effect of methylphenidate on cervical vertebral maturation and dental age in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Statement of the Problem: It is postulated that attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] with or without medication has an inhibitory effect on the chil-dren's growth and development

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the dental age and cervical vertebral matura-tion [CVM] stage in ADHD patients with or without medication

Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study evaluated the pretreatment panoramic and lateral cephalograms of 129 patients [70 males, 59 females aged 8-14 years]. Demirjian index and Baccetti's CVM index were used to determine the dental age and CVM stage, respectively. The subjects were evaluated in two groups of ADHD [case, n=59] and healthy individuals [control, n=70]. The ADHD pa-tients were divided into two groups of AWT [ADHD with Treatment, n=43] and AW [ADHD without treatment, n=16] based on the use of methylphenidate. Paired t-test was used to compare the mean dental age between the groups. Linear and ordered logistic regression models were used to detect differences between the groups. The association between dental and chronological age was assessed by using Pearson correlation coefficient [p< 0.05]

Results: After age and sex adjustment, the skeletal maturity stage was found to be similar to the control group based on the presence of the disorder or use of medica-tion [p= 0.711 and p= 0.436, respectively]. Similarly, the patients' dental age was similar to the controls in AW and AWT groups [p= 0.180 and p= 0.421, respective-ly]. The correlation between dental age and chronological age was 0.79 in AWT, 0.88 in AW, and 0.88 in control group [p< 0.001 for all the three]

Conclusion: After age and sex adjustment, the dental and skeletal age of ADHD patients with or without Methylphenidate treatment do no manifest a significant delay compared with the controls

[Reliability of the Persian translation of the composite international diagnostic interview [CIDI] for diagnosing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder]

This study aimed to assess the reliability of the Persian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview [CIDI] for a lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder according to DSM-IV and lCD-10. This project was conducted at three stages of translation of the instrument, reliability assessment and validation, and feasibility and diagnostic reliability assessments for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia using a test-retest methodology. Trained interviewers administered the instrument twice [at 3-7 days' interval] to 100 clients at four university centers [complete CIDI on 65 persons and psychosis/mania module on 35 persons]. Test-retest reliability of CIDI for bipolar disorder was moderate in DSM-IV diagnostic system and poor in ICD-10. Test-retest reliability of CIDI for schizophrenia was poor in both diagnostic systems. The results showed that the diagnostic reliability was good only for bipolar disorder in DSM-IV, otherwise it was not acceptable. However, since the samples were selected from the clinical population, the results cannot be generalized to the normal population. According to the results, adaptation of the key questions to the Persian culture must be considered

[ relationship between burnout syndrome in mothers in nursing career and their children's behavioral problems]

This study sought the relationship between burnout syndrome of mothers in nursing professions and behavioral problems of their children. Subjects of this cross-sectional analytical study were married female nurses [having children of 4-16 years of age] working in various wards of Rasoul-e-Akram hospital. The sampling method was convenience sampling. The data were collected using Maslach Burnout Inventory [MBI] and Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]. Of 29 nurses that participated, 16 [55%] had burnout syndrome and 13 [45%] did not. The children of mothers with burnout syndrome differed significantly regarding internalizing externalizing, and total problems on CBCL. Personal accomplishment score was negatively associated to the child's externalizing problems on CBCL. In regard with the higher internalizing [depression, anxiety], externalizing [lying, fire setting, and truancy] and total behavioral problems in children of the mothers with burnout syndrome, special measures should be taken to reduce the impact of mother's burnout on their children, for mothers in nursing professions

[Prevalence of attention - deficit / hyperactivity disorder in a group of university students]

Attention - deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] has been increasingly recognized as a valid adult diagnosis. Yet, its prevalence and associated impairments in university students have received little attention. This descriptive study aimed to determine the rate of ADHD in a group of Iranian university students. For this cross-sectional study, 409 university students living in Fatemeh-Al-Zahra dormitory [Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences] were selected through convenience sampling, and after excluding 165 students [by exclusion criteria] the rest were assessed using the self-administrated Conner's Questionnaire for ADHD. Statistical analysis was performed by chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. The prevalence of ADHD was 3.7% in the study population [according to ADHD index]; subscale B [hyperactivity/restlessness] had the most frequency [7.8%] and subscales D [problems with self concept] and A [attention/memory problem] were least common [2%]. ADHD group had higher rates of positive history of psychiatric problems and medicationuse. It seems necessary that university students be screened for this disorder and be referred to psychiatrist for further evaluation and treatment to improve their academic function and personal relations