Association between free thyroxine levels and clinical phenotype in first-episode psychosis: a prospective observational study.

Aim: To determine whether thyroid hormone levels are associated with a specific clinical phenotype in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Methods: Ninety-eight inpatients experiencing FEP and with less than 6 weeks of antipsychotic treatment were included in the study and were followed up for one year. Baseline psychiatric evaluation included assessment of prodromal symptoms, positive and negative symptoms, depressive symptoms, stressful life events and cycloid psychosis criteria. Thyroid function (thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxin (FT4)) was determined at admission. Partial correlation analysis was conducted to analyse the correlation between levels of TSH/FT4 and symptoms. Logistic regression was performed to explore the association between psychopathological symptoms, 12-month diagnoses and thyroid hormones while adjusting for covariates. Results: Patients with prodromal symptomatology showed lower baseline FT4 levels (OR = 0.06; p = 0.018). The duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) was inversely associated with FT4 concentrations (r =  - 0.243; p = 0.039). FEP patients with sudden onset of psychotic symptoms (criteria B, cycloid psychosis) showed higher FT4 levels at admission (OR = 10.49; p = 0.040). Patients diagnosed with affective psychotic disorders (BD or MDD) at the 12-month follow-up showed higher FT4 levels at admission than patients diagnosed with nonaffective psychosis (schizophrenia, schizoaffective) (OR = 8.57; p = 0.042). Conclusions: Our study suggests that higher free-thyroxine levels are associated with a specific clinical phenotype of FEP patients (fewer prodromal symptoms, shorter DUP duration and sudden onset of psychosis) and with affective psychosis diagnoses at the 12-month follow-up.

Routine cerebrospinal fluid parameters as biomarkers in first-episode psychosis: A prospective observational study.

In recent years, multiple studies have investigated the role of biomarkers in first-episode psychosis (FEP) to facilitate early diagnosis, disease stratification, therapeutic choice and outcome prediction. Few studies have focused on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) investigations. In this prospective observational study, 95 FEP inpatients were followed up for one year. A lumbar puncture was performed at index admission (baseline) to study the CSF parameters (glucose, total proteins, lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], and pleocytosis). At the baseline visit, the clinical assessment included prodromal (psychotic and non-psychotic) symptoms before the psychotic outbreak and psychopathology at admission. The SCID-I was administered to obtain a clinical diagnosis at baseline and at 12 months. The relationship between prodromal and psychopathology symptoms at the baseline visit was tested with multiple linear regression. Multinomial logistic regression was also used to explore the association between CSF biomarkers and longitudinal diagnoses at follow-up (schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder vs unipolar/bipolar depression vs other psychoses). Higher CSF glucose was associated with depressive (Standardized beta = 0.27, p = 0.041) and disorganized/concrete symptoms (Standardized beta = 0.33, p = 0.023) and lower CSF LDH was associated with prodromal symptoms (Standardized beta = -0.25, p = 0.042). Lower LDH concentrations were also associated with social withdrawal (r = -0.342, p = 0.001). CSF glucose was a predictor of the long-term diagnosis (lower CSF concentrations were associated with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder diagnoses [OR = 0.88, CI95%: 0.77-0.99). Our study suggests that CSF biomarkers that involve bioenergetic systems are associated with prodromal symptoms and the phenotype of psychotic disorders during the early stages of the disease.

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis in older adults: A systematic review of case reports.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the clinical characteristics of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (NMDARE) in older patients. METHOD: A systematic literature review using PubMed and Scopus of all published case reports of NMDARE was undertaken, from database inception to June 2020. From this, cases reporting on patients older than 65 years of age and whose diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of anti-NMDAR antibodies in CSF were selected. RESULTS: 23 case reports fulfilling the study's criteria were found. Median age was 70.1 years (range 65-84), fourteen were female (60.9%), and mostly presented with acute behavioral and cognitive changes (95.7%). Atypical psychosis occurred in eleven patients (47.8%) with a sudden onset and fluctuating clinical pattern of delusions (39.1%), hallucinations (30.4%), and motility disturbances (34.8%) including catatonia (17.4%). Nine patients presented with seizures (39.1%). Pleocytosis in CSF (>5 WBC) was described in twelve cases (52.2%). Eleven cases (47.8%) had abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans with limbic inflammatory lesions. Thirteen patients had an abnormal EEG (56.5%). CONCLUSION: NMDARE should be included in the differential diagnosis of older patients who present with new psychiatric episodes, especially when characterized by sudden onset psychotic polymorphic symptomatology, fluctuating course with marked cognitive decline, and with catatonic features.

Clinical, Neuroimmunologic, and CSF Investigations in First Episode Psychosis.

OBJECTIVES: To report the neuropsychiatric features and frequency of NMDA receptor (NMDAR) and other neuronal immunoglobulin G antibodies in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP) and to assess the performance of reported warning signs and criteria for autoimmune psychosis (AP). METHODS: This was a prospective observational study of patients with FEP assessed for neuropsychiatric symptoms, serum and CSF neuronal antibodies (brain immunohistochemistry, cell-based assays, live neurons), and warning signs and criteria of AP. Previous autoimmune FEP series were reviewed. RESULTS: One hundred five patients were included; their median age was 30 (range 14-75) years, and 44 (42%) were female. None had neuronal antibodies. Two of 105 (2%) had CSF pleocytosis, 4 of 100 (4%) had brain MRI abnormalities, and 3 of 73 (4%) EEG alterations. Thirty-four (32%) and 39 (37%) patients fulfilled 2 sets of warning signs of AP, and 21 (20%) fulfilled criteria of possible or probable AP, yet none developed AP. The cause of FEP was psychiatric in 101 (96%) and nonpsychiatric in 4 (4%). During this study, 3 patients with psychosis caused by anti-NMDAR encephalitis were transferred to our center; 2 did not meet criteria for possible AP. Of 1,159 reported patients with FEP, only 7 (1%) had CSF studies; 36 (3%) had serum NMDAR antibodies (without definite diagnosis of AP), and 4 had CSF NMDAR antibodies (3 classic anti-NMDAR encephalitis and 1 with isolated psychiatric features). CONCLUSIONS: NMDAR antibodies were not found in patients with FEP unless they had anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Warning signs and criteria for AP have limited utility when neurologic symptoms are absent or paraclinical tests are normal. A diagnostic algorithm for autoimmune FEP is provided.

Carbon regulation of environmental pH by secreted small molecules that modulate pathogenicity in phytopathogenic fungi.

Fruit pathogens can contribute to the acidification or alkalinization of the host environment. This capability has been used to divide fungal pathogens into acidifying and/or alkalinizing classes. Here, we show that diverse classes of fungal pathogens-Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Penicillium expansum, Aspergillus nidulans and Fusarium oxysporum-secrete small pH-affecting molecules. These molecules modify the environmental pH, which dictates acidic or alkaline colonizing strategies, and induce the expression of PACC-dependent genes. We show that, in many organisms, acidification is induced under carbon excess, i.e. 175 mm sucrose (the most abundant sugar in fruits). In contrast, alkalinization occurs under conditions of carbon deprivation, i.e. less than 15 mm sucrose. The carbon source is metabolized by glucose oxidase (gox2) to gluconic acid, contributing to medium acidification, whereas catalysed deamination of non-preferred carbon sources, such as the amino acid glutamate, by glutamate dehydrogenase 2 (gdh2), results in the secretion of ammonia. Functional analyses of Δgdh2 mutants showed reduced alkalinization and pathogenicity during growth under carbon deprivation, but not in high-carbon medium or on fruit rich in sugar, whereas analysis of Δgox2 mutants showed reduced acidification and pathogencity under conditions of excess carbon. The induction pattern of gdh2 was negatively correlated with the expression of the zinc finger global carbon catabolite repressor creA. The present results indicate that differential pH modulation by fruit fungal pathogens is a host-dependent mechanism, affected by host sugar content, that modulates environmental pH to enhance fruit colonization.

Apolipoprotein alleles and the response to interferon-ß-1b in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Results for the e4/e2 alleles of the ApoE gene as markers of susceptibility, clinical and radiological progression, and cognitive deterioration in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are contradictory. AIM: The usefulness of these markers in predicting the response to interferon-ß-1b (IFNß-1b) was evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 95 patients with relapsing-remitting MS treated with IFNß-1b (mean follow-up 7.44 years) were studied. We correlated the e4 and e2 alleles with the time to the first relapse or to a 1-point worsening on the Expanded Disability Status Scale, time to moderate disability, progression index, and treatment discontinuation due to inefficacy. RESULTS: We found no association between the e4 allele and any of the variables. The e2 allele was associated with increased time to moderate disability. CONCLUSION: The e4 allele of ApoE has no prognostic value for the response to IFNß-1b. The e2 allele delayed the progression of disability in our MS patient cohort.

Interferon-beta1b in multiple sclerosis: effect on progression of disability and clinical markers of treatment response.

There is limited long-term data on the effect of interferon-beta1b (IFN-beta1b) on disability progression in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). There is also no reliable way of predicting individual responses to IFN-beta1b treatment. This prospective study investigated early clinical prognostic markers of disease activity and progression in 115 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) treated with IFN-beta1b for almost 5 years. The study also compared progression of disability in IFN-beta1b-treated patients with a historic untreated cohort of MS patients (n = 44). The number of relapses in the first 2 years of MS and in the 2 years before treatment predicted an early relapse after IFN-beta1b treatment. The IFN-beta1b-treated group experienced a slower progression of disability than the untreated cohort, suggesting that IFN-beta1b treatment delays progression of disability in RRMS.

Direct and indirect costs of Multiple Sclerosis in Baix Llobregat (Catalonia, Spain), according to disability.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an incurable chronic disease that predominantly affects young adults. It has a high socio-economic impact which increases as disability progresses. An assessment of the real costs of MS may contribute to our knowledge of the disease and to treat it more efficiently. Our objective is to assess the direct and indirect costs of MS from a societal perspective, in patients monitored in our MS Unit (Baix Llobregat, Catalonia) and grouped according to their disability (EDSS). METHODS: We analysed data from 200 MS patients, who answered a questionnaire on resource consumption, employment and economical status. Mean age was 41.6 years, mean EDSS 2.7, 65.5% of patients were female, 79.5% had a relapsing-remitting course, and 67.5% of them were receiving immunomodulatory treatment (IT). Patients were grouped into five EDSS stages. Data from the questionnaires, hospital charts, Catalan Health Service tariffs, and figures from Catalan Institute of Statistics were used to calculate the direct and indirect costs. The cost-of-illness method, and the human capital approach for indirect costs, were applied. Sensitivity analyses were performed to strengthen results. RESULTS: The mean total annual cost of MS per patient results 24,272 euros. This cost varied according to EDSS: 14,327 euros (EDSS = 0), 18,837 euros (EDSS = 1-3), 27,870 euros (EDSS = 3.5-5.5), 41,198 euros (EDSS = 6-7) and 52,841 euros (EDSS>7.5). When the mean total annual costs was adjusted by the mean % of patients on IT in our Unit (31%) the result was 19589 euros. The key-drivers for direct costs were IT in low EDSS stages, and caregiver costs in high stages. Indirect costs were assessed in terms of the loss of productivity when patients stop working. Direct costs accounted for around 60% of total costs in all EDSS groups. IT accounts from 78% to 11% of direct costs, and decreased as disability progressed. CONCLUSION: The total mean social costs of MS in a cohort from Baix Llobregat (Catalonia) were estimated at 24,272 euros per patient/year, and ranged between 14,327 euros (EDSS = 0) and 52,841 euros (EDSS = 7.5-9.5). Total costs, and particularly informal and direct costs, increased as the disability progressed. IT should be able to delay the progression of disability to be efficient and not only effective.

Hemorragia digestiva superior por tumor estromal de estomago: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Hemorrhage digestion superior by tumor stromal of stomach: presentation of a case and review of the literature

Tumor estromal gastrointestinal es el termino adoptado para tumores mesenquimáticos específicos del tracto gastrointestinal que se derivan de las células del estroma sin una línea celular definida de origen con patrones variables de diferenciación. En un 10 por ciento son sintomáticos presentándose como hemorragia digestiva aguda, sangrado oculto, dolor abdominal, masa abdominal y pérdida de peso. Presentamos el caso de un paciente masculino de 64 años con el diagnóstico de tumor del estroma gastrointestinal, complicado con hemorragia digestiva superior. Mencionaremos la clínica, el diagnóstico, el manejo endoscópico y quirúrgico

Preparadas y preparados escuchando las aguas

Entre los peligros naturales que más afectan al territorio cubano se encuentran las inundaciones fluviales, provocadas principalmente por:la combinación de intensas lluvias asociadas a ciclones tropicales, tormentas locales severas, frentes fríos y otros eventos meteorológicos extremos.En este contexto y convencidos de la importancia de fomentar el protagonismo de la niñez y la juventud en la gestión del riesgo en el nivel local, así como perfeccionar la preparación de la población para caso de desastres, Save the Children Reino Unido ha desarrollado de conjunto con el Gobierno Cubano a través del sistema de medidas de Defensa Civil y los Ministerios de de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente y el de Educación, el Proyecto Preparadas y Preparados Escuchando las Aguas en los Municipios de Sagua de Tánamo y Mayarí, provincia de Holguín(AU)