Benefits of Physical Activity for Depression and Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: A Longitudinal Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the longitudinal relationship between physical activity and fatigue and depression among youth with demyelinating conditions. STUDY DESIGN: From September 2013 to March 2017, we performed a longitudinal study of consecutive youth diagnosed at their first visit with pediatric onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) or monophasic acquired demyelinating syndromes (mono-ADS) at a neuroinflammatory disorders clinic in a tertiary children's hospital. Fatigue was determined at each visit by the Pediatric Quality of Life Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, depressive symptoms by the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Children Rating Scale, and physical activity level by the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire. Mixed linear models were used to examine the associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with fatigue and depression over time, adjusting for age, time from incident demyelination, sex, number of relapses, relapse within 30 days, and disability. RESULTS: In 182 patients (48 POMS, age 15 ± 1.7 years, 35 female; and 134 mono-ADS, age 12 ± 3.6 years 67 female) with 538 visits (mean follow-up 3.6 ± 2.7 years and 4.2 ± 3.3 years, respectively), a trajectory of increased fatigue over time was observed in POMS (2.28 points/year, P = .008) and mono-ADS (1.33 points/year, P = .007) patients. Youth with POMS had more depressive symptoms (estimate = 11.4 points, P < .002) than mono-ADS. Depressive symptoms increased over time in female patients with POMS (estimate = 1.4 points/year, P < .02). MVPA was associated with lower depression (-0.09, P < .001) and general fatigue (0.13, P = .02) over time in POMS. CONCLUSIONS: Youth with POMS who have higher levels of MVPA demonstrate lesser depressive symptoms and lower fatigue over time. Our results may inform future interventions to manage mood and fatigue in POMS.

Diabetic ketoacidosis and memory dysfunction in children with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) results in memory deficits typical of hypoxic/ischemic injury because recent studies suggest that cerebral metabolic changes similar to those observed in hypoxic/ischemic cerebral injury are observed in children with DKA, even without symptoms suggesting cerebral injury. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-three children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and a history of DKA and 29 children with T1DM without a history of DKA were enrolled from an academic hospital pediatric endocrinology clinic. These groups were comparable on demographic and disease-related variables. These groups' ability to recall events in association with specific details, the memory function most directly affected by mild hypoxia/ischemia, was compared on 2 tasks (ie, event-color associations and event-spatial position associations). RESULTS: In multivariate analyses controlling for other critical variables, children with DKA history had significantly lower rates of accurate memory on both tasks (mean, 0.34 +/- 0.13 on the color task and 0.57 +/- 0.15 on the spatial task) than did children without DKA history (mean, 0.44 +/- 0.11 and 0.65 +/- 0.18, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: DKA disrupts memory function, underscoring the importance of DKA prevention when T1DM is known and prompt diagnosis of children with new onset of T1DM.