Executive processing clusters in school-age children with ADHD

Este estudo buscou grupos de processamento executivo em crianças com diagnóstico de Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade (TDAH). Para tal, foram utilizadas medidas de flexibilidade cognitiva (FC), inibição (IN) e memória de trabalho (MT) e conduzidas análises de clusters hierárquicos e MANCOVA (p=0.05). Foram identificados três subgrupos com os seguintes perfis de processamento executivo: 1) déficits em FC e IN; 2) déficits em IN; 3) déficits em FC e MT. Esses resultados indicaram a presença de diferentes perfis de déficits em componentes executivos entre crianças com diagnóstico de TDAH. Esses achados podem contribuir para a elaboração de estratégias de intervenção e de programas de psicoeducação para estudantes com diagnóstico de TDAH em contextos clínicos e educacionais.(AU)

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to characterize executive processing subgroups among children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). METHOD: Sixty-one children with ADHD, with ages from six to twelve years old, were examined using instruments that evaluate the executive components of cognitive flexibility (CF), inhibition (IN) and working memory (WM). Analysis of hierarchical clusters and MANCOVA (p≤0.05) were conducted. RESULTS: Participants were divided in three clusters: 1) deficits in CF and in IN; 2) deficits in IN; 3) deficits in CF and in WM. CONCLUSIONS: the results indicated different neuropsychological profiles among children with ADHD, with different cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Clusters did not differ with respect to biological, clinical, and sociocultural factors. The findings may be useful for educational and health institutions, supporting psychoeducation programs and intervention strategies for students with ADHD.(AU)

Este estudio investigó grupos de procesamiento ejecutivo en niños diagnosticados con trastorno por déficit de atención e hiperactividad (TDAH). Para ello, se utilizaron medidas de flexibilidad cognitiva (FC), inhibición (IN) y memoria de trabajo (MT) y se realizaron análisis de conglomerados jerárquicos y MANCOVA (p=0.05). Se identificaron tres subgrupos con los siguientes perfiles de procesamiento ejecutivo: 1) déficits en FC e IN; 2) déficits en IN; 3) déficits en FC y MT. Estos resultados indicaron la presencia de diferentes perfiles de déficit en los componentes ejecutivos entre los niños diagnosticados con TDAH. Estos datos pueden contribuir al desarrollo de estrategias de intervención y programas de psicoeducación para estudiantes diagnosticados con TDAH en contextos clínicos y educativos.(AU)

Lower estimated intelligence quotient is associated with suicide attempts in pediatric bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 20% of individual with pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) have a lifetime history of suicide attempt. Some cognitive measures were associated with a suicide attempt, but no study has assessed the association of this event with the estimated intelligence quotient (IQ) in PBI. In adult Bipolar Disorder no association between IQ and suicidality was found, with different correlations between cognitive measures. There are studies in general population showing a negative correlation and others did not find any association. In Schizophrenia, IQ had a positive correlation with suicide attempt. So, the correlation between IQ and suicidality still controversial. METHODS: We recruited 63 children and adolescents younger than 18 years of age with PBD based on DSM-IV criteria from an outpatient clinic in Brazil. Manic and depressive symptoms were assessed with the YMRS and CDRS, respectively. Estimated IQ was assessed with the WISC-III. The presence or absense of suicidal attempt, clinical and demographic variables were assessed with the K-SADS-PL-W. RESULTS: Patients who attempted suicide had lower estimated IQ compared to patients who did not attempt suicide (82.72 ±â€¯18.70 vs. 101.0 ±â€¯14.36; p = 0.009). This finding remained after correction for depressive symptoms and family income (OR = 0.94; 95% CI = 0.89 - 0.99; p = 0.029). LIMITATIONS: Small sample, reverse causality could not be discarded, we only used two subscales of the WISC-III to estimate intelligence. CONCLUSION: Estimated IQ and suicide attempts were negative correlated in PBD. Future longitudinal and larger studies may confirm our findings.

[Prevalence of heartburn in Pelotas, RS, Brasil: population-based study]. / Prevalência de pirose em Pelotas, RS, Brasil: estudo de base populacional.

OBJECTIVE: Estimation of the prevalence of heartburn in an adult population of Pelotas, RS, Brazil, once there is no national study done with adequate and specific statistic analysis. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study in populational base. METHOD: Were included citizen over 20 years in samples obtained in 40 populational areas according to Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. An uniform and precodified questionnaire was applied to all participants. A quality control was done using a simplified questionnaire in 10% of the people that were included in the sample. Codification and the input of the data was done two times through the Epi-Info programme in order to minimize the consistency errors. The analysis of the figures was done in the SPSS programme and obtained comparations between the prevalence of heartburn in relation to demographic variables through the prevalence rate, confidence interval of 95% and the 'x - square test. Also were analysed the figures of heartburn associated to meals and decubit position. RESULTS: Among 1,263 persons included in the study were found rates of the heartburn prevalence of 48.2%, 32.2% and 18.2% in the last year, month and week, respectively. All forms of heartburn were associated to females with statistic significance. There was no association with age. The prevalence of heartburn associated with meals and decubit position in the last year was 33% and 16.6%, respectively. These association in the last month was 23% and 11.4% and in the last week was 14.3% and 7.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence found in this study should call attention to those persons which could be exposed to the risk of complications, as well as to those that have alterations in the life quality.

Prevalência de pirose em Pelotas, RS, Brasil: estudo de base populacional / Prevalence of heartburn in Pelotas, RS, Brasil: study in population base

RACIONAL: Desconhece-se a prevalência da doença do refluxo gastroesofágico no Brasil e em países latino-americanos, bem como de seu marcador mais específico: a pirose. O conhecimento desse parâmetro epidemiológico é importante pela influência eventual da enfermidade na qualidade de vida, bem como o risco de complicações. OBJETIVO: Estudar a prevalência de pirose na populaçäo adulta na cidade de Pelotas, RS. DELINEAMENTO: Estudo transversal de base populacional. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Foram incluídos indivíduos a partir de 20 anos, residentes na zona urbana da cidade. Utilizou-se amostragem por conglomerados em 40 setores censitários do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Questionários padronizados e pré-codificados foram aplicados aos participantes. Realizou-se controle de qualidade aplicando-se questionários simplificados em 10 por cento das pessoas incluídas na amostra. A codificaçäo e a entrada de dados através do programa Epi-Info foram realizadas duas vezes, com o intuito de diminuir os erros de consistência. A análise dos dados foi realizada através do programa SPSS, onde foram feitas comparações entre a prevalência de pirose em relaçäo às variáveis demográficas através das razöes de prevalências, intervalos de confiança a 95 por cento e do teste do qui-quadrado. RESULTADOS: Entre as 1.263 pessoas incluídas no estudo, encontraram-se taxas de prevalências de pirose de 48,2 por cento, 32,2 por cento e 18,2 por cento para o último ano, mês e semana, respectivamente. Todas as formas do desfecho pirose estavam associadas com o sexo feminino, de maneira estatisticamente significativa. Contudo, näo foi encontrada associaçäo com relaçäo à idade. CONCLUSÕES: As elevadas prevalências encontradas neste estudo devem chamar a atençäo para assistência médica a estes indivíduos, particularmente ao fato de que estäo expostos a eventuais complicações da doença do refluxo gastroesofágico.