Prevalence of previously undiagnosed psychiatric symptom groupings in pediatric patients with bladder and bowel dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The incidence of concomitant psychiatric disorders in conjunction with bladder and bowel dysfunction (BBD) is thought to be higher than the general population. The identification of these disorders with validated tools followed by management may improve urological outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed psychiatric symptom groupings in children presenting with BBD. METHODS: Consecutive patients 6-18 yrs with a clinical diagnosis of BBD, a score ≥11 on the Vancouver Symptom Score (VSS) and no prior psychiatric diagnoses were recruited. Two validated questionnaires (Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 6-18 (CBCL) and Autism Spectrum Quotient 10 (AQ-10)) were used to screen for psychiatric comorbidities. Descriptive statistics for demographic variables were presented. Distribution of VSS for normal & abnormal categories (borderline/clinical) of CBCL scores were compared by Mann-Whitney U test. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationship between VSS domain scores and CBCL. RESULTS: From Sept 2017-May 2022, 50 (17 male) of 110 eligible patients completed the study. Median VSS was 18 (11-33), indicating significant BBD. In 36 patients (72 %), at least one of the CBCL subscales scored as borderline/clinical. Thirty-two patients (64 %) scored in the abnormal range for Internalizing symptoms, 21 (42 %) for Externalizing symptoms, and 31 (62 %) for Total problem scores. Four patients of 48(8 %) scored ≥6 on the AQ-10. The only significant correlation found between CBCL and VSS sub scores was with the Bowel Habit Domain of VSS and Internalizing CBCL T-scores (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: This study identified a high prevalence of previously undiagnosed psychiatric symptom groupings in patients presenting with BBD, with a higher prevalence of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and autism traits than reported in the general population. These findings should encourage urologists to use validated tools to screen for psychiatric comorbidities with referral for further assessment as appropriate. This may prevent unnecessary urological testing, save valuable health resources and potentially improve treatment outcomes of BBD in this population.

Bladder triplication associated with exstrophy variant.

A one-day old full-term female neonate presented with a duplicate bladder and exstrophy variant including a patch of exstrophic or ectopic mucosa, duplicate vagina, uterus, and two complete bladders. We report on the surgical management performed in this case and functional urinary results based on a synchronous urodynamic study of the duplicate bladders. To our knowledge, the occurrence of duplicate bladder exstrophy variant with complete urinary continence has not been previously reported.

Burnout among caregivers in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights and challenges.

The arrival of COVID-19 modified the way we live, care, teach, and self-care tremendously. Indeed, our personal and professional lives were much affected, and despite the fact that Canadian healthcare workers (HCW) and systems had some time to prepare in comparison to other countries, we faced a scenario that resembled no other. Adding the negative effects of a never-before-seen pandemic to the already well-known risk of burnout among HCW could surely increase the likelihood of colleagues, as well as ourselves, being affected. We hereby reviewed the numerous factors that could increase the risk of burnout amid this ongoing pandemic.

Salvage radiation therapy 11 years after a radical prostatectomy.

We present a patient with a high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value, who was successfully treated with salvage radiation therapy (RT) 11 years after a radical prostatectomy (RP).