Activity limitations in leprosy and their association to cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms / Limitaciones de tarea en la enfermedad de Hansen y su relación con cognición y síntomas neuropsiquiátricos / Limitações de tarefa na hanseníase e sua associação com cognição e sintomas neuropsiquiátricos

ABSTRACT Objectives: to analyze activity limitations in patients with leprosy and their association to cognition and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Methods: this cross-sectional design study included sixty patients with multibacillary leprosy assisted at a reference center. Participants were divided according to their physical disability and submitted to instruments assessing daily activities (basic and instrumental), cognitive functions, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. The order of the instruments was random to avoid any interference of test sequence on the results. Results: fifty-five percent of the participants presented physical disabilities. All patients were independent in performing basic activities but sixty-six percent presented difficulties in performing instrumental activities. Cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric symptoms were seen in advanced stages of the disease, but they were more associated to patient age than to leprosy. Conclusions: leprosy patients presented physical disabilities and difficulties in performing instrumental daily activities. Cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric symptoms were more associated to aging than to leprosy itself.

RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar limitaciones de tarea en pacientes con Lepra y su relación con cognición y síntomas neuropsiquiátricos. Métodos: este estudio transversal incluyó 60 pacientes con Lepra multibacilar atendidos en centro de referencia. Participantes fueron divididos segundo la disfunción física y evaluados cuanto a las actividades diarias (básicas y instrumentales), funciones cognitivas y síntomas neuropsiquiátricos. Orden de aplicación de los instrumentos aleatoria para evitar interferencia de la secuencia de tests sobre los resultados. Resultados: de los participantes, 55% presentaron disfunción física. Todos pacientes eran independientes en las actividades básicas, pero 66% mostraron dificultades en las actividades instrumentales. Declive cognitivo y síntomas neuropsiquiátricos fueron observados en etapas avanzadas de la enfermedad, pero estos estaban más relacionados a la edad del paciente que a la Lepra. Conclusiones: pacientes con Lepra evidenciaron disfunción física y dificultades en las actividades instrumentales. Declive cognitivo y síntomas neuropsiquiátricos están más relacionados al envejecimiento que a la Lepra.

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar as limitações de tarefa em pacientes com hanseníase e sua associação com cognição e sintomas neuropsiquiátricos. Métodos: este estudo transversal incluiu 60 pacientes com hanseníase multibacilar atendidos em um centro de referência. Os participantes foram divididos segundo a disfunção física e avaliados quanto às atividades diárias (básicas e instrumentais), às funções cognitivas e aos sintomas neuropsiquiátricos. A ordem de aplicação dos instrumentos foi aleatória para evitar interferência da sequência dos testes sobre os resultados. Resultados: dos participantes, 55% apresentaram disfunção física. Todos os pacientes eram independentes nas atividades básicas, mas 66% mostraram dificuldades nas atividades instrumentais. Declínio cognitivo e sintomas neuropsiquiátricos foram observados em estágios avançados da doença, porém estes estavam mais associados à idade do paciente do que à hanseníase. Conclusões: pacientes com hanseníase evidenciaram disfunção física e dificuldades nas atividades diárias instrumentais. Declínio cognitivo e sintomas neuropsiquiátricos estão mais associados ao envelhecimento do que à hanseníase.

Behavioral and emotional impact of sickle cell disease in young children with repeated hospitalization

Background: Chronic disease such as Sickle Cell Disease [SCD] in children with a history of repeated hospitalization is distressing for children as well as parents or guardians, leading to anxiety and has bad effects on the psychological slate of children and their families

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the overall effect of SCD on the behavior of young children age 1[1/2] -5 years old with repeated hospitalization [as an indicator for severe symptoms] compared to a control group of healthy children routine vaccination vaccination

Patients and Methods: Thirty five child with SCD and repeated /hospitalization [group I] were recruited from pediatric clinic and the same number of age and gender matched healthy children [group II] as a control group came for vaccination. Socio-demographic data, child behavior checklist [CBCL] 1[1/2] - 5 years and diagnostic and statistical manual [DSM] oriented scale were collected through a personal interview with parents/legal guardians of children in the two study groups using a structured questionnaire

Results: The children with SCD had significantly higher behavioral changes on CBCL, anxiety/depression. somatic complaint, withdrawn and aggressive behavior and internalizing symptoms [65.2 +/- 14.2. 66.7 +/- 12.6, 63.4 +/- 11.6, 60.4 +/- 10.4 and 64.7 +/- 14.7 respectively] compared to healthy control group [55.1 +/- 4.6, 54.4 +/- 3.1, 53.2 +/- 2.6, 56 +/- 6. 9 and 51.5 +/- 4.4 respectively,], DSM oriented scale showed that children with SCD scored higher in pervasive developmental and oppositional defiant problems [60.90.2 and 60.6 +/- 10.4 respectively, compared to control group [53. 9 +/- 5.4 and 56.7 +/- 2.7 respectively]

Conclusion: Young pediatric patients with SCD and history of repeated hospitalization put kids at risk for behavioral and emotional abnormalities. Good pain control, psychiatric management and support and avoidance of unpleasant experiences can ameliorate these bad effects

Psychotic and behavioral symptoms in Alzheimer's disease: neuropsychological correlations

La aparición de sintomas psicóticos y conductales y el compromiso neuropsicológico fueron estudiados en 35 pacientes con diagnóstico de Enfermedad de Alzheimer Probable ( segun criterios del NINCDS-ADRDA) utilizando la Escala de Trastornos Conductales de Reisberg y cols. y una extensa batería de tests neuropsicológicos. Once pacientes, libres de trastornos psicológicos y conductales, presentaron puntajes más alto en el MMSE y en el Aphasia Screening Test, scores más bajos en la Escala de Demencia de Blessed y estadios más precoces en la Escala de Deterioro Global de Reisberg que los 24 pacientes con síntomas psicóticos o conductuales. Ambos grupos de pacientes no presentaron diferencias significativas en el Trailmaking Test, Span de dígitos y Construcciones. Delirios de robo, celotípicos, por falsos reconocimientos ( Sindrome de Capgras), agitación e intranquilidad motora son los trastornos que mostraron significativa correlación con baja performance cognitiva, especialmente en tests de memoria verbal, Token Test, Aphasia Screening Test, Trailmaking y Nominación por confrontación Visual. Por el contrario, la agresividad verbal (y/o física) y el delirio de abandono se correlacionan significativamente con evidencias de mejor performance cognitiva y menor pérdida de memoria. Se concluye que los síntomas sicóticos y conductuales asociados a la Enfermedad de Alzheimer pueden ser analizados en dos grupos: un grupo formado por agresividad verbal o física y delirios de abandono correlacionado con mejor performance neuropsicológica y menor duración de los síntomas cognitivos