The main objective of this study is to review and summarize recent findings on electroencephalographic patterns in individuals with chronic pain. We also discuss recent advances in the use of quantitative Electroencephalography (qEEG) for the assessment of pathophysiology and biopsychosocial factors involved in its maintenance over time. Data collection took place from February 2014 to July 2015 in PubMed, SciELO and PEDro databases. Data from cross-sectional studies and longitudinal studies, as well as clinical trials involving chronic pain participants were incorporated into the final analysis. Our primary findings related to chronic pain were an increase of theta and alpha EEG power at rest, and a decrease in the amplitude of evoked potentials after sensory stimulation and cognitive tasks. This review suggests that qEEG could be considered as a simple and objective tool for the study of brain mechanisms involved in chronic pain, as well as for identifying the specific characteristics of chronic pain condition. In addition, results show that qEEG probably is a relevant outcome measure for assessing changes in therapeutic studies.
BackgroundOral clefts are one of the most common birth defects with significant medical, psychosocial, and economic ramifications. Oral clefts have a complex etiology with genetic and environmental risk factors. There are suggestive results for decreased risks of cleft occurrence and recurrence with folic acid supplements taken at preconception and during pregnancy with a stronger evidence for higher than lower doses in preventing recurrence. Yet previous studies have suffered from considerable design limitations particularly non-randomization into treatment. There is also well-documented effectiveness for folic acid in preventing neural tube defect occurrence at 0.4 mg and recurrence with 4 mg. Given the substantial burden of clefting on the individual and the family and the supportive data for the effectiveness of folic acid supplementation as well as its low cost, a randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness of high versus low dose folic acid for prevention of cleft recurrence is warranted.Methods/designThis study will assess the effect of 4 mg and 0.4 mg doses of folic acid, taken on a daily basis during preconception and up to 3 months of pregnancy by women who are at risk of having a child with nonsyndromic cleft lip with/without palate (NSCL/P), on the recurrence of NSCL/P. The total sample will include about 6,000 women (that either have NSCL/P or that have at least one child with NSCL/P) randomly assigned to the 4 mg and the 0.4 mg folic acid study groups. The study will also compare the recurrence rates of NSCL/P in the total sample of subjects, as well as the two study groups (4mg, 0.4 mg) to that of a historical control group.The study has been approved by IRBs (ethics committees) of all involved sites. Results will be disseminated through publications and presentations at scientific meetings.DiscussionThe costs related to oral clefts are high, including long term psychological and socio-economic effects. This study provides an opportunity for huge savings in not only money but the overall quality of life. This may help establish more specific clinical guidelines for oral cleft prevention so that the intervention can be better tailored for at-risk women.ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT00397917
Patients with chronic pain due to neuropathy or musculoskeletal injury frequently exhibit reduced alpha and increased theta power densities. However, little is known about electrical brain activity and chronic pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). For this purpose, we evaluated power densities of spontaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) band frequencies (delta, theta, alpha, and beta) in females with persistent pain due to RA. This was a cross-sectional study of 21 participants with RA and 21 healthy controls (mean age = 47.20; SD = 10.40). EEG was recorded at rest over 5 min with participant's eyes closed. Twenty electrodes were placed over five brain regions (frontal, central, parietal, temporal, and occipital). Significant differences were observed in depression and anxiety with higher scores in RA participants than healthy controls (p = 0.002). Participants with RA exhibited increased average absolute alpha power density in all brain regions when compared to controls [F(1.39) = 6.39, p = 0.016], as well as increased average relative alpha power density [F(1.39) = 5.82, p = 0.021] in all regions, except the frontal region, controlling for depression/anxiety. Absolute theta power density also increased in the frontal, central, and parietal regions for participants with RA when compared to controls [F(1, 39) = 4.51, p = 0.040], controlling for depression/anxiety. Differences were not exhibited on beta and delta absolute and relative power densities. The diffuse increased alpha may suggest a possible neurogenic mechanism for chronic pain in individuals with RA.
Cutaneous disseminated lesions caused by Leishmania sp. were found in a pregnant mare (Equus cabalus) from a rural city in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Before delivering, treatment was undertaken by immunotherapy followed by chemotherapy. Histopatology and serology were performed during treatment, as well as the biochemical characterization of the parasite (L. braziliensis) that was isolated from one of the lesions.
Objective. We assessed the associations between developmental disabilities and indicators of socioeconomic outcomes (i.e., educational attainment, employment status, occupation type, subjective perception of socioeconomic status [SES], income, and wage rate) among young U.S. adults aged 24-33 years.Methods. We used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n513,040), a nationally representative study of U.S. adolescents in grades 7-12 during the 1994-1995 school year. Young adult outcomes (i.e., educational attainment, employment status, income, occupation, and subjective SES) were measured in Wave IV (2008 for those aged 24-33 years). Multivariate methods controlled for sociodemographic characteristics and other relevant variables.Results. Nearly 12% of this sample presented with a physical or cognitive disability. Respondents with physical disabilities had lower educational attainment (odds ratio [OR] 5 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57, 0.85) and ranked themselves in lower positions on the subjective SES ladder (OR50.71, 95% CI 0.57, 0.87) than those without a physical disability. Compared with individuals without disabilities, young adults with a cognitive disability also had lower educational attainment (OR50.41, 95% CI 0.33, 0.52) and, when employed, were less likely to have a professional/managerial occupation (OR50.50, 95% CI 0.39, 0.64). Young adults with disabilities also earned less annually (2$10,419.05, 95% CI 2$4,954.79, 2$5,883.37) and hourly (2$5.38, 95% CI 2$7.64, 2$3.12) than their non-disabled counterparts.Conclusion. This study highlights the importance of considering multiple developmental experiences that may contribute to learning and work achievements through the transition from adolescence to young adulthood.
Heari ng represents the main source for acquisition of language and speaking skills in childhood. In the first months of life, the hearing impaired child is deprived of sound stimulation in the most important period of development, and consequently, might present emotional, social and linguistic disorders. Therefore, it is of utmost relevance to learn about the main etiological factors that cause the auditory damage to trace a reliable nosological profile, and to take the appropriate measures to prevent and guide the family on the repercussions of hearing impairment in childhood. Aim: To characterize the etiology profile of hearing impairment in a reference center for hearing impaired children and adolescents. Methodology: We performed interviews, speech and hearing screening and analyses of medical charts of 87 hearing impaired children that were part of Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Deficientes Auditivos do Estado da Bahia (APADA-BA), trying to define etiology, gender distribution, age at diagnosis, level of hearing loss, age at hearing aid fitting, and rehabilitation. Results: Among the 87 children and adolescents who had undergone speech and hearing screening, we select a sample of 53 subjects, whose parents had come for three sessions of anamnesis and assessment. The main responsible etiological factor for hearing loss in the evaluated population was maternal rubella, amounting to 32% of the cases of deafness, followed by pyogenic meningitis with 20%, idiopathic cause with 15%, prematurity with 9%, heredity (deaf father or mother) and neonatal jaundice, which also presented 6% incidence; chronic otitis media represented 4%, use of misoprostol in the gestation, measles, ototoxicity and mumps, each factor with 2%. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated the heterogeneity of factors that cause hearing impairment, and the two main causes (rubella and pyogenic meningitis) still present high incidence in the studied population. We believe that preventive measures must be taken, especially in the prophylaxis of maternal rubella and extended vaccination of neonates and infants against bacterial meningitis.
Bacterial meningitis is still a major public health threat inside developing countries. In Brazil, the Department of Public Health estimates that the prevalence of bacterial meningitis is 22 cases per 100,000 persons. During the neonatal period, the bacterial meningitis develops special characteristics that can result in hearing problems and movement loss due to neurological and psychological damages. This study had the aim to analyze the prevalence of bacterial meningitis and sepsis in newborns during the pregnancy period for those using the public health care system in Salvador-Bahia. One of the goal was to describe the risk factors of bacterial meningitis and sepsis in newborns. A second goal was to identify, based on newborn health records, the difficulties to predict issues with the hearing, neurological and psychological problems. This study has a cross-sectional design. The newborns that were included in this study had bacterial meningitis or sepsis within 0-28 days of life. They were admitted in the maternity wards between June-December 2005 at the newborn intensive unit care. We analyzed 72 reports of newborns and only 11 (17%) were bacterial meningitis or sepsis newborn cases. These cases were associated to high intake of ototoxic drugs that can cause oto and nephrotoxicity, and cause serious sequels on the child development. Nervous system infection is one of the 2 major problems in clinical practice, especially during the first month after birth. During this first month, the nervous system infection develops special characteristics, which are different from regular symptoms and it requires treatment due to the increased risk to develop complications. It is strongly recommended to monitor ototoxic drugs use to prevent effects on the hearing system. Key-Words: Newborn meningitis, sepsis, prevalence, prediction, complications.The neonatal meningitis is an illness characterized as a result of infection and inflammation of the meninges and it typically happens between birth and the first 28 days of life [1].The bacterial infection is more common during the first month after birth compared to other stages of newborns. It has an incidence that varies from 0.22 to 2.66/1,000 newborns in different countries and it tends to be more common in developing countries [2].During the neonatal period, the illness has special characteristics. The etiology, the clinical symptoms and the mortality appear to be different from the observed in older children [3].The mortality varies based on the treatment, with survival rates of 17% to 29% and with complications rate of 15% to 68%. Among the predictive factors for determining the diagnosis of this condition are the premature birth, newborn weight, type of bacteria, predisposition for the microbial germ, the length of the treatment and complications [4].Although there have been medical advances of medicines and preventive medicine, the incidence of newborn bacterial meningitis for the last 30 years has been barely affected. This minor change in the incidence can be linked po...
Objective: To identify the prevalence of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among preschoolers from the city of Salvador, state of Bahia, Brazil, and their associations with maternal mental health and family characteristics. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 349 children aged 49 to 72 months, randomly selected from 20,000 households representing the range of socioeconomic and environmental conditions in Salvador. In 1999, we assessed sociodemographic variables and family environment characteristics. In 2001, we used the Child Behavior Checklist to measure and describe the frequencies of behavior problems. We conducted bivariate and multivariate analysis to estimate associations between family and maternal factors and prevalence of behavior problems. Results: The overall prevalence of behavior problems was 23.5%. The prevalence of internalizing problems was 9.7%, and that of externalizing problems, 25.2%. Behavior problems were associated with several maternal mental health variables, namely: presence of at least one psychiatric diagnosis (odds radio [OR] 3.01, 95%CI 1.75-5.18), anxiety disorder (OR 2.06, 95%CI 1.20-3.46), affective disorder (OR 2.10, 95%CI 1.21-3.65), and mental health disorders due to use of psychoactive substances (OR 2.31, 95%CI 1.18-4.55). Conclusion: The observed prevalence of child behavior problems fell within the range reported in previous studies. Maternal mental health is an important risk factor for behavior problems in preschoolaged children.
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