Single proxy control.

Negative control variables are sometimes used in nonexperimental studies to detect the presence of confounding by hidden factors. A negative control outcome (NCO) is an outcome that is influenced by unobserved confounders of the exposure effects on the outcome in view, but is not causally impacted by the exposure. Tchetgen Tchetgen (2013) introduced the Control Outcome Calibration Approach (COCA) as a formal NCO counterfactual method to detect and correct for residual confounding bias. For identification, COCA treats the NCO as an error-prone proxy of the treatment-free counterfactual outcome of interest, and involves regressing the NCO on the treatment-free counterfactual, together with a rank-preserving structural model, which assumes a constant individual-level causal effect. In this work, we establish nonparametric COCA identification for the average causal effect for the treated, without requiring rank-preservation, therefore accommodating unrestricted effect heterogeneity across units. This nonparametric identification result has important practical implications, as it provides single-proxy confounding control, in contrast to recently proposed proximal causal inference, which relies for identification on a pair of confounding proxies. For COCA estimation we propose 3 separate strategies: (i) an extended propensity score approach, (ii) an outcome bridge function approach, and (iii) a doubly-robust approach. Finally, we illustrate the proposed methods in an application evaluating the causal impact of a Zika virus outbreak on birth rate in Brazil.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescents With Chronic Illness in Jamaica: Adolescent and Parent Reports.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to assess the level of agreement between adolescents' self-assessment and parent-proxy reports on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Jamaican adolescents with chronic illness. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted, recruiting adolescents living with a chronic illness (ALCIs)-asthma, human immunodeficiency virus, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, or sickle cell disease and age/sex-matched healthy adolescents. Data were collected on HRQOL from adolescents and parents using the Pediatric Quality of Life Scale. Parent-adolescent agreement was determined at group level (Wilcoxon signed-rank test) and individual level (intraclass correlation coefficient). RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-six (226) parent/adolescent pairs participated: 130 ALCIs and 96 healthy peers; mean age 14.9 ± 2.8 years; 58% females. Adolescents with and without chronic illness reported similar HRQOL; parent-proxies reported better HRQOL for healthy adolescents compared to ALCIs. Intraclass correlation demonstrated higher levels of parent-adolescent correlation for ALCIs than healthy adolescents (ALCIs: 0.11-0.34; healthy adolescents: 0.01-0.10). At group level, analyses demonstrated better parent-proxy rating of QOL in all of the scores with the exception of the general health score. Parent-proxies overestimated QOL for asthma and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus but not for sickle cell disease and human immunodeficiency virus. Linear regression modeling revealed that female sex and living with chronic illness were significant predictors of agreement. DISCUSSION: Parent-proxies overestimated adolescents' QOL compared to adolescents' report regardless of whether the adolescent was living with a chronic illness or not. As such, health care providers should elicit feedback from the adolescent wherever possible and proxy reports should be used as complementary information rather than primary source.

Defining Familial Interactions and Networks: An Exploratory Qualitative Study on Family Networks and Surrogate Decision-Making.

To characterize patient preferences for medical surrogate decision-makers in the ICU to capture the complexity of decision-making preferences and highlight potential conflicts between patients' preferences and clinicians' surrogate decision-maker identification in usual clinical practice. DESIGN: Prospective qualitative cross-sectional study. SETTING: Two ICUs in a quaternary referral center in the eastern United States. PATIENTS: Convenience sample of patients admitted to the ICU and their family members. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Twenty-six patient-family-clinician units were interviewed. Men were three times more likely than women to have a legally appointed decision-maker that matched their preferred decision-maker as expressed in the interview. Patients who were married or in a long-term relationship were the most consistent group of respondents, with 94% of them selecting their spouse or partner as the preferred decision-maker. The most common reasons for selecting a surrogate decision-maker were intangible themes such as feeling "known" by that person rather than having prior discussions about specific wishes or advance directives. CONCLUSIONS: Asking about a patient's familial network and qualities they value in a surrogate decision-maker may aid ICU teams in honoring patients' wishes for surrogate decision-making. This may be an important supplement to accepted legal hierarchies for proxy decision-makers and advance directive documents. Further studies with larger sample sizes could be used to shed light on the nuances of familial and relationship networks of a more diverse population of respondents.

A multi-proxy record of hurricanes, tsunami, and post-disturbance ecosystem changes from coastal southern Baja California.

Tsunamis and hurricanes are two earth surface processes that can dramatically impact coastal landforms and ecosystems. This study uses a combination of palynological, grain-size, X-ray fluorescence, and loss-on-ignition analyses, short-lived isotopic and radiocarbon dating, and statistical analysis to differentiate the tsunami and hurricane deposits, establish a Late-Holocene record of extreme events, and document the landscape and vegetation transformation in response to disturbance events and environmental changes from a small coastal lagoon in Baja California, Mexico. Prior to ~530 cal yr BP, Playa Los Cocos was occupied by a short-hydroperiod tidal marsh bounded by desert vegetation on the surrounding hillslopes. At ~530 cal yr BP, a tsunami created a backbarrier lagoon and introduced mangrove propagules from other coastal localities, and the lagoonal environment and substrates also provided suitable habitats for red mangroves to proliferate. Once established, red mangrove populations rapidly expanded until ~180 cal yr BP, when modern human activities diminished the mangrove forest in our study area. Overall, the multi-proxy dataset revealed four hurricane events at ~770, ~600, ~280, and ~0 cal yr BP, and one tsunami event at ~530 cal yr BP. The hurricane deposits were preserved in the form of fluvial and slope-wash deposits characterized by low organic and water contents, low concentration of marine elements, and high concentration of terrestrial elements. The tsunami run-up deposits are characterized by abundant broken and intact sea shells, high content of carbonate and marine elements, low concentration of terrestrial elements, and sharp basal contact with the underlying sediments. The tsunami backwash deposits are characterized by a mixed physical and chemical signature resembling both marine and terrestrial sediments. Results also suggest that both hurricanes and tsunamis can help propagule dispersal and create suitable coastal habitats favorable for the spread and proliferation of mangroves in a desert coastal environment.

Good Quality Care for Cancer Patients Dying in Hospitals, but Information Needs Unmet: Bereaved Relatives' Survey within Seven Countries.

BACKGROUND: Recognized disparities in quality of end-of-life care exist. Our aim was to assess the quality of care for patients dying from cancer, as perceived by bereaved relatives, within hospitals in seven European and South American countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A postbereavement survey was conducted by post, interview, or via tablet in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, U.K., Germany, Norway, and Poland. Next of kin to cancer patients were asked to complete the international version of the Care Of the Dying Evaluation (i-CODE) questionnaire 6-8 weeks postbereavement. Primary outcomes were (a) how frequently the deceased patient was treated with dignity and respect, and (b) how well the family member was supported in the patient's last days of life. RESULTS: Of 1,683 potential participants, 914 i-CODE questionnaires were completed (response rate, 54%). Approximately 94% reported the doctors treated their family member with dignity and respect "always" or "most of the time"; similar responses were given about nursing staff (94%). Additionally, 89% of participants reported they were adequately supported; this was more likely if the patient died on a specialist palliative care unit (odds ratio, 6.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.3-17.8). Although 87% of participants were told their relative was likely to die, only 63% were informed about what to expect during the dying phase. CONCLUSION: This is the first study assessing quality of care for dying cancer patients from the bereaved relatives' perspective across several countries on two continents. Our findings suggest many elements of good care were practiced but improvement in communication with relatives of imminently dying patients is needed. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03566732). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Previous studies have shown that bereaved relatives' views represent a valid way to assess care for dying patients in the last days of their life. The Care Of the Dying Evaluation questionnaire is a suitable tool for quality improvement work to help determine areas where care is perceived well and areas where care is perceived as lacking. Health care professionals need to sustain high quality communication into the last phase of the cancer trajectory. In particular, discussions about what to expect when someone is dying and the provision of hydration in the last days of life represent key areas for improvement.

Surrogate Decision Making for Children: Who Should Decide?

OBJECTIVE: To identify caregivers' views on preferred surrogate decision makers for their children. STUDY DESIGN: A respondent-anonymous survey was distributed to a convenience sample of adults who accompanied a child to general and subspecialty pediatric care at 2 different institutions or were at the bedside of a child in the pediatric intensive care unit at a third institution in Chicago. RESULTS: We collected 462 valid surveys. The average age of the legal guardian and accompanying child was 36.8 years and 6.6 years, respectively. Most legal guardians designated "other parent with legal authority" as their first choice surrogate decision maker (70%). Respondent's sex, respondent's age, child's age, and child's ethnicity had no effect on first choice surrogate decision maker. "Other parent with legal authority" was less likely to be first choice surrogate if respondents had Medicaid insurance, less than a college degree, or lived in a non-nuclear household (P<.01 for all factors). The surrogacy ladder selected by 31% of legal guardians was "other parent with legal authority," "child's grandparent(s)," and "child's aunt(s) or uncle(s)." No other sequence received more than 10% designation. Study site had no effect on surrogate preference (P = .30). CONCLUSIONS: A surrogacy priority ladder for minors needs to include relatives who are often not included in state surrogacy statutes (eg, grandparents, aunts and uncles). The most popular surrogacy ladder will not be ideal for many families. Parents need to be informed and empowered to choose alternate surrogates, and documented preferences must be easily and widely accessible.

Parent-child interaction and stimulation in early life can be related to caries in primary dentition? Hypotheses from a life-course approach.

Dental caries has common risk factors with impairments in growth, cognitive development and child general health. Identifying socioeconomic contexts and parental behaviors in early life that may be associated with negative outcomes in the child's future and their causal mechanisms can contribute to planning early interventions. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to propose and discuss possible ways to explain how early childhood stimulation may be associated with future oral health status, based on the life-course theory of chain-of-risk model and accumulation of risk model. Two hypotheses were suggested: (1) each social exposure or parental behavior in the child's first years of life increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as dental caries in primary dentition, in a simply additive effect; (2) parental factors could negatively influence the establishment of the pattern of child stimulation (child care) or lead to a modification of the established behavior on the risk of dental caries in the child primary dentition. Prevention of dental caries seems to be the most feasible way of solving this serious public health problem. It therefore justifies the importance of identifying exposures in the child's early life that may lead to the occurrence of chronic diseases in the future. The evidence seem to converge to the idea that child stimulation in early life may be associated with future health problems related to behaviors and care by parents, including caries.

Measuring Spiritual Well-Being in Brazilian Adolescents with Chronic Illness Using the FACIT-Sp-12: Age Adaptation of the Self-Report Version, Development of the Parental-Report Version, and Validation.

Spiritual well-being is a major issue in health care, but instruments for measuring this construct in adolescents are lacking. This study adapted the 12-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12) for use with Brazilian adolescents with chronic diseases and developed a parental observer-rated version, using an expert panel, back-translation, and cognitive interviews with 72 participants. The psychometric properties of both versions were verified with two- and three-factor models by testing with 212 participants. The self- and parental-reported versions showed face validity, content validity, and acceptable levels of internal consistency for the overall scale and the two-factor model. The convergent validity was satisfactory for most items in both two- and three-factor models, but there was a lack of discrimination in the three-factor model using multitrait-multimethod analysis. This study presents the first instrument to assess the spiritual well-being of adolescents from their point of view and to allow their parents to serve as evaluators. However, we recommend further psychometric testing of the self- and parental-report scales to assess spiritual well-being in adolescents with chronic diseases in Brazil.

Lesiones orales en víctimas del síndrome de munchausen por poder / Oral lesions in victims of munchausen syndrome by proxy

Resumen La presente es una revisión bibliográfica de casos publicados de niños con manifestaciones orales de maltrato físico, específicamente del Síndrome de Munchausen por poder. Tiene como objetivo resumir y presentar las características de las lesiones de víctimas del Síndrome, utilizando las principales bases de datos de publicaciones científicas. Se encontraron 9 casos, en todos ellos la victimaria fue la madre. Las lesiones se localizaron en la mucosa orofaríngea, las encías, la lengua, el paladar y los labios; fueron causadas por sustancias tóxicas administradas por vía oral o por compresión manual de la boca. En dos casos la víctima falleció. Se registró la muerte previa de 6 hermanos de las víctimas. Finalmente, se propone un esquema de evaluación odontológica forense para establecer o descartar que las lesiones de la cavidad oral sean parte del Síndrome.

Abstract This is a literature review of published cases of children with oral manifestations of physical abuse, specifically of Munchausen Syndrome by proxy. It is intended to summarize and present the characteristics of injuries of victims of the Syndrome, using the main databases of scientific publications. 9 cases were found, all of them the perpetrator was the mother. The lesions were found in the oropharyngeal mucosa, gums, tongue, palate and lips; they were caused by toxic substances administered orally or by manual compression of the mouth. In two cases the victim died. The previous death of 6 brothers of the victims was recorded. Finally, a forensic dental evaluation scheme intends to establish or rule out that lesions of the oral cavity are part of the syndrome.

Perception of parents/caregivers on the oral health of children/adolescents with Down syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Oral health affects the general health of people with Down syndrome (DS), with repercussions on their ability to chew and to communicate. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of sociodemographic characteristics and clinical indicators on the perceptions of parents/caregivers regarding the oral health of individuals with DS. METHODS: Parents/caregivers completed a questionnaire containing sociodemographic information and answered the 20 questions of the Brazilian version of the Oral Health Scale for People with DS. Intra-oral clinical exam of children/adolescents was performed to assess dental caries, periodontal disease, and malocclusion. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and Poisson regression model analyses were carried out. RESULTS: In this study, 55.1% of the parents/caregivers showed a positive perception regarding the oral health of their children/adolescents. Parents/caregivers of individuals between 4 and 9 years old (Prevalence Ratio (PR) = 1.13; Confidence Interval (CI), 1.04 - 1.23; p = 0.003) and parents/caregivers of those with definite malocclusion (PR = 1.14; CI, 1.00 - 1.31; p = 0.047) had a higher prevalence of reporting a more negative perception of their children's/adolescents' oral health. CONCLUSION: DS individuals' age and the severity of malocclusion were indicators of a more negative perception of parents/caregivers regarding their sons'/daughters' oral health.

Obesity as a Presentation of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy.

Objective: To describe a case of an obese child whose weight gain was related to the Munchausen Syndrome by proxy (MSP). Methods: This is a case report including information regarding the child's clinical history and the mother's behavior. The common features of the syndrome are confronted with the description of the case, seeking to demonstrate the similarities. Results: The description ratifies the diagnosis based on the signs and symptoms presented by the child (<5 years old, frequent contacts with health system, symptoms witnessed only by the mother, confusing findings, not helped by treatments, emotionally distant father) and the attitude of the mother (concerned, interested in procedures, comfortable in the medical setting, higher medical knowledge, hostile when thwarted). Conclusion: The case presented points to a new etiology, the MSP, to be considered within the set of factors currently known to cause and maintain obesity in childhood.

Discrepancia en la evaluación de la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud entre niños y padres a través del cuestionario EQ-5D-Y / Parent-child discrepancy in the assessment of health-related quality of life using the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire

Introducción. La evaluación de la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) permite detectar cambios en el tiempo en la salud de pacientes y posibilita realizar un análisis de coste-efectividad de tratamientos. En niños con características especiales de salud que no pueden autoevaluarse, existe la posibilidad de evaluar su CVRS a través de padres o cuidadores. Hasta la fecha, no se ha analizado la discrepancia en la evaluación de la CVRS a través del cuestionario EQ-5D-Y entre niños con parálisis cerebral (PC) y sus padres. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar el grado de concordancia en la evaluación de la CVRS a través del cuestionario EQ-5D-Y y su versión Proxy entre niños con PC y sus padres o cuidadores. Población y métodos. Participaron, en el estudio, niños y adolescentes con PC, así como sus padres y madres, procedentes de un centro de educación especial de la región de Extremadura (España). Se utilizó el cuestionario EQ-5D-Y para los niños y el EQ-5D-Y Proxy para los padres. Las entrevistas fueron llevabas a cabo durante el primer trimestre de 2015. Se analizó la concordancia en las respuestas mediante el nivel de acuerdo con kappa de Cohen para las 5 dimensiones que componen el EQ-5D-Y y el coeficiente de correlación intraclase para la escala visual analógica. Resultados. Participaron 62 niños con PC con afectación leve y/o moderada de su capacidad funcional, sus padres y madres. Hubo una pobre concordancia en la evaluación de la CVRS entre niños y padres en todas las dimensiones del cuestionario (< 0, 20) y justo o pobre (< 0, 60) en la escala visual analógica. Conclusiones. Existe un alto desacuerdo en la evaluación de la CVRS entre padres e hijos en población con PC a través del cuestionario EQ-5D-Y.

Introduction. The assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) serves to detect changes over time in patients' health status and allows to do a cost-effectiveness analysis of treatments. When children with special health features cannot perform a self-assessment, it is possible to assess their HRQoL through their parents or caregivers. To date, the discrepancy in the assessment of HRQoL using the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire among children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their parents has not been analyzed. The objective of this study was to analyze the level of agreement in the HRQoL assessment using the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire and its proxy version among children with CP and their parents or caregivers. Population and methods. Children and adolescents with CP, and their parents, from a special education school in the region of Extremadura (Spain) participated in the study. The EQ-5D-Y questionnaire was used for children and the EQ-5D-Y proxy version, for parents. Interviews were conducted in the first quarter of 2015. The level of agreement in the responses was analyzed using the Cohen's kappa coefficient for the five domains of the EQ-5D-Y and the intraclass correlation coefficient for the visual analogue scale. Results. Sixty-two children with CP and mild and/or moderate functional capacity impairment, and their parents, participated in the study. The level of agreement was poor in the HRQoL assessment between children and parents in all the questionnaire domains (<0.20) and fair or poor (<0.60) in the visual analogue scale. Conclusions. A high level of parent-child disagreement was observed in the HRQoL assessment in the population with CP using the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire.

Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy: a narrative review / Síndrome de Munchausen e síndrome de Munchausen por procuração: uma revisão narrativa

ABSTRACT The Munchausen syndrome and Munchausen syndrome by proxy are factitious disorders characterized by fabrication or induction of signs or symptoms of a disease, as well as alteration of laboratory tests. People with this syndrome pretend that they are sick and tend to seek treatment, without secondary gains, at different care facilities. Both syndromes are well-recognized conditions described in the literature since 1951. They are frequently observed by health teams in clinics, hospital wards and emergency rooms. We performed a narrative, nonsystematic review of the literature, including case reports, case series, and review articles indexed in MEDLINE/PubMed from 1951 to 2015. Each study was reviewed by two psychiatry specialists, who selected, by consensus, the studies to be included in the review. Although Munchausen syndrome was first described more than 60 years ago, most of studies in the literature about it are case reports and literature reviews. Literature lacks more consistent studies about this syndrome epidemiology, therapeutic management and prognosis. Undoubtedly, these conditions generate high costs and unnecessary procedures in health care facilities, and their underdiagnose might be for lack of health professional's knowledge about them, and to the high incidence of countertransference to these patients and to others, who are exposed to high morbidity and mortality, is due to symptoms imposed on self or on others.

RESUMO A síndrome de Munchausen e a síndrome de Munchausen por procuração são condições caracterizadas pela invenção ou pela produção intencional de sinais ou sintomas de doenças, bem como alterações de exames laboratoriais. Indivíduos com esta síndrome fingem que estão doentes e tendem a procurar tratamento, sem ganho secundário, em diferentes serviços de saúde. Ambas as síndromes são condições bem descritas na literatura desde 1951. Elas são frequentemente observadas pelas equipes de saúde em clínicas, enfermarias hospitalares e prontos-socorros. Conduziu-se revisão narrativa, não sistemática da literatura, incluindo relatos de caso, séries de relatos de caso, artigos de revisão indexados no MEDLINE/PubMed de 1951 a 2015. Cada estudo foi revisado por dois especialistas em psiquiatria que, por meio de consenso, escolheram quais estudos seriam incluídos nesta revisão. Apesar da síndrome de Munchausen ter sido descrita pela primeira vez há mais de 60 anos, a maioria dos estudos conduzidos sobre esta condição são relatos de caso e revisões da literatura. A literatura é carente de estudos mais consistentes sobre epidemiologia, manejo terapêutico e prognóstico da síndrome. Sem dúvida, tais condições geram altos custos e procedimentos desnecessários nos serviços de saúde. Seu subdiagnóstico pode se dar pela falta de conhecimento das síndromes por parte dos profissionais de saúde, e à alta incidência de contratransferência aos pacientes e a outros que são expostos à alta morbidade e à mortalidade é justificada pelos sintomas impostos em si mesmo ou em terceiros.

Parent-child discrepancy in the assessment of health- related quality of life using the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire. / Discrepancia en la evaluación de la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud entre niños y padres a través del cuestionario EQ-5D-Y.

INTRODUCTION: The assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) serves to detect changes over time in patients' health status and allows to do a cost-effectiveness analysis of treatments. When children with special health features cannot perform a self-assessment, it is possible to assess their HRQoL through their parents or caregivers. To date, the discrepancy in the assessment of HRQoL using the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire among children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their parents has not been analyzed. The objective of this study was to analyze the level of agreement in the HRQoL assessment using the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire and its proxy version among children with CP and their parents or caregivers. POPULATION AND METHODS: Children and adolescents with CP, and their parents, from a special education school in the region of Extremadura (Spain) participated in the study. The EQ-5D-Y questionnaire was used for children and the EQ-5D-Y proxy version, for parents. Interviews were conducted in the first quarter of 2015. The level of agreement in the responses was analyzed using the Cohen's kappa coefficient for the five domains of the EQ-5D-Y and the intraclass correlation coefficient for the visual analogue scale. RESULTS: Sixty-two children with CP and mild and/or moderate functional capacity impairment, and their parents, participated in the study. The level of agreement was poor in the HRQoL assessment between children and parents in all the questionnaire domains ( <0.20) and fair or poor ( <0.60) in the visual analogue scale. CONCLUSIONS: A high level of parent-child disagreement was observed in the HRQoL assessment in the population with CP using the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La evaluación de la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) permite detectar cambios en el tiempo en la salud de pacientes y posibilita realizar un análisis de coste-efectividad de tratamientos. En niños con características especiales de salud que no pueden autoevaluarse, existe la posibilidad de evaluar su CVRS a través de padres o cuidadores. Hasta la fecha, no se ha analizado la discrepancia en la evaluación de la CVRS a través del cuestionario EQ-5D-Y entre niños con parálisis cerebral (PC) y sus padres. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar el grado de concordancia en la evaluación de la CVRS a través del cuestionario EQ-5D-Y y su versión Proxy entre niños con PC y sus padres o cuidadores. POBLACIÓN Y MÉTODOS: Participaron, en el estudio, niños y adolescentes con PC, así como sus padres y madres, procedentes de un centro de educación especial de la región de Extremadura (España). Se utilizó el cuestionario EQ-5D-Y para los niños y el EQ-5D-Y Proxy para los padres. Las entrevistas fueron llevabas a cabo durante el primer trimestre de 2015. Se analizó la concordancia en las respuestas mediante el nivel de acuerdo con kappa de Cohen para las 5 dimensiones que componen el EQ-5D-Y y el coeficiente de correlación intraclase para la escala visual analógica. RESULTS: Participaron 62 niños con PC con afectación leve y/o moderada de su capacidad funcional, sus padres y madres. Hubo una pobre concordancia en la evaluación de la CVRS entre niños y padres en todas las dimensiones del cuestionario (< 0,20) y justo o pobre (< 0,60) en la escala visual analógica. CONCLUSIONS: Existe un alto desacuerdo en la evaluación de la CVRS entre padres e hijos en población con PC a través del cuestionario EQ-5D-Y.

Shell alterations in limpets as putative biomarkers for multi-impacted coastal areas.

During the last years, shell alterations in gastropods have been proposed as tools to be used in monitoring programs. However, no studies were so far performed investigating the relationships among shell parameters and classical biomarkers of damage. The relationship between shell alterations (biometrics, shape and elemental composition) and biomarkers (LPO and DNA strand break) was evaluated in the limpet L. subrugosa sampled along a contamination gradient in a multi-impacted coastal zone from southeastern Brazil. Statistically significant differences were detected among sites under different pollution levels. The occurrence of shell malformations was consistent with environmental levels of several hazardous substances reported for the studied area and related to lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. In addition, considering the low mobility, wide geographic distribution, ease of collection and abundance of limpets in coastal zones, this putative tool may be a cost-effective alternative to traditional biomarkers. Thus, shell alterations in limpets seem to be good proxies for assessing biological adverse effects in multi-impacted coastal zones.

Behavioral Problems and Childhood Epilepsy: Parent vs Child Perspectives.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether the reported association between pediatric epilepsy and behavioral problems may be distorted by the use of parental proxy report instruments. STUDY DESIGN: Children in the Connecticut Study of Epilepsy were assessed 8-9 years after their epilepsy diagnosis (time-1) with the parent-proxy Child Behavior Check List (CBCL) (ages 6-18 years) or the Young Adult Self-Report (≥18 years of age). For children <18 years of age, parents also completed the Child Health Questionnaire, which contains scales for impact of child's illness on the parents. The same study subjects completed the Adult Self-Report 6-8 years later (time-2). Sibling controls were also tested. Case-control differences were examined for evidence suggesting more behavioral problems in cases with epilepsy than in controls based on proxy- vs self-report measures. RESULTS: At time-1, parent-proxy CBCL scores were significantly higher (worse) for cases than controls (n = 140 matched pairs). After adjustment for Child Health Questionnaire scales reflecting parent emotional and time impact, only 1 case-control difference on the CBCL remained significant. Self-reported Young Adult Self-Report scores did not differ between cases and controls (n = 42 pairs). At time-2, there were no significant self-reported case-control differences on the Adult Self-Report (n = 105 pairs). CONCLUSIONS: Parent-proxy behavior measures appear to be influenced by the emotional impact of epilepsy on parents. This may contribute to apparent associations between behavioral problems and childhood epilepsy. Self-report measures in older adolescents (>18 years of age) and young adults do not confirm parental perceptions. Evidence suggesting more behavioral problems in children with epilepsy should be interpreted in light of the source of information.

Síndrome de Münchausen por poder en otorrinolaringología / Münchausen syndrome by proxy in otorhinolaryngology

El síndrome de Münchausen por poder es una forma de maltrato infantil, con graves consecuencias para el niño afectado. El diagnóstico de esta afección constituye un desafío para los médicos por su heterogeneidad en los síntomas y signos de presentación. Variadas manifestaciones otorrinolaringológicas están descritas en esta patología. En este artículo se presenta un caso clínico de otitis media crónica con otorragia en un paciente de 2 años, donde se logró establecer el diagnóstico de síndrome de Münchausen por poder a través de la identificación de elementos incongruentes en la historia clínica y finalmente por la detección in fraganti de la agresión por parte de la madre. En esta revisión se concluye que es necesario un alto índice de sospecha para identificar esta patología, la que debe ser una preocupación habitual del equipo de salud para evitar asi consecuencias graves en estos pacientes, tales como secuelas psiquiátricas o incluso la muerte.

Münchausen's syndrome by proxy is a form of child abuse with severe consequences for the affected child. The diagnosis of this condition is a challenge for physicians due to the heterogeneity of the presentation symptoms. A lot of otorhinolaryngological manifestations have been described in this syndrome. We present a case of a 2 year old patient with chronic otitis media and otorrhagia, where we could establish the diagnosis of Münchausen's syndrome by proxy through the identifications of incongruent elements on the clinical history and finally the direct visualization of mother's aggression. In this should be a common concern for health workers to avoid severe consequences in these patients like psychiatric diseases or even death.

Attempted Serial Neonaticides: Case Report and a Brief Review of the Literature.

Neonaticide is an infant murder occurring on the day of birth. The case reports found in the literature are often focused on the mother as the agent in the context of pregnancy denial, dissociative symptoms, or psychosis. However, this report describes a rare case of attempted serial neonaticides, in which the acts were committed by a nurse at the nursery of a referral hospital in Brazil. The authors describe a forensic psychiatric evaluation for criminal responsibility and correlate the information from this particular case with relevant forensic themes, namely neonaticide, Munchausen by proxy syndrome, and serial healthcare killers.

Validity of the Katz Index to assess activities of daily living by informants in neuropathological studies / Validade do índice de katz para avaliar atividades básicas de vida diária por informantes em estudos neuropatológicos / Validez del índice de katz para evaluar las actividades básicas de vida diaria por informantes en estudios neuropatológicos

Abstract OBJECTIVE To analyze the evidences of construct validity of the Katz Index for the retrospective assessment of activities of daily living (ADL) by informants, to assist neuropathological studies in the elderly. METHOD A cross-sectional study analyzed the functional ability of ADL measure by the Katz Index, of 650 cases randomly selected from the Brazilian Brain Bank of the Ageing Brain Study Group (BBBABSG) database. Sample was divided in two subsamples for the analysis (N=325, each) and then stratified according to cognitive decline assessed by the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR). Factor analyses with calculations of internal consistency and invariance were performed. RESULTS Factor analysis evidenced a unidimensional instrument with optimal internal consistency, in all subgroups. Goodness of fit indices were obtained after two treatments of covariance, indicating adequacy of the scale for assessing ADL by informants. The scale is invariant to cognitive decline meaning that it can be used for subjects with or without cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION Katz Index is valid for the retrospective assessment of basic ADL by informants, with optimal reliability.

Resumo OBJETIVO Analisar as evidências de validade de constructo do Índice de Katz para a avaliação retrospectiva das Atividades Básicas de Vida Diária (AbVD) por informantes, para apoiar estudos neuropatológicos no envelhecimento. MÉTODO Por meio de estudo transversal foi analisada a capacidade funcional para as AbVD mensurada pelo Índice de Katz em 650 casos randomizados das bases de dados do Banco de Encéfalos Humanos do Grupo de Estudos em Envelhecimento Cerebral (BEHGEEC). A amostra foi particionada em duas subamostras para as análises (N=325, cada) e então estratificada de acordo com o comprometimento cognitivo determinado pelo Escore Clínico de Demência (CDR). Foram realizadas análise fatorial, de consistência interna e de invariância. RESULTADOS A análise fatorial evidenciou um instrumento unidimensional com ótima consistência interna, em todos os grupos. Ótimos índices de ajuste foram obtidos após o tratamento de duas covariâncias, indicando adequação da escala para avaliar AbVD por informantes. A escala é invariante para o comprometimento cognitivo, o que significa que pode ser usada em indivíduos com ou sem comprometimento cognitivo. CONCLUSÃO O Índice de Katz apresenta validade de constructo para a avaliação retrospectiva das AbVD por informantes, com confiabilidade.

Resumen OBJETIVO Analizar las evidencias de validez de constructo del Índice de Katz para la evaluación retrospectiva de las Actividades Básicas de Vida Diaria (AbVD) por informantes para apoyar estudios neuropatológicos en el envejecimiento. MÉTODO Por medio de estudio transversal se analizó la capacidad funcional para las AbVD mensurada por el Índice de Katz en 650 casos randomizados de las bases de datos del Banco de Encéfalos Humanos del Grupo de Estudios en Envejecimiento Cerebral (BEHGEEC). La muestra fue dividida en dos submuestras para los análisis (N=325, cada) y luego estratificada de acuerdo con el compromiso cognitivo determinado por la Escala de Clasificación de la Demencia Clínica (CDR). Se hicieron análisis factorial, de consistencia interna y de invariancia. RESULTADOS El análisis factorial evidenció un instrumento unidimensional con excelente consistencia interna, en todos los grupos. Excelentes índices de ajuste fueron obtenidos después del tratamiento de dos covariancias, indicando la adecuación de la escala para evaluar AbVD por informantes. La escala es invariante para el compromiso cognitivo, lo que significa que se puede utilizarla en individuos con o sin compromiso cognitivo. CONCLUSIÓN El Índice de Katz presenta validez de constructo para la evaluación retrospectiva de las AbVD por informantes, con confiabilidad.