation, reviews by both native Cantonese-speaking and Mandarin-speaking multidisciplinary expert panels (n=49) for semantic and conceptual equivalence and reviews by pitch-side physiotherapists (n=18) as end-users of the SCAT3 and rugby players (n=11) for face validity. The Serial 3 s subtraction test was used as a substitute for the Months Backward Test (MBT) for measures of concentration in the Standardized Assessment of Concussion subscale. English-speaking and Chinese-speaking rugby players (n=52) were recruited to perform these tests to assess the level of difficulty, time for completion and accuracy. Inter-rater and test-retest reliability were assessed in 33 and 38 healthy young individuals, respectively. RESULTS: Despite the longer mean completion time (p<0.05) for the Serial 3 s test, no significant difference was found in the percentage accuracy between MBT and the Serial 3 s test. No significant difference was found in either the percentage accuracy or completion time between English-speaking and Cantonese-speaking rugby players. All subscales in the Chinese SCAT3 had excellent levels of inter-rater reliability for all items (ICC2,1 range: 0.96-0.99) but a low to moderate test-retest reliability (ICC3,2 range: 0.32-0.65). The mean completion time of the Chinese SCAT3 was 10.6±1.1 min. CONCLUSION: Chinese SCAT3 is a valid instrument for pitch-side assessment of concussed Chinese-speaking athletes.

Personality traits and social behaviors predict the psychological adjustment of Chinese people with epilepsy.

Very little is known about the psychosocial correlates of psychological morbidity among Chinese people with epilepsy (PWE). No studies have investigated the association between social relationships and psychological morbidity, while most studies examined only the negative impact of maladaptive personalities on psychological adjustment in PWE. This study examined the association of psychological morbidity with a broad array of personality traits and social skills in a sample of 54 Chinese PWE. Respondents completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the Social Performance Survey Schedule (SPSS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) via semi-structured interview. Regression analyses revealed that, independent of demographic and medical variables and perceived impact, Harm Avoidance was positively associated with anxiety and depression whereas Self-Directedness was negatively associated with anxiety and depression; that Cooperativeness was inversely associated with anxiety. Social skills were inversely associated with depression whereas negative social skills were inversely associated with anxiety. Clinical implications of adaptive personality traits and social skills functioning are discussed.

Posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depression in survivors of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

This study examines the psychological impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 195 adult patients in Hong Kong. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were administered to patients 1 month after their discharge. Of the participants 10% to 18% reported symptoms related to posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Symptom severity was associated with high perceived life threat and low emotional support. Women and participants who had low education level were more likely to have symptoms of avoidance. Participants who personally knew someone who had SARS were more likely to be affected by depressive symptoms.

Posttraumatic stress after SARS.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can arise in patients with medical illness. We used 2 Chinese self-report measures to examine features of PTSD, anxiety, and depression in 131 survivors of severe acute respiratory syndrome at 1 month and 3 months after discharge from the hospital. Risk factors associated with psychological distress were identified.