Chronic tic disorders (TD) are consistently found to have high rates of comorbidity with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this study is to compare the severity of TD only to TD with comorbid OCD or ADHD based on severity of tics, measures of psychopathology and additional comorbid diagnoses. Baseline data from 158 youth with a chronic TD who participated in two longitudinal studies were examined. Fifty-three percent (N = 85) of the youth also met criteria for a diagnosis of OCD, 38.6 % (n = 61) met criteria for ADHD and 24.1 % (N = 38) met criteria for both. Measures of interest addressed severity of tics, symptoms of anxiety, depression, ADHD, psychosocial stress, global functioning and the presence of comorbid diagnoses. Youth with comorbid TD and OCD were characterized by more severe tics, increased levels of depressive and anxious symptoms, heightened psychosocial stress and poorer global functioning. Youth with comorbid TD and ADHD did not differ from those with TD alone on measures of tic severity, but experienced greater psychosocial stress and poorer global functioning. Subjects with comorbid TD and OCD had more internalizing disorders than those without OCD, while those with comorbid ADHD were more likely to meet criteria for oppositional defiant disorder. TD with OCD is a more severe subtype of TD than TD without OCD. TD with ADHD is associated with higher psychosocial stress and more externalizing behaviors. Further research is needed into the underlying relationships between these closely associated conditions.
Purpose
To examine prescribing of biologic and nonbiologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (nbDMARDs) in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) before and after publication of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) treatment recommendations.
Methods
We identified biologic naïve RA patients cared for by US rheumatologists participating in the CORRONA registry with visits prior to and/or at least 6 months after publication of the ACR recommendations (time periods: 2/02 - 6/08 vs. 12/08 - 12/09). The population was divided into two mutually exclusive cohorts: 1) methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy users; and 2) multiple nbDMARD users. Initiation or dose escalation of biologic and nbDMARDs in response to active disease was assessed cross-sectionally and longitudinally in comparison to the ACR recommendations. The impact of the publication of the ACR recommendations on treatment practices was compared using logistic regression stratified by disease activity adjusting for clustering of physicians and geographic region.
Results
After one visit, 24 to 37% of MTX monotherapy users with moderate disease activity and poor prognosis or high disease activity received care consistent with the recommendations; it was 34 to 56% after 2 visits. In the multiple nbDMARD users, 30 to 47% of those with moderate or high disease activity received care consistent with the recommendation after one visit and 43 to 51% after 2 visits. Publication of the recommendations did not significantly change treatment patterns for active disease.
Conclusions
Substantial numbers of RA patients with active disease did not receive care consistent with the current ACR treatment recommendations. Innovative approaches to improve care are necessary.
Agreement between composite measures of response without acute-phase reactants and standard measures ranged from moderate to excellent. The mACR20 and mACR50 criteria as well as CDAI-derived response criteria, can serve as composite measures of response in clinical practice and research settings without access to acute-phase reactants.
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