RESUMO
This study was designed to compare the frequency of neurological soft signs [NSS] in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD] and healthy volunteers and to evaluate the applicability of these signs as a rest to identify patients with OCD among mixed population. The study comprised 20 patients with OCD diagnosed with the use of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition [DSM-IV] and 20 healthy volunteers of crossmatched age and sex as a control group. All study participants underwent a physical and neurological examination for soft signs [PANESS] by the neurologist who was blinded about the group enrollment. The frequency of occurrence of disturbances in these 7 main items was evaluated and the obtained results were redistributed according to group of study: Patients and controls. Only 8 patients [40%] were free of NSS: the other 12 patients [60%] showed varied NSS. On contrary, only 2 controls [10%] had NSS while the remaining 18 [90%] showed no NSS with a significantly increased [X[2]=5.8, p<0.01]frequency of NSS inpatients. Both patients and controls did not show NSS on examination of both motor movements and stereogonosis and no body had nystagmus. Three patients had apraxia and 3 had abnormal two-point discrimination: the other 6 patients had various combinations of abnormal results. There was a negative non-significant correlation between mean NSS scores and patients' age, sex and duration of symptoms. Using the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve analysis judged by the area under the curve [AUC] revealed that the presence of NSS could define patients with OCD out of a mixed population with high sensitivity but could not be considered specific for OCD as the AUC was 0.236. It could be concluded that the frequency of neurological soft signs is significantly higher in OCD patients and could identify them among a mixed population with high sensitivity but they are not specific to OCD
RESUMO
In recent years there has been an increase in the number of young people with type one diabetes in countries worldwide. This cross sectional study was conducted on 170 children [students in basic education] with type 1 diabetes mellitus to study the impact of the disease and glycaemic control on their scholastic achievement, physical and psychosocial aspects of quality of life. They were selected by systematic random sampling method from diabetic clinics in Benha University Hospital and Benha Teaching Hospital. A group of 120 matched controls were selected from the residents of the same areas. All subjects were clinically examined and interviewed using special structured questionnaire to assess their physical, psychological and social domains and scholastic achievement. Psychometric measures were also done to assess level of anxiety, depression and I.Q score among them. Glycaemic control for the cases was assessed by glycosylated haemoeglobin [HbA 1C] level. This study revealed that the quality of life of the studied groups regarding physical, psychological and social domains and scholastic achievement were significantly impaired in the affected children more than those in control group [P < 0.05]. The diabetic children showed significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression and lower level of IQ score than those in the normal group. Children with type 1 diabetes who had poor glycaemic control were found to have higher levels of psychological and social distress and lower level of scholastic achievement. Hence the study recommended implementing a program to improve the quality of life of diabetic children as well as regular psychiatric evaluation and interventions for those children