Impacto econômico da implementação de políticas públicas para distúrbios de sono no Brasil: uma revisão integrativa / Economic impact of the implementation of public policies for sleep disorders in Brazil: an integrative review

Objetivo: Identificar estudos sobre políticas públicas, ações de saúde e análises econômicas relacionados aos distúrbios de sono no Brasil e discutir os seus resultados para o sistema de saúde, gestores de políticas públicas e a sociedade. Métodos: Revisão integrativa da literatura nas bases de dados Lilacs (via BVS), SciELO e PubMed (via Medline), incluindo estudos publicados nos idiomas português, inglês e espanhol, entre os anos de 1960-2023; foram excluídos estudos que não apresentaram a perspectiva brasileira ou aqueles cuja versão integral não estava disponível (seja gratuitamente ou na versão paga). Resultados: A busca retornou 536 resultados, dos quais apenas dois atendiam aos critérios de inclusão e mais cinco trabalhos foram incluídos manualmente, após consulta com especialistas de sono (todos abordaram apneia obstrutiva do sono, sendo: um relato sobre alteração na legislação de trânsito focada em prevenção de acidentes por sonolência excessiva; uma revisão de escopo sobre análises de custo-efetividade do tratamento da doença com uso de CPAP; dois relatos sobre linha de cuidado em um município e outros três em Secretarias Estaduais de Saúde). Conclusões: A revisão integrativa encontrou poucas evidências acerca do tema e aponta para a necessidade de futuros estudos que visem a suprir essa lacuna científica e de que seja necessário o desenvolvimento de futura linha de cuidado que amplie o acesso ao tratamento de doenças do sono no Sistema Único de Saúde.

Objective: To identify studies on public policies, health actions, and economic analyses related to sleep disorders in Brazil and discuss their results for public policy managers and society. Methods: Integrative literature review using Lilacs (via BVS), SciELO, and PubMed (via Medline) databases, including studies published in Portuguese, English, and Spanish languages, between years of 1960-2023; studies that did not present the Brazilian perspective or whose full version was not available were excluded (free or paid version). Results: The search returned 536 results, of which only two met the inclusion criteria, and five more studies were included manually after consulting sleep experts (all addressing obstructive sleep apnea, namely: a report on changes in traffic legislation focused on preventing accidents caused by excessive sleepiness; a scoping review on cost-effectiveness analysis of CPAP for sleep apnea treatment; two reports on care lines in one municipality and another three in State Secretariats). Conclusions: The integrative review found few evidences on the topic and points to the need for future studies aimed at filling this scientific gap and the development of a care line that expands access to sleep disorder treatment in Brazilian Public Health System.

Melatonin: From Pharmacokinetics to Clinical Use in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The role of melatonin has been extensively investigated in pathophysiological conditions, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Reduced melatonin secretion has been reported in ASD and led to many clinical trials using immediate-release and prolonged-release oral formulations of melatonin. However, melatonin's effects in ASD and the choice of formulation type require further study. Therapeutic benefits of melatonin on sleep disorders in ASD were observed, notably on sleep latency and sleep quality. Importantly, melatonin may also have a role in improving autistic behavioral impairments. The objective of this article is to review factors influencing treatment response and possible side effects following melatonin administration. It appears that the effects of exposure to exogenous melatonin are dependent on age, sex, route and time of administration, formulation type, dose, and association with several substances (such as tobacco or contraceptive pills). In addition, no major melatonin-related adverse effect was described in typical development and ASD. In conclusion, melatonin represents currently a well-validated and tolerated treatment for sleep disorders in children and adolescents with ASD. A more thorough consideration of factors influencing melatonin pharmacokinetics could illuminate the best use of melatonin in this population. Future studies are required in ASD to explore further dose-effect relationships of melatonin on sleep problems and autistic behavioral impairments.

Poor Sleep Quality Is Associated with Altered Taste Perception in Chinese Adults.

BACKGROUND: Small clinical studies have suggested that individuals with insufficient sleep could experience taste dysfunction. However, this notion has not been examined in a large-scale, population-based study. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether overall sleep quality, as assessed by insomnia, daytime sleepiness, snoring, and sleep duration, was associated with the odds of having altered taste perception in a large population-based study. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study that used data from a subcohort of the Kailuan study, an ongoing multicenter cohort study that began in 2006 in Tangshan City, China. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: The participants were 11,030 adults aged 25 years or older (mean age 53.7 ± 10.7 years), who were free of neurodegenerative diseases. All the participants had undergone questionnaire assessments and medical examinations at Kailuan General Hospital from June 2012 to October 2013. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Altered taste and olfactory perception were assessed via a questionnaire with two questions regarding whether participants had any problems with sense of taste or smell for ≥3 months. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: The association between sleep quality and altered taste/olfactory perception was examined using a logistic regression model, adjusting for age, sex, lifestyle factors (eg, obesity, smoking, alcohol intake, and physical activity) and health status (eg, lipid profiles, blood pressure, modification use, and presence of chronic diseases). RESULTS: Poor overall sleep quality was associated with a higher risk of having altered taste perception (adjusted odds ratio for low vs high sleep quality 2.03, 95% CI 1.42 to 2.91; P < 0.001). Specifically, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and short sleep duration, but not prolonged sleep duration and snoring, were significantly associated with altered taste perception. A significant association between overall sleep quality and the risk of having altered olfactory perception was also observed (adjusted odds ratio for low vs high sleep quality 2.17, 95% CI 1.68 to 2.80; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based study, poor sleep quality was associated with a high likelihood of altered taste perception.

Sleep disorders in anti-NMDAR encephalitis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the sleep disorders in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (anti-NMDARe). METHODS: Patients recovering from anti-NMDARe were invited to participate in a prospective observational single-center study including comprehensive clinical, video-polysomnography (V-PSG) sleep assessment, and neuropsychological evaluation. Age- and sex-matched healthy participants served as controls. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (89% female, median age 26 years, interquartile range [IQR] 21-29 years) and 21 controls (81% female, median age 23 years, IQR 18-26 years) were included. In the acute stage, 16 (89%) patients reported insomnia and 2 hypersomnia; nightmares occurred in 7. After the acute stage, 14 (78%) had hypersomnia. At study admission (median 183 days after disease onset, IQR 110-242 days), 8 patients still had hypersomnia, 1 had insomnia, and 9 had normal sleep duration. Patients had more daytime sleepiness than controls (higher Barcelona Sleepiness Index, p = 0.02, and Epworth Sleepiness Score, p = 0.04). On V-PSG, sleep efficiency was similar in both groups, but patients more frequently had multiple and longer confusional arousals in non-REM (NREM) sleep (videos provided). In addition, 13 (72%) patients had cognitive deficits; 12 (67%) had psychological, social, or occupational disability; and 33% had depression or mania. Compared with controls, patients had a higher body mass index (median 23.5 [IQR 22.3-30.2] vs 20.5 [19.1-21.1] kg/m2; p = 0.007). Between disease onset and last follow-up, 14 (78%) patients developed hyperphagia, and 6 (33%) developed hypersexuality (2 requiring hospitalization), all associated with sleep dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbances are frequent in anti-NMDARe. They show a temporal pattern (predominantly insomnia at onset; hypersomnia during recovery), are associated with behavioral and cognitive changes, and can occur with confusional arousals during NREM sleep.

Risk factors for sleep quality disturbances in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis before operation.

PURPOSE: We aimed to explore the risk factors of preoperative sleep quality in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and the association of sleep-related beliefs with sleep quality in these patients. METHODS: Sleep quality and related risk factors of sleep quality disturbances in patients with LSS preoperatively were assessed by questionnaires. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for clinical outcomes, Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS Pain), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) for anxiety level, and Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep (DBAS-16) for sleep-related beliefs were assessed. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the risk factors of sleep quality disturbances. RESULTS: A total of 227 patients were enrolled, mean age 64 years (SD 13.1), 119 women (52%). The incidence of sleep quality disturbances in patients was 37% (83/227). Increased DBAS-16 scores (OR = 0.781; 95% CI, 0.725-0.841; p < 0.001) significantly decreased the probability of developing sleep quality disturbances, while increased anxiety levels (OR = 1.241; 95% CI, 1.152-1.337; p < 0.001) significantly increased the probability of developing sleep quality disturbances in patients. Factors including educational level, increased age, sex, preoperative length of stay, VAS Pain scores, and ODI scores showed no significant association and were therefore excluded from the model. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of anxiety and mistaken sleep-related beliefs were risk factors of sleep quality disturbances in patients with LSS before surgery. The more mistaken sleep-related beliefs were, the greater the probability of sleep disturbances.

El paciente ortodóncico en dentición mixta y los trastornos del sueño / The orthodontic patient with mixed dentition and sleep disorders

Los desórdenes respiratorios del sueño (DRS) y, principalmente, roncopatías y apneas obstructivas afectan aproximadamente al 7% de los pacientes ortodóncicos. Los DRS no solo son importantes por la cantidad de pacientes afectados, sino por la gravedad de los posibles efectos secundarios a nivel de la salud general del paciente. La obstrucción de las vías aéreas superiores (VAS) provoca alteraciones del crecimiento y deformaciones craneofaciales importantes, por lo que el tratamiento temprano y la prevención de la respiración oral es muy importante.El papel del ortodoncista es muy importante en el diagnóstico y en el tratamiento de los DRS, pero también en su prevención, realizando tratamientos que aumenten la dimensión y la permeabilidad de las VAS. El protocolo de exploración interdisciplinar en niños y adolescentes y la cefalometría de vías aéreas son importantes en el diagnóstico y deben ser tenidos en cuenta en el plan de tratamiento. Pero las pruebas más significativas, el CBCT de vías aéreas y la polisomnografía no son pruebas rutinarias por la dificultad logística y el precio de estas pruebas. En este artículo también se recomiendan los tratamientos de ortodoncia más indicados en estos casos y que tienden al aumento de la dimensión de las VAS (AU)

Sleep breathing disorders (SBD) and in the first place, roncopathy and obstructive apnea, affect approximately 7% of orthodontic patients. The SBD are not only important for the number of affected patients, but also for the severity of the possible side effects at the level of general health of a patient. The upper air ways (UAW) obstruction provokes important alterations in growth and craniofacial deformations, and this is why the early treatment and prevention of mouth breathing are very important. The role of an orthodontist in diagnosis and treatment of SBD is very important, but it is also in its prevention, carrying out the treatments which increase the dimension and permeability of UAW. The protocol of interdisciplinary examination.In children and adolescents and the air ways cephalometry analysis have an important role in diagnosis and they should be taken into account in treatment planning. But the most important tests, the air ways CBCT and polysomnography, are not routine tests due to the complicated logistics and their cost. In this article, the orthodontic treatments most indicated in these cases are recommended, because they tend to increase the UAW dimension (AU)

Objective and Subjective Sleep Efficiency in Adult Patients with Cystic Fibrosis and Impact on Quality of Life.

INTRODUCTION: Poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness are common in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and both are negatively correlated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The objective of our study was to evaluate subjective and objective sleep quality in adult CF patients and its effect on HRQoL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional study of CF patients > 18 years of age. Patients underwent nocturnal polysomnography (PSG) and were administered the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire (PSQI) and the Cystic Fibrosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (CFQR 14 + Spain). RESULTS: The study included 23 patients, 14 women (61%). The mean age of the participants was 32 + 18 years. The mean PSQI score was 5.57 + 3.55; 13 (56.5%) of the patients were poor sleepers, and 13% reported poor sleep quality; seven (30%) had sleep latency > 30 min, 10 (43.5%) had sleep efficiency < 85%. Nineteen underwent polysomnography. According to PSG measurements, sleep efficiency was less than 90% in 61% of the patients. Pathological values were found for the following parameters: intra-sleep wakefulness in 12 patients (63%); microarousal index in 12 patients (63%); and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in 2 patients. The desaturation time with SpO2 < 90% (T90) was > 30% in 3 patients. We observed a significant correlation between PSQI and all dimensions of CFQR 14. CONCLUSIONS: Subjective and objective sleep efficiency decreases in adult CF patients. Sleep quality has an impact on HRQoL. The PSQI questionnaire was able to discriminate sleep quality.

Evaluation of quality of sleep in women with stress urinary incontinence before and after surgical correction.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of sleep in women with urinary incontinence before and after sling surgery. METHODS: A prospective study of case series of women with urodynamic diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence. To evaluate the subjective quality of sleep, two specific questionnaires were used and validated for the Portuguese Language: Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The questionnaires were applied before and 6 months after surgical repair. RESULTS: When analyzing the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, there was an improvement in sleep quality (p=0.0401). For the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, only for sleep disorder there was improvement in quality of sleep after surgery (p=0.0127). CONCLUSION: Women with urinary incontinence, submitted to surgery with sling, showed improvement in both quality of sleep and sleep disorder.

Evaluation of quality of sleep in women with stress urinary incontinence before and after surgical correction / Avaliação da qualidade do sono em mulheres com incontinência urinária antes e depois da correção cirúrgica

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the quality of sleep in women with urinary incontinence before and after sling surgery. Methods: A prospective study of case series of women with urodynamic diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence. To evaluate the subjective quality of sleep, two specific questionnaires were used and validated for the Portuguese Language: Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The questionnaires were applied before and 6 months after surgical repair. Results: When analyzing the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, there was an improvement in sleep quality (p=0.0401). For the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, only for sleep disorder there was improvement in quality of sleep after surgery (p=0.0127). Conclusion: Women with urinary incontinence, submitted to surgery with sling, showed improvement in both quality of sleep and sleep disorder.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a qualidade do sono em mulheres com incontinência urinária antes e após correção cirúrgica do tipo sling. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo do tipo série de casos de mulheres com diagnóstico urodinâmico de incontinência urinária de esforço. Para avaliar a qualidade subjetiva do sono, utilizaram-se dois questionários específicos e validados para a língua portuguesa: Escala de Sonolência de Epworth e Índice de Qualidade do Sono de Pittsburgh. Os questionários foram aplicados antes e 6 meses após a correção cirúrgica. Resultados: Ao analisar a Escala de Sonolência de Epworth, houve melhora da qualidade do sono (p=0,0401). Para o Índice de Qualidade do Sono de Pittsburgh, apenas para o transtorno do sono, houve melhora da qualidade do sono após a cirurgia (p=0,0127). Conclusão: Mulheres com incontinência urinária, submetidas à correção cirúrgica por meio de sling, apresentaram melhora tanto na qualidade do sono como no transtorno do sono.

Severidad según índice de apnea hipopnea del sueño en el síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño posicional vs no posicional en el Hospital Universitario Clínica San Rafael / Severity according to apnea hypopnea index in the positional and non positional obstructive sleep apnea sindrome in the San Rafael Clinical University Hospital

Introducción: El síndrome de apnea e hipopnea obstructiva del sueño (SAHOS) es un problema de salud pública común, en donde la posición al dormir tiene influencias fisiológicas importantes en el patrón de sueño. Objetivo: Establecer la severidad según índice de apnea hipopnea del sueño en los pacientes con síndrome obstructivo del sueño posicional (supino) y no posicional (no supino) en el Hospital Universitario Clínica San Rafael entre el 1 de enero de 2014 al 31 de diciembre de 2017. Diseño: Estudio observacional descriptivo de corte transversal. Metodología: Se tomaron datos registrados en las historias clínicas de los pacientes que asistieron al Hospital Universitario Clínica San Rafael. El tamaño de la muestra fue de 88 personas de ambos sexos, en edades entre 18 y 90 años. Resultados: La distribución por género fue de 55 hombres (62,5%) y 33 mujeres (37,5%) de los cuales 47(53.4%) fueron SAHOS posicional y 41(46.6%) SAHOS no posicional. El peso promedio de las mujeres es de 71 kg y en hombres de 81 kg, la estatura es 1,58 cm y 1.67 respectivamente presentándose índices de masa corporal altos, en promedio de 28 para los dos géneros. La edad promedio es de 53 años para mujeres y de 46 años para hombres. Se encontró una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre la severidad y SAHOS posicional (Fischer exact p=0.018), en donde el SAHOS severo está asociado con apnea no posicional, mientras que el SAHOS leve tiende a corresponder a la apnea posicional. Conclusiones: En nuestro estudio se evidenció que el SAHOS más severo está asociado a la apnea no posicional, mientras que el SAHOS menos severo tiende a corresponder a la apnea posicional.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a common public health problem, where the sleeping position has important physiological influences on the sleep pattern. Objective: To establish the severity according to the index of hypopnea sleep apnea in patients with positional (supine) and non-positional (non-supine) sleep obstructive syndrome in the San Rafael Clinical University Hospital from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2017. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Recorded data of patients that attend the outpatient service of the San Rafael Clinical University Hospital has been taken for the study. The simple size was 88 people of both sexes, with ages between 18 and 90 years. Results: The distribution by gender was 55 men (62.5%) and 33 women (37.5%) of which 47(53.4%) were positional OSAS and 41(46.6%) non-positional OSAS The average weight of women is 71 kg and in men of 81 kg, the height is 1.58 cm and 1.67 cm respectively, with high body mass indexes, on average 28 for both genders. The average age is 53 for women and 46 for men. A statistically significant association was found between severity and positional OSAS (Fischer exact p = 0.018), where severe OSAS is associated with non-positional apnea, while mild OSAS corresponds to positional apnea. Conclusions: In our study it was evidenced that the most severe OSAS is associated to the non-positional apnea, while the less severe OSAS tends to correspond to the positional apnea.

Sleep disruption in chronic rhinosinusitis.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common disease of the upper airways and paranasal sinuses with a marked decline in quality of life (QOL). CRS patients suffer from sleep disruption at a significantly higher proportion (60 to 75%) than in the general population (8-18 %). Sleep disruption in CRS causes decreased QOL and is linked to poor functional outcomes such as impaired cognitive function and depression. Areas covered: A systematic PubMed/Medline search was done to assess the results of studies that have investigated sleep and sleep disturbances in CRS. Expert commentary: These studies reported sleep disruption in most CRS patients. The main risk factors for sleep disruption in CRS include allergic rhinitis, smoking, and high SNOT-22 total scores. The literature is inconsistent with regard to the prevalence of sleep-related disordered breathing (e.g. obstructive sleep apnea) in CRS patients. Although nasal obstruction is linked to sleep disruption, the extent of sleep disruption in CRS seems to expand beyond that expected from physical blockage of the upper airways alone. Despite the high prevalence of sleep disruption in CRS, and its detrimental effects on QOL, the literature contains a paucity of studies that have investigated the mechanisms underlying this major problem in CRS.

Sex Hormones and Sleep in Men and Women From the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVES: Associations between sex hormones and sleep habits originate mainly from small and selected patient-based samples. We examined data from a population-based sample with various sleep characteristics and the major part of sex hormones measured by mass spectrometry. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We used data from 204 men and 213 women of the cross-sectional Study of Health in Pomerania-TREND. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: Associations of total T (TT) and free T, androstenedione (ASD), estrone, estradiol (E2), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate, SHBG, and E2 to TT ratio with sleep measures (including total sleep time, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, apnea-hypopnea index [AHI], Insomnia Severity Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) were assessed by sex-specific multivariable regression models. RESULTS: In men, age-adjusted associations of TT (odds ratio 0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46-0.83), free T, and SHBG with AHI were rendered nonsignificant after multivariable adjustment. In multivariable analyses, ASD was associated with Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ß-coefficient per SD increase in ASD: -0.71; 95% CI: -1.18 to -0.25). In women, multivariable analyses showed positive associations of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate with wake after sleep onset (ß-coefficient: .16; 95% CI 0.03-0.28) and of E2 and E2 to TT ratio with Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Additionally, free T and SHBG were associated with AHI in multivariable models among premenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS: The present cross-sectional, population-based study observed sex-specific associations of androgens, E2, and SHBG with sleep apnea and daytime sleepiness. However, multivariable-adjusted analyses confirmed the impact of body composition and health-related lifestyle on the association between sex hormones and sleep.

Dry Eye Syndrome Risks in Patients With Fibromyalgia: A National Retrospective Cohort Study.

The coexistence of fibromyalgia (FM) and dry eye syndrome (DES) has been previously reported. However, there are few studies on how patients with FM may develop concomitant DES. Patients with chronic widespread pain, like FM, chronic fatigue syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), was concerned for the rheumatic or psychosomatic disorders which might adequately reflect the long-term risk of DES. We retrieved data on FM patients from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan covering the years 2000 to 2011. Our FM population consisted of 25,777 patients versus 103,108 patients in the non-FM group: the overall incidence of DES in these populations was 7.37/10,000 and 4.81/10,000, respectively. Male FM patients had a higher incidence of DES, with a 1.39-fold DES risk for males and a 1.45-fold for females after adjustment for confounding factor. Notably, FM patients aged ≤49 years had an elevated 80% risk of DES compared with the non-FM group. Without comorbidities, FM patients had an approximately 1.40-fold risk of DES than those without FM. The additive effects of FM and IBS or FM and sleep disturbance were pointed out that the risk for DES would be elevated when the FM patients with IBS or sleep disturbance. FM patients have a higher incidence of DES than that of non-FM patients. They carry long-term DES risks from a relatively young age, particularly those with psychiatric problems. Risk stratification for a timely psychiatric medication intervention and risk modifications are not intended.

MDS-UPDRS to assess non-motor symptoms after STN DBS for Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the non-motor sections of the Movement Disorder Society's (MDS) version of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) could supplement the original UPDRS as a patient completed assessment of changes in non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients after bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS). METHODS: Thirty PD patients who underwent bilateral STN DBS were assessed using the total UPDRS and the non-motor sections of the MDS-UPDRS prior to surgery and one year following surgery. This study focuses on non-motor symptoms as assessed by Part I of the UPDRS and Part 1A and 1B of the MDS-UPDRS. RESULTS: One year following surgery, no individual non-motor symptoms or the total mentation score of the UPDRS were significantly changed. In comparison, the MDS-UPDRS showed significant improvements in sleep and urinary problems and a trend towards improvement in anxiety, constipation, daytime sleepiness, fatigue and pain. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that the MDS-UPDRS non-motor sections, when completed by the patients, can supplement the original version of the UPDRS as an effective method of measuring changes in non-motor symptoms after DBS. It also reinforces the benefits of bilateral STN DBS on non-motor symptoms of PD.

Treatment of climacteric symptoms in survivors of gynaecological cancer.

Different treatments (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy) for gynaecological cancers may cause ovarian failure or increase menopausal symptoms. There is a widespread reluctance among physicians to prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to the survivors of gynaecological cancer. This review analyses the use of HRT and of alternative therapies in such women. Squamous cervical cancer is not estrogen dependent and thus HRT is not contraindicated. While a cautious approach to hormone-dependent cancer is warranted, for women treated for non-hormone-related tumours alternative treatments for menopausal symptoms should be given due consideration, as any reluctance to prescribe HRT for them has neither a biological nor a clinical basis. In studies of HRT for survivors of endometrial and ovarian cancer, for instance, no evidence of increased risk was found, although no definitive conclusions can yet be formulated. The positive effect of HRT on quality of life seems to outweigh the unfounded suspicion of an increased risk of recurrence of non-hormone-related tumours. Effective non-hormonal alternatives for vasomotor symptoms are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.

[Transient global amnesia: A descriptive study of 12 Polynesian patients]. / Ictus amnésique: étude descriptive de 12 patients polynésiens.

INTRODUCTION: According to the criteria of Hodges and Warlow, transient global amnesia is defined by sudden onset of isolated anterograde amnesia of spontaneous resolution within one to twenty-four hours. Its pathophysiological mechanisms are still uncertain. METHODS: In a retrospective study, we have analyzed epidemiological, clinical and MRI data from twelve patients admitted to the only neurological department of French Polynesia for transient global amnesia corresponding to the criteria of Hodges and Warlow between January 2010 and December 2013. RESULTS: The median age of the cohort was 61.5 (53-72), the sex ratio was 1. Ten patients had one or more cardiovascular risk factors, 3 had migraine headaches and 3 had anxiodepressive disorders. Among triggers found, the occurrence during the rest was noted in one case. Retrograde amnesia was observed in 42% of cases, repetitive questioning in 75% of cases, anxious bewilderment in 67% of cases and disorientation in 33% of cases. The median episode duration was 9 hours and the duration of hospitalization was 3 days. Three patients had a recurrence. MRI was abnormal in all patients and showed diffusion-weighted hyperintensities in right (n=8), left (n=3) and bilateral (n=1) hippocampi. CONCLUSION: Epidemiological, clinical and MRI data from our cohort are similar to those from the literature except for the highest prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and the most frequent right hippocampus involvement. Transient global amnesia occurring exceptionally while sleeping was also observed in one of our patients.

Common questions about the diagnosis and management of fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia has a distinct pathophysiology involving central amplification of peripheral sensory signals. Core symptoms are chronic widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. Most patients with fibromyalgia have muscle pain and tenderness, forgetfulness or problems concentrating, and significant functional limitations. Fibromyalgia is diagnosed using an updated set of clinical criteria that no longer depend on tender point examination; laboratory testing may rule out other disorders that commonly present with fatigue, such as anemia and thyroid disease. Patients with fibromyalgia should be evaluated for comorbid functional pain syndromes and mood disorders. Management of fibromyalgia should include patient education, symptom relief, and regular aerobic physical activity. Serotoninnorepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, antiepileptics, and muscle relaxants have the strongest evidence of benefit for improving pain, fatigue, sleep symptoms, and quality of life. Multiple complementary and alternative medicine therapies have been used but have limited evidence of effectiveness. Opioids should be used to relieve pain in carefully selected patients only if alternative therapies are ineffective.

Clinical, metabolic, and psychological characteristics in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease overlap with irritable bowel syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are highly prevalent in the general population, with significant symptom overlap, whereas the interaction between both remains poorly understood. We aim to identify the clinical and psychological factors that contribute toward the overlap of GERD and IBS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We carried out a case-control study among 806 GERD and 176 IBS patients from a health check-up cohort (n=2604). All participants were evaluated using the Reflux Disease Questionnaire score, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score, the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire score, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score. Endoscopic findings were classified according to the Los Angeles classification. IBS was diagnosed on the basis of Rome III criteria, and metabolic syndrome was defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III definition. RESULTS: Among the study population, 727 individuals had GERD, 97 individuals had IBS, and 79 individuals had a diagnosis of both GERD and IBS (GERD-I). GERD-I patients had more severe GERD symptoms compared with patients with GERD or IBS alone (P<0.0001). Moreover, GERD-I patients had more frequent healthcare-seeking behavior, decreased quality of sleep, and higher depression scores than patients with GERD (P<0.0001) or IBS alone (P<0.05). In addition, GERD-I patients had lower blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio, and higher serum high-density lipoprotein levels than those with GERD alone (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: GERD patients overlapping with IBS have different clinical and psychological profiles than those with GERD or IBS alone. Our study suggests that awareness of these symptom presentations will help optimize the treatment of these conditions.

Lifestyle effects on hematopoiesis and atherosclerosis.

Diet, exercise, stress, and sleep are receiving attention as environmental modifiers of chronic inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, the culprit condition of myocardial infarction and stroke. Accumulating data indicate that psychosocial stress and a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet aggravate cardiovascular disease, whereas regular physical activity and healthy sleeping habits help prevent it. Here, we raise the possibility that inflammation-associated leukocyte production plays a causal role in lifestyle effects on atherosclerosis progression. Specifically, we explore whether and how potent real-life disease modifiers influence hematopoiesis' molecular and cellular machinery. Lifestyle, we hypothesize, may rearrange hematopoietic topography, diverting production from the bone marrow to the periphery, thus propagating a quantitative and qualitative drift of the macrophage supply chain. These changes may involve progenitor-extrinsic and intrinsic communication nodes that connect organ systems along neuroimmune and immunometabolic axes, ultimately leading to an altered number and phenotype of lesional macrophages. We propose that, in conjunction with improved public health policy, future therapeutics could aim to modulate the quantitative and qualitative output, as well as the location, of the hematopoietic tree to decrease the risk of atherosclerosis complications.

[Depressive phenomenology at the outset of neuropaediatric diseases]. / Fenomenología depresiva al inicio de enfermedades neuropediátricas.

INTRODUCTION: Depressive phenomenology, in its diverse nosological forms, affects 8-10% of children and adolescents of general population. Most frequently mood disorders have a primary origin, following poligenic multifactorial model. Moreover there is a non negligible proportion of cases in which depressive symptoms accompany neurological illnesses or they even constitute a part of predominant manifestations at the clinical start of neurologic disease, or mark a point of inflexion in its course. The aim of the present article is to review relevant literature dealing with this topic. DEVELOPMENT: A significative higher frequency of depressive phenomenology, not explainable by hazard, can be an early manifestation in children and adolescents with: epileptic syndromes, sleep disorders, chronic recurrent cephalalgias, several neurometabolic diseases, and intracranial tumors. Points of coincidence have been shown in dysequilibrium of brain neurotransmitters (serotonine, noradrenaline, hyperglutamatergic states) which could not be hypothesized as maintaining both neurological and mood conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The suspiction of a neurological disease should be adopted in cases of mood disorder not easily explainable by familial antecedents or clear biographical stressors. The search for a brain disorder by means of a meticulous anamnesis and neurological clinical and ancillary exams makes possible to discover the brain disorder at a very early stage and ameliorate the chances of accurately manage both the neurological and mood disorders. The simultaneous treatment of both dimension of the illness helps to improve the patients' quality of life.

TITLE: Fenomenologia depresiva al inicio de enfermedades neuropediatricas.Introduccion. La depresion, en sus diversas formas, afecta al 8-10% de niños y adolescentes y en la mayor parte de casos su origen es primario, siguiendo el modelo genetico multifactorial. Pero hay una proporcion de pacientes, no bien cuantificada todavia, en la que la depresion acompaña precozmente una enfermedad neurologica o marca un punto de inflexion en el curso de esta. El objetivo es revisar la bibliografia al respecto. Desarrollo. Se observa fenomenologia depresiva, con una frecuencia significativamente mayor que por azar, en niños y adolescentes afectos de epilepsia, trastornos del sueño, cefaleas primarias cronicas recurrentes, enfermedades neurometabolicas y tumores intracraneales. En varias de estas patologias neuropediatricas se hipotetizan puntos de coincidencia fisiopatologica con la depresion a traves de un deficit de disponibilidad cerebral de serotonina y noradrenalina. No se considera aqui la depresion disadaptativa a una neurodiscapacidad cronica. Conclusiones. En niños y adolescentes, los trastornos del animo sintomaticos de enfermedad neurologica deben sospecharse en ausencia de antecedentes familiares o de experiencias vitales que los expliquen. La busqueda sistematica de anomalias neurologicas y los examenes complementarios permitirian en estos casos abordar precozmente el tratamiento de la enfermedad cerebral causante del cuadro depresivo. A su vez, como ocurre en casos de epilepsia, cefaleas o trastorno del sueño, la terapia farmacologica y psicologica del cuadro depresivo contribuye a mejorar la calidad de vida de los afectados.