Association between maternal-infant bonding and depressive symptoms in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit mothers: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: Maternal perinatal depression has been associated with impaired mother-infant bonding. The adverse effect of this impaired bonding has been reported. This study aimed to investigate and compare the posnatal depressive symptoms and the mother-infant bonding in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and of mothers with healthy newborns respectively. Secondly, was to explore the association between depressive symptomatology and bonding in both groups. METHODS: In this case study, mothers in the early pospartum period who gave birth in the same perinatal center of Greece were recruited to participate. The cases consisted of 88 mothers of neonates who were hospitalized in the NICU and controls were 100 mothers of full-term healthy neonates. For the collection of the data questionnaires including demographics and perinatal variables were used. For the bonding and posnatal assessment, the Mother to Infant Bonding Scale, the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the mean of bonding scores of NICU mothers and the control group (t = -2.696, P = 0.008). NICU mothers presented lower scores in bonding with the newborn compared to the control group and presented higher depression scores compared to those of controls (χ2 = 28.588, P = 0.000). The depression scores were correlated with bonding scores in both groups. DISCUSSION: A NICU admission has an impact on bonding and in some way interacts with maternal pospartum mental health, therefore more research is needed. CONCLUSIONS: NICU mothers have been presented as more vulnerable than mothers of healthy infants since they expressed a lower mother-infant bonding and higher depression scores. The support of these vulnerable mothers and the facilitation of mother-infant bonding by the NICU staff is of utmost importance.

Asociación entre el vínculo madre-hijo y los síntomas depresivos en madres de la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales: estudio caso-control / Association between maternal-infant bonding and depressive symptoms in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit mothers: A case-control study

Objetivos: Se ha asociado la depresión perinatal de la madre a un vínculo madre-hijo deficiente. Se ha reportado el efecto adverso de la deficiencia de dicho vínculo. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar y comparar los síntomas depresivos posnatales y el vínculo madre-hijo en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales (UCIN), y las madres con neonatos sanos, respectivamente. Y, en segundo lugar, explorar la asociación entre la sintomatología depresiva y los vínculos en ambos grupos. Métodos: En este estudio de casos se seleccionó a madres que se encontraban en el periodo posparto temprano, que habían dado a luz en el mismo centro perinatal de Grecia. Los casos consistieron en 88 madres de neonatos que fueron hospitalizados en la UCIN y 100 controles, consistentes en madres de neonatos sanos a término. Para la recopilación de los datos se utilizaron cuestionarios que incluían datos demográficos y variables perinatales. Para la evaluación del vínculo y la situación posnatal, se utilizaron la Mother to Infant Bonding Scale, el Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire y la Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Resultados: Existió una diferencia significativa entre las puntuaciones sobre el vínculo de las madres de la UCIN y el grupo control (t=–2,696, p=0,008). Las madres de la UCIN presentaron menores puntuaciones en términos de vínculo con los neonatos, en comparación con el grupo control, y presentaron puntuaciones más altas de depresión en comparación con los controles (χ2=28,588, p=0,000). Las puntuaciones sobre depresión guardaron relación con las puntuaciones sobre vínculos en ambos grupos. Discusión: El ingreso en la UCIN tiene un impacto sobre el vínculo e interactúa de alguna manera con la salud mental posparto de la madre. Por ello se hace necesaria más investigación.(AU)

Objectives: Maternal perinatal depression has been associated with impaired mother-infant bonding. The adverse effect of this impaired bonding has been reported. This study aimed to investigate and compare the posnatal depressive symptoms and the mother-infant bonding in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and of mothers with healthy newborns respectively. Secondly, was to explore the association between depressive symptomatology and bonding in both groups. Methods: In this case study, mothers in the early pospartum period who gave birth in the same perinatal center of Greece were recruited to participate. The cases consisted of 88 mothers of neonates who were hospitalized in the NICU and controls were 100 mothers of full-term healthy neonates. For the collection of the data questionnaires including demographics and perinatal variables were used. For the bonding and posnatal assessment, the Mother to Infant Bonding Scale, the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were used. Results: There was a significant difference between the mean of bonding scores of NICU mothers and the control group (t=-2.696, P=.008). NICU mothers presented lower scores in bonding with the newborn compared to the control group and presented higher depression scores compared to those of controls (χ2=28.588, P=.000). The depression scores were correlated with bonding scores in both groups. Discussion: A NICU admission has an impact on bonding and in some way interacts with maternal pospartum mental health, therefore more research is needed. Conclusions: NICU mothers have been presented as more vulnerable than mothers of healthy infants since they expressed a lower mother-infant bonding and higher depression scores. The support of these vulnerable mothers and the facilitation of mother-infant bonding by the NICU staff is of utmost importance.(AU)

Uric acid blood levels and relationship with the components of metabolic syndrome in hypertensive patients.

Associations between high serum uric acid (SUA) levels and high blood pressure (BP), as well as between SUA levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS) have already been reported. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between the components of MetS with the SUA levels as also between SUA and apolipoproteins A1 and B (apoA1 and apoB) ratio in hypertensive patients. A total of 2577 consecutive hypertensive patients (1193 male and 1384 female) aged 57.5±13.3 years, were enrolled in our research. Samples were taken to measure SUA, glucose, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein (HDL-C), components of the MetS and apoA1 and apoB. The study population was divided into two groups: group A: SUA levels above normal range (men ⩾7 mg dl(-1), women ⩾6 mg dl(-1)) and group B: SUA levels within normal range. In the overall study population, SUA levels showed a statistically significant correlation with waist circumference (WC; r=0.293, P<0.000), triglycerides (r=0.197, P<0.000), glucose (r=0.085, P<0.000), apoB/apoA1 (r=0.136, P<0.000) and HDL-C (r=-0.235, P<0,001). In newly diagnosed untreated hypertensive patients there was also a statistically significant correlation of SUA levels with WC (r=0.331, P<0.001), triglycerides (r=0.228, P<0.001) apoB/apoA1 ratio (r=0.202, P<0.001) and HDL-C (r=-0.278, P<0.001). In hyperurecemic hypertensives there was a statistically significant correlation between SUA levels with WC (r=0.168, P=0.007), apoB/apoA1 ratio (r=0.256, P=0.003) and HDL-C (r=-0.202, P<0.001). SUA levels correlate significantly with all the components of MetS, as well as with the risk factor apoB/apoA1 ratio, in hypertensive patients.