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About one-third of South African women have clinically significant symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD). Several socio-demographic risk factors for PPD exist, but data on medical and obstetric risk factors remain scarce for low- and middle-income countries and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to estimate the proportion of women with PPD and investigate socio-demographic, medical and obstetric risk factors for PPD among women receiving private medical care in South Africa (SA).
Methods
In this longitudinal cohort study, we analysed reimbursement claims from beneficiaries of an SA medical insurance scheme who delivered a child between 2011 and 2020. PPD was defined as a new International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision diagnosis of depression within 365 days postpartum. We estimated the frequency of women with a diagnosis of PPD. We explored several medical and obstetric risk factors for PPD, including pre-existing conditions, such as HIV and polycystic ovary syndrome, and conditions diagnosed during pregnancy and labour, such as gestational diabetes, pre-term delivery and postpartum haemorrhage. Using a multivariable modified Poisson model, we estimated adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with PPD.
Results
Of the 47,697 participants, 2,380 (5.0%) were diagnosed with PPD. The cumulative incidence of PPD increased from 0.8% (95% CI 0.7–0.9) at 6 weeks to 5.5% (5.3–5.7) at 12 months postpartum. PPD risk was higher in individuals with history of depression (aRR 3.47, 95% CI [3.14–3.85]), preterm delivery (1.47 [1.30–1.66]), PCOS (1.37 [1.09–1.72]), hyperemesis gravidarum (1.32 [1.11–1.57]), gestational hypertension (1.30 [1.03–1.66]) and postpartum haemorrhage (1.29 [0.91–1.85]). Endometriosis, HIV, gestational diabetes, foetal stress, perineal laceration, elective or emergency C-section and preeclampsia were not associated with a higher risk of PPD.
Conclusions
The PPD diagnosis rate was lower than anticipated, based on the PPD prevalence of previous studies, indicating a potential diagnostic gap in SA’s private sector. Identified risk factors could inform targeted PPD screening strategies.
Submarine landforms in polar fjords provide essential insights into glacier responses to climate change in the Maritime Antarctic. This work aims to reconstruct the groundline of a palaeo-ice stream throughout the Holocene in Admiralty Bay, King George Island. The landforms were investigated using multi-resolution topobathymetric data based on seismic and multibeam surveys. The inner sector features shallow moraine banks and elongated glacial lineations, in contrast to the deeper moraine banks observed in the middle and outer regions of the fjord. Elongated glacial lineations indicate a north-east to south-west ice flow and a wet-based thermal regime. At ~9000 years bp, the grounding line was at the Admiralty Bay fjord’s mouth. In the middle of the fjord, a prominent morainal bank reveals the palaeoglacier’s grounding line. The grounding line significantly changed position after this stillstand in response to climatic variability (Mid-Holocene, at 4500–2800 years bp) and was conditioned by the deep bathymetry. The continued retreat of the ice in the Holocene possibly led to a division of the palaeo-ice stream into outlets or tidewater glaciers. MB7 and MB9 indicate the position of the grounding line during a major stillstand at the end of the inlets. The bedrock topography and fjord geometry influenced the deglaciation pattern of Dobrowolski Glacier in Martel Inlet, and the moraine banks recorded two final major stillstands. The retreat rates in Martel Inlet have increased due to the loss of anchoring points and rising temperatures after the Neoglacial period. The morainal banks present in the proximal environments at Martel Inlet are smaller, discontinuous and spaced, indicating the retreat behaviour in the last 7 decades.
This letter presents an improved analytical model for analyzing probe-fed microstrip antennas loaded by metallic vias with lumped terminations. The proposed formulation is based on the resonant cavity model and enables efficient analysis of such perturbed radiators for various types of terminations. The model is validated through the analysis of two antennas: one operating in a TM00 mode and the other with four capacitive terminations to produce circular polarization. Moreover, a reconfigurable RHCP/LHCP antenna based on the patch with capacitive terminations has been manufactured and tested, showing a broadside axial ratio below 0.5 dB at 1.575 GHz.
Haemonchus contortus is one of the most pathogenic gastrointestinal parasites that infect small ruminants. The indiscriminate use of anthelmintics (i.e., benzimidazole class, BZ) to control infections has led to the reduction of drug efficacy in H. contortus populations worldwide. Resistance to BZ is associated with high frequencies of single nucleotide polymorphisms at F200Y, F167Y, and E198A positions of the β-tubulin isotype 1 gene. This study aimed to determine the frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with BZ resistance in H. contortus from 18 farms (545 sheep and 124 goats) in Paraná, Southern Brazil. Health management practices were identified as risk factors from individual farms. Genomic DNA was extracted from 20,000 larvae/farm and used in quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays for the three mutations. We ran a correlation analysis between flock health and quantitative polymerase chain reaction data. H. contortus was the most prevalent parasite in 67% (12/18) of the farms. Resistant allele frequencies were detected for F200Y (var. 46.4 to 72.0%) and F167Y (var. 15.7 to 23.8%). Only (100.0%) susceptible alleles were detected for the E198A. High treatment frequency (15/18), visual weight estimations for anthelmintic dose (15/18), no integration with other farm practices (14/18), treatment of all animals (14/18), and no quarantine period for newly acquired animals (10/18) were considered the most critical risk factors associated with BZ resistance. This is the first systematic prevalence study linking management practices on smallholder farms and the molecular data of BZ resistance of H. contortus in Southern Brazil.
This chapter studies the effect of Rede de Vizinhos (RdV or “Neighbor Network”) community policing program in Santa Catarina, Brazil, which aims to improve public safety and trust between citizens and police by facilitating real-time information about crime and public safety through dedicated WhatsApp instant messages groups with the participation of a police officer. We randomly allocated neighborhoods that would see the policy implemented into treatment and control groups, with the former being exposed to an information campaign through which we publicized induction meetings using Facebook. Despite reaching roughly 10 percent of Santa Catarina’s population, our study does not find a differential participation rate in the RdV campaign regions. Further, we don’t find evidence of increased perceptions over the police or improvements over criminal rates in treated neighborhoods. Our results suggest that despite their promise, (technology-enabled) community policing programs may fail to deliver substantial impacts given saturation dynamics and diminishing marginal returns – our baseline surveys indicated that 52 percent of respondents had heard already about the RdV program with 13.1 percent actively participating.
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of marine-based rumen buffer (Lithothamnium calcareum) supplementation on rumen health as well as milk yield and composition and also behavioural and metabolic parameters of dairy cows. Thirty-six lactating multiparous Holstein cows were used with a milk yield average of 39 kg/d and 64 d in milk. The experiment was conducted over 60 d using two groups: control (CON; n = 18) was supplemented with sodium bicarbonate at 1.1% dry matter and a treatment group that received Lithothamnium calcareum at 0.5% of dry matter (LITHO; n = 18). Each group was fed daily with the buffers mixed to the total mixed ration containing 29.28% starch. Ruminal fluid collections were performed weekly to evaluate pH and volatile fatty acids. Feeding behaviour data were obtained through automatic feeders, while overall behavioural data were obtained using monitoring collars. Milk yield was recorded daily and adjusted for fat and energy. Milk samples were retrieved once weekly for analysis of fat, protein, lactose and total solids. Blood samples were collected weekly for metabolic analysis and faecal samples were collected weekly to evaluate pH and starch concentrations. LITHO produced more fat- and energy-corrected milk (P ≤ 0.01) as well as the highest percentage of fat and solids (P < 0.05) when compared to the CON group. Data on feeding behaviour showed an increased eating time (P ≤ 0.01) in the LITHO group but a higher eating rate (P < 0.01) in the CON group. Animals from the LITHO group had lower faecal pH (P < 0.05). The treatment did not affect dry matter intake, animal behaviour, ruminal acid–base balance, or faecal starch. In summary, Lithothamnium calcareum supplementation at 0.5% of dry matter improved milk yield, milk composition and, presumably, feed conversion efficiency.
Antipsychotics are the primary class of drugs used to manage schizophrenia. These medications help control and reduce the severity of these symptoms, allowing individuals with schizophrenia to better function. On the other hand, rifampicin, used as treatment for tuberculosis, is a powerful inducer of several drug-metabolizing enzymes which have the potential to decrease the plasma levels of antipsychotics. Therefore, the presence of multiple pharmacokinetic interactions can alter how antipsychotics are metabolized, leading to a notable clinical impact when these medications are administered concurrently.
Objectives
The objective is to share valuable clinical experiences and insights to aid healthcare providers in making informed decisions when faced with the challenge of co-administering antipsychotics with rifampicin, ultimately ensuring the safety and efficacy of treatment for their patients.
Methods
It will be discussed a case of a 41-year-old woman with the diagnosis of schizophrenia under treatment with paliperidone palmitate and clozapine who had a sudden relapse after starting treatment for latent tuberculosis with rifampicin as a framework for a literature review based off Pubmed.
Results
The antituberculosis drug rifampicin induces drug-metabolizing enzymes in the liver, having the greatest effects on the expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP3A4) and therefore can lead to a decrease in the plasma levels of antipsychotic medications that also rely on these pathways for clearance. In this particular case, although specific data on clozapine and paliperidone concentrations were not reported, fluctuations in symptomatology following rifampicin introduction were probably explained by an inducing effect of this drug on their metabolism. So, when initiating rifampicin treatment and when discontinuing it, clinicians should carefully assess the dosages of any concomitant medications that may potentially interact with rifampicin. To ensure effective therapy during rifampicin treatment, it is crucial to monitor both the patient’s clinical response and their blood drug concentrations, making dosage adjustments as necessary.
Conclusions
This case report offers valuable guidance to clinicians on safely and effectively managing drug interactions between antipsychotic medications and rifampicin, ensuring the well-being of their patients during treatment. The co-administration of these medications lacks robust clinical evidence, and notably, there is insufficient data regarding its impact on plasma antipsychotic levels, a crucial factor in determining clinical effectiveness.
Epilepsy is one of the most common serious brain illness, with symptoms influenced by multiple risk factors and a strong genetic predisposition, rather than having a single expression and cause¹. Neuropsychiatric symptoms in epilepsy can encompass manifestations such as mood alterations, anxiety, sleep disturbances, psychosis, and behavioral disorders. While the motor and sensory manifestations of epileptic seizures are widely recognized, neuropsychiatric symptoms accompanying epilepsy are often underestimated. Therefore, it is essential to understand the most prevalent epidemiological profile of these patients to improve the diagnosis and management of these symptoms.
Objectives
Our goal was to evaluate the neuropsychiatric behavior of epilepsy patients in Brazilian over the past 3 years through hospitalization data in order to outline an epidemiological and behavioral profile.
Methods
A cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted on hospitalizations of individuals simultaneously diagnosed with epilepsy, schizotypal and delusional disorders, and mood disorders in all five regions of Brazil (South, Southeast, Midwest, North, and Northeast) between February 2020 and December 2022. Data from January 2020 were not available. The data used were collected through the Department of Health Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) in the “Hospital Information System of SUS” section, gathering information regarding the nature of care, age range, gender, and ethnicity of the patients.
Results
The analysis covers the years 2020 to 2022, totaling 503,045 hospitalizations. In 2022, the highest number of cases occurred (≈ 37.55%), followed by 2021 (≈ 33.62%) and 2020 (≈ 28.81%). Urgent hospitalizations represented ≈ 90.85% of the total. The most affected age group was 30 to 39 years old (≈ 18.30%). Men were more affected than women (≈ 52.03% and ≈ 47.96%, respectively), and Caucasians accounted for ≈ 36.07% of the hospitalizations. The average length of stay was 19.1 days, and the mortality rate was 1.4%.
Conclusions
Thus, there is a gradual and annual increase in the number of hospitalizations during the observed period. While there is a minimal disparity between the affected genders, it is evident that the profile of male, caucasian, and adult patients is the most prevalent. Moreover, the predominantly urgent nature of hospitalizations points to an alarming scenario regarding this issue. From the analysis of the data obtained in the study, there is a clear need for interventions capable of reducing the prevalence of hospitalizations for neuropsychiatric symptoms in epilepsy patients in Brazil.
Neuropsychiatric disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide, as seen in cases such as depression, anxiety, bipolar mood disorder and schizophrenia, which can be developed or exacerbated by the use of psychoactive substances. Most mental disorders have an early onset, often leading to early and/or permanent disability, increasing the need and cost of healthcare. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the identification of the epidemiological profile of these cases in the South of Brazil in order to enhance the diagnosis and reduce the costs associated with managing these disorders.
Objectives
The present study aimed to analyze statistical data regarding hospitalizations related to mental disorders caused by the use of psychoactive substances and alcohol in the southern region of Brazil, highlighting the pathological scenario and identifying the most prevalent profiles of these disorders in this region.
Methods
A cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted on hospitalizations of individuals diagnosed with mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of psychoactive substances and alcohol in the states of the Southern region of Brazil (Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul) between February 2020 and December 2022. Data of January 2020 were not available. The data used were collected through the Department of Health Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) in the “Hospital Information System of SUS” section, gathering information regarding the nature of the care, age range, gender, and ethnicity of the patients.
Results
The study covers the years 2020 to 2022, indicating a total of 81,608 hospitalizations, with the year 2022 having the highest number of cases (≈ 37.13%), followed by 2021 (≈ 33.30%) and 2020 (≈ 29.55%). The states with the highest number of hospitalizations were Rio Grande do Sul (≈ 54.90%), Paraná (≈ 29.29%), and Santa Catarina (≈ 15.79%). Urgent hospitalizations accounted for ≈ 87.29% of the total. The most affected age group was 30 to 39 years old (≈ 25.61%). Men were more affected than women (≈ 81.70% and ≈ 18.28%, respectively). Caucasians accounted for ≈ 64.29% of the hospitalizations. The average length of stay was 20.8 days, and the mortality rate was 0.32%.
Conclusions
There is a clear increase in the number of hospitalizations related to mental disorders caused by the use of psychoactive substances in the period from 2020 to 2022 in the southern region of Brazil, with the highest number of cases in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The most affected population consisted of Caucasian men aged 30 to 39 years old. Furthermore, these results may be related to the increasing trend of psychoactive substance use among the Brazilian population and also the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a period of underreporting due to social isolation.
Cancer causes an impact in the face of its news, whether due to feelings of anguish, stress and suffering due to the presence of the disease, which can be shared between patients, family members and loved ones. The news regarding the diagnosis generates, in addition to the psychological impact, financial difficulties, as the patient himself can often be responsible for a large part of the family income. Other complications are the difficulties in understanding the disease by the family members and/or the patient, denial of the disease in order to spare the patient from suffering and other loved ones, family conflicts related to the need to adapt to the new routine of daily life that the family should carry out aiming at the well-being of the patient and his treatment.
Objectives
To evaluate the psychological impact and interpersonal relationships in patients with breast cancer treated in the city of Presidente PrudenteSP by a support association.
Methods
This is an observational, quantitative, analytical and cross-sectional study, in which 200 patients with malignant breast cancer will be invited.
Results
The sociodemographic results found were: 62.5% white women, 65.6% aged between 45-65 years, 56.3% married, 46.9% have completed higher education, 56.3% had no family history of cancer, predominance of stages II, III and IV when discovered, 93.5% did not drink, 84.4% did not smoke. On the anxiety scale, 53.1% and 43.8% report getting tired easily and feeling like crying, respectively. On the social adequacy scale, 72.5% continued working only with some limitation during treatment, despite this, 41.4% had minor financial difficulties, 34.5% had difficulties expressing feelings with family members, 40.7% had a relationship well with family members with small arguments and finally 34.8% felt affection for the partner all the time, despite this 36.4% did not have sexual intercourse with them in the last month.
Conclusions
It was concluded, therefore, that when a family member gets sick, they all feel impacted, and each family will deal with the experience in a particular way, therefore, it is worth highlighting the encouragement of family participation in therapy sessions.
In recent years, mental health has gained prominence in public health, prompting thorough investigations into psychiatric condition trends. This study conducts a comprehensive epidemiological analysis of hospitalizations for Schizophrenia, Schizotypal, and Delirium Disorders in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) over the past five years. By revealing these patterns, it enhances our understanding of regional mental health dynamics and offers insights for intervention strategies, resource planning, and improved mental healthcare. The ultimate goal is to advance more effective and accessible mental healthcare in RS and beyond.
Objectives
This study aims to analyze the prevalence and epidemiological profile of hospitalizations due to psychiatric disorders to assist in the diagnosis and outcome of affected patients.
Methods
A cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative study was conducted regarding hospitalizations for Schizophrenia, Schizotypal Disorders, and Delirium in the state of RS between January 2018 and November 2022. Data were collected from the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) in the “Hospital Information System of SUS” section, focusing on the nature of care, age group, gender, and ethnicity of the patients. The information was aggregated over the five-year period based on the four mentioned descriptors and subsequently analyzed to establish a profile of hospitalizations during that period.
Results
The analysis spans from 2018 to 2022, encompassing a total of 28,345 hospitalizations. In 2019, there was the highest number of cases (22.21%), followed by 2018 (21.08%). Urgent care admissions constituted 85.34% of the total. The age group most affected was 35 to 39 years (11.8%). Men were more affected than women (60.18%), and the majority of hospitalizations were among the Caucasian ethnicity (75.12%). The average length of stay was 23.7 days, and the mortality rate stood at 0.26%.
Conclusions
The increasing trend in hospitalizations, peaking in 2019, highlights the need for preventive measures. Urgent admissions (85.34%) underscore the demand for accessible mental health resources. Men in the 35 to 39 age group are disproportionately affected, suggesting specific risk factors. The predominance of Caucasian ethnicity emphasizes the need for culturally sensitive care. A longer average length of stay (23.7 days) underscores treatment complexity, while a low mortality rate (0.26%) signals effective medical care. In essence, these findings inform tailored mental health policies to enhance service quality and prioritize patient-centered approaches.
A molecular phylogeographic study of Paragonimus mexicanus collected from Guatemala and Ecuador was performed. Genomic DNA was extracted from individual metacercariae, and two gene regions (partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) and the second internal transcribed spacer of the nuclear ribosomal gene repeat (ITS2)) were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sequences segregated in a phylogenetic tree according to their geographic origins. ITS2 sequences from Ecuador and Guatemala differed at only one site. Pairwise distances among CO1 sequences within a country were always lower than between countries. Nevertheless, genetic distances between countries were less than between geographical forms of P. westermani that have been suggested to be distinct species. This result suggests that populations from Guatemala and Ecuador are genetically differentiated perhaps at the level of subspecies.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the main cannabinoids present in Cannabis sativa female flowers. Previous investigation has already provided insights into the CBD molecular mechanism; however, there is no transcriptome data for CBD effects on hippocampal subfields. Here, we investigate transcriptomic changes in dorsal and ventral CA1 of adult mice hippocampus after 100 mg/kg of CBD administration (i.p.) for one or seven consecutive days.
Methods:
C57BL/6JUnib mice were treated with either vehicle or CBD for 1 or 7 days. The collected brains were sectioned, and the hippocampal sub-regions were laser microdissected for RNA-Seq analysis.
Results:
The transcriptome analysis following 7 days of CBD administration indicates the differential expression of 1559 genes in dCA1 and 2924 genes in vCA1. Furthermore, GO/KEGG analysis identified 88 significantly enriched biological process and 26 significantly enriched pathways for dCBD7, whereas vCBD7 revealed 128 enriched BPs and 24 pathways.
Conclusion:
This dataset indicates a widespread decrease of electron transport chain and ribosome biogenesis transcripts in CA1, while chromatin modifications and synapse organization transcripts were increased following CBD administration for 7 days.
Kaolin samples from the Jari deposit (Amazon region) were studied using various techniques to characterize its structural and crystallochemical aspects, and to establish its origin and evolution. A profile 60 m thick was selected in a kaolin mine (Morro do Felipe) located at the banks of the Jari river. Despite the great thickness of the deposit and the variety of kaolin types, the mineralogical composition is rather homogeneous and is mainly kaolinite associated with gibbsite and small amounts of quartz, anatase, goethite and hematite. The field observations and the morphological analysis indicate the existence of sedimentary features throughout the whole profile except for the upper aluminous clayey layer (Belterra Clay). This is evidence that the Rio Jari kaolin deposit originated from sedimentary material, the Alter do Chão Formation. The presence of alternating clay and sandy layers is explained by sedimentation processes with great depositional energy variation. Thus, the accumulation of thick clay layers was related to a low-energy phase, and during the high-energy phases, the deposition process led to the accumulation of sandy materials, constituted essentially of quartz and showing strong textural and structural variation. Later on, periods of hydromorphy were responsible for iron removal and consequently for the bleaching of the sedimentary formation. The crystallinity data show an increase of the structural disorder toward the surface associated with an increase in the amount of structural Fe in the kaolinite. The Rio Jari kaolin deposits should be considered as having originated from kaolinitic clay sediments of the Alter do Chão formation (protore) that was submitted to intensive lateritic weathering processes.
The distribution of avian haemosporidians of the genus Leucocytozoon in the Neotropics remains poorly understood. Recent studies confirmed their presence in the region using molecular techniques alone, but evidence for gametocytes and data on putative competent hosts for Leucocytozoon are still lacking outside highland areas. We combined morphological and molecular data to characterize a new Leucocytozoon species infecting a non-migratory red-legged seriema (Cariama cristata), the first report of a competent host for Leucocytozoon in Brazil. Leucocytozoon cariamae n. sp. is distinguished from the Leucocytozoon fringillinarum group by its microgametocytes that are not strongly appressed to the host cell nucleus. The bird studied was coinfected with Haemoproteus pulcher, and we present a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis based on nearly complete mitochondrial genomes of these 2 parasites. Leucocytozoon cariamae n. sp. morphology is consistent with our phylogenetic analysis indicating that it does not share a recent common ancestor with the L. fringillinarum group. Haemoproteus pulcher and Haemoproteus catharti form a monophyletic group with Haemocystidium parasites of Reptilia, supporting the polyphyly of the genus Haemoproteus. We also discussed the hypothesis that H. pulcher and H. catharti may be avian Haemocystidium, highlighting the need to study non-passerine parasites to untangle the systematics of Haemosporida.
Intensive home treatment (IHT) for people experiencing a mental health crisis has been progressively established in many western countries as an alternative to in-ward admission. But is this a real alternative? We previously reported that patients treated in our IHT unit only differ from those voluntarily admitted to hospital in suicidal risk and severe behaviour disorders (not in other factors such as clinical severity) (Martín-Blanco et al., Rev Psiquiatr Salud Ment 2022;15:213-5). Now we are interested in disentangle if those patients who used to require inward management can be successfully treated at home.
Objectives
To describe subsequent treatment trajectories of the first 1000 admissions to our IHT unit and to compare clinical characteristics among the different groups of trajectories.
Methods
Retrospective cohort study. Subsequent treatment trajectories were collected from December 2016 to October 2022 and classified: absence, hospital, IHT, and mixed (hospital and IHT). Statistical significance was tested by means of ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test for quantitative variables (corrected for multiple comparisons) and chi-square tests for qualitative variables.
Results
Tables 1 shows the characteristics of the whole sample. Of the 1000 IHT admissions, 12.1% needed subsequent hospital admission(s), 12.7% IHT admission(s), and 9.3% mixed admission(s). There were no differences among these groups in median severity at IHT admission, but there were differences in the number of previous admissions (p=0.0001): the group with no subsequent admissions had less previous admissions than the other groups (pBonf<0.0001), and the group with subsequent IHT admissions had less than the group with mixed admissions (pBonf=0.0123). There were differences between groups regarding distribution of diagnoses (p<0.0001) (Fig. 1). When considering subsequent admissions by diagnosis, there were differences in severity at IHT admission (p=0.0068) and in number of previous hospitalizations (p<0.0001) (Fig. 2).Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the whole sample (N=1000)
mean
SD
Age (years)
47.07
17.02
CGI-s at admission *
5
4-5
N
%
Sex (female)
548
54.8%
Psychotic disorders
463
46.3%
Affective disorder
257
25.7%
Bipolar disorder
128
12.8%
Other disorders
152
15.2%
Hospital admission in the previous 5 years
313
31.3%
CGI-s: clinical global impression - severity. * median and IQR
Image:
Image 2:
Conclusions
Patients that used to require inward management can now be treated at home when suffering an acute episode. Therefore, IHT has changed treatment trajectories for some patients with psychiatric disorders.
The association between Atopic Dermatitis (AD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has long been reported by some population-based observational studies. However, observational studies are susceptible to potential confounders and inverse causation, rendering it difficult to conclude about the causality of such association. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis is a novel epidemiological method to assess the causation between an exposure and an outcome, with less susceptibility to potential confounders and reverse causation by using genetic variants as instrumental variables.
Objectives
To report a clinical case of depression in association with atopic dermatitis and to review what contributions MR studies have been bringing to the matter of causality between AD and MDD.
Methods
Case report and literature review based on PubMed using the terms “atopic dermatitis”, “eczema”, “depression", “depressive”, “mood” and “Mendelian randomization”, which were searched in the title and abstract fields.
Results
Case-report: A 26-year-old man was admitted for inpatient treatment with a clinical picture of sadness, irritability, social isolation and insomnia, with 4 months of evolution, aggravated by suicidal ideation in the preceding days. On examination of the mental status, the patient had a frankly depressed mood, with congruent affects. He was contemplating suicide methods, pointing to sodium nitrite intoxication as an option. The patient related these symptoms to the worsening of his atopic dermatitis. In fact, he had a history of other depressive episodes contemporaries with periods of dermatological worsening.
Literature review: The PubMed research identified 7 articles, 4 of which assessed the causal effect of AD on MDD. Three studies did support a causal effect of AD genetic risk on MDD. One study supported a small causal effect of AD on MDD, with the significance disappearing when a stricter threshold for selection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms was applied.
Conclusions
The MR studies included in this poster favour the absence of a causal effect of AD on MDD, suggesting that the comorbidity observed clinically is unlikely to be causal. We must be aware that these studies are few and are not free of limitations (e.g. subgroup analysis for age and severity was not carried out, AD and MDD diagnosis were self-reported in some cases). Further research may help clarify the existence of causality and/or uncover the factors responsible for the observed association of AD with MDD in observational studies.
Beginning in 2018, a quality improvement collaborative initiative in Brazil successfully reduced the baseline incidence density of healthcare-associated infections in intensive care settings after 2 years. We describe the adaptations of the quality improvement interventions as the COVID-19 pandemic emerged and how the pandemic affected the project outcomes.