Multilevel analysis of ADHD, anxiety and depression symptoms aggregation in families.

A strong genetic role in the etiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been demonstrated by several studies using different methodologies. Shortcomings of genetic studies often include the lack of golden standard practices for diagnosis for ADHD, the use of categorical instead of a dimensional approach, and the disregard for assortative mating phenomenon in parents. The current study aimed to overcome these shortcomings and analyze data through a novel statistical approach, using multilevel analyses with Bayesian procedures and a specific mathematical model, which takes into account data with an elevated number of zero responses (expected in samples with few or no ADHD symptoms). Correlations of parental clinical variables (ADHD, anxiety and depression) to offspring psychopathology may vary according to gender and type of symptoms. We aimed to investigate how those variables interact within each other. One hundred families, comprising a proband child or adolescent with ADHD or a typically developing child or adolescent were included and all family members (both biological parents, the proband child or adolescent and their sibling) were examined through semi-structured interviews using DSM-IV criteria. Results indicated that: (a) maternal clinical variables (ADHD, anxiety and depression) were more correlated with offspring variables than paternal ones; (b) maternal inattention (but not hyperactivity) was correlated with both inattention and hyperactivity in the offspring; (c) maternal anxiety was correlated with offspring inattention; on the other hand, maternal inattention was correlated with anxiety in the offspring. Although a family study design limits the possibility of revealing causality and cannot disentangle genetic and environmental factors, our findings suggest that ADHD, anxiety and depression are variables that correlate in families and should be addressed together. Maternal variables significantly correlated with offspring variables, but the paternal variables did not.

Point pattern analysis with spatially varying covariate effects, applied to the study of cerebrovascular deaths.

This article proposes a modeling approach for handling spatial heterogeneity present in the study of the geographical pattern of deaths due to cerebrovascular disease.The framework involvesa point pattern analysis with components exhibiting spatial variation. Preliminary studies indicate that mortality of this disease and the effect of relevant covariates do not exhibit uniform geographic distribution. Our model extends a previously proposed model in the literature that uses spatial and non-spatial variables by allowing for spatial variation of the effect of non-spatial covariates. A number of relative risk indicators are derived by comparing different covariate levels, different geographic locations, or both. The methodology is applied to the study of the geographical death pattern of cerebrovascular deaths in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The results compare well against existing alternatives, including fixed covariate effects. Our model is able to capture and highlight important data information that would not be noticed otherwise, providing information that is required for appropriate health decision-making.

[Acanthosis nigricans: metabolic interrelations inherent to the polycystic ovary syndrome]. / Acantose nigricante: inter-relações metabólicas inerentes à síndrome dos ovários policísticos.

PURPOSE: To establish the prevalence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) within the context of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its associations with obesity, insulin resistance, insulinemia, and metabolic syndrome (MS). METHODS: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted on 100 patients with PCOS diagnosed according to the Rotterdam Consensus (2003). The skin test included, in addition to the detection of the presence of AN, the presence of hirsutism (score ≥ 8) and acne. In addition to clinical and biochemical data, we investigated cardiovascular risk factors present in MS such as abdominal circumference, obesity, hypertension and HDL and triglyceride levels. Insulin resistance was determined by the HOMA-IR test. RESULTS: The prevalence of AN (53%) was significantly correlated with hirsutism (p = 0.02), body mass index (p < 0.01), basal insulinemia (p < 0.01), (HOMA-IR) (p < 0.01), and MS (p < 0.01). The prevalence of MS reached 36% and was significantly associated only with AN (p < 0.01). Although diabetes mellitus was absent, there was a significant association of altered HOMA-IR (p < 0.01) with MS (p < 5%) and AN (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: AN is part of the severe phenotypic profile of PCOS as an additional predictable sign of the risks of cardiovascular disease.

Acantose nigricante: inter-relações metabólicas inerentes à síndrome dos ovários policísticos / Acanthosis nigricans: metabolic interrelations inherent to the polycystic ovary syndrome

OBJETIVO: Estabelecer a prevalência da acantose nigricante (AN) no contexto da síndrome dos ovários policísticos (SOP) e as respectivas associações com a obesidade, a resistência insulínica (RI), a insulinemia e a síndrome metabólica (SM). MÉTODOS: Em um estudo transversal e prospectivo, foram selecionadas cem pacientes acometidas pela SOP, diagnosticadas segundo o Consenso de Rotterdam (2003). O exame cutâneo incluiu, além da verificação da presença da AN, a presença do hirsutismo (escore ≥8) e da acne. Foram investigados os dados clínicos e bioquímicos, os fatores de risco cardiovascular que se fazem presentes na SM, como circunferência abdominal (CA), obesidade, hipertensão e os índices de HDL e triglicérides. O modelo de aferição da resistência insulínica foi realizado por meio do teste homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). RESULTADOS: A prevalência da AN (53%) mostrou correspondência significativa com o hirsutismo (p=0,02), o índice de massa corpórea (IMC) (p<0,01), a insulinemia basal (p<0,01), o HOMA-IR (p<0,01) e a SM (p<0,05). A SM alcançou a prevalência de 36% e associou-se significativamente apenas com a AN (p<0,01). Conquanto ausente o diabetes mellitus, sobressaem as conotações do HOMA-IR alterado (p=0,01) com a SM (p<5%) e a AN (p<0,01). CONCLUSÕES: A AN integra o quadro fenotípico grave da SOP como mais um signo previsível dos riscos da doença cardiovascular. .

PURPOSE: To establish the prevalence of acanthosis nigricans (AN) within the context of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its associations with obesity, insulin resistance, insulinemia, and metabolic syndrome (MS). METHODS: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted on 100 patients with PCOS diagnosed according to the Rotterdam Consensus (2003). The skin test included, in addition to the detection of the presence of AN, the presence of hirsutism (score ≥8) and acne. In addition to clinical and biochemical data, we investigated cardiovascular risk factors present in MS such as abdominal circumference, obesity, hypertension and HDL and triglyceride levels. Insulin resistance was determined by the HOMA-IR test. RESULTS: The prevalence of AN (53%) was significantly correlated with hirsutism (p=0.02), body mass index (p<0.01), basal insulinemia (p<0.01), (HOMA-IR) (p<0.01), and MS (p<0.01). The prevalence of MS reached 36% and was significantly associated only with AN (p<0.01). Although diabetes mellitus was absent, there was a significant association of altered HOMA-IR (p<0.01) with MS (p<5%) and AN (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: AN is part of the severe phenotypic profile of PCOS as an additional predictable sign of the risks of cardiovascular disease. .

Desigualdade de renda e situaçäo de saúde: o caso do Rio de Janeiro / Income inequality and health: the case of Rio de Janeiro

Testa a associaçäo entre desigualdade de renda e condiçöes de saúde no Município do Rio de Janeiro. Utilizaram-se técnicas de geoprocessamento e de regressäo múltipla, além do coeficiente de mortalidade infantil, da taxa de mortalidade padronizada por idade, da esperança de vida ao nascer e da taxa de homicídios. Os padröes de desigualdade foram avaliados por meio do índice de Gini, do índice de Robin Hood e da razäo da renda média entre os 10 por cento mais ricos e os 40 por cento mais pobres. Os resultados evidenciam correlaçöes significativas dos indicadores de desigualdade de renda com todos os indicadores de saúde, demonstrando que as piores condiçöes de saúde näo podem ser dissociadas das disparidades de renda. Para os homicídios, a concentraçäo de indivíduos residentes em favelas se mostrou relevante, sugerindo uma piora adicional das condiçöes de saúde através da deterioraçäo das interaçöes comunitárias e do aumento da criminalidade. A análise geoepidemiológica aponta para o vínculo entre as piores condiçöes de saúde e a concentraçäo residencial de pobreza. Conclui-se que há necessidade urgente de se implementarem políticas compensatórias para amenizar os efeitos danosos da desigualdade social.