Relationship focused mother-infant groups: Preliminary evaluation of improvements in maternal mental health, parenting confidence, and parental reflective functioning.

We report on two preliminary evaluations of a group intervention, targeting vulnerable infants and their mothers within the first 6-months postpartum. The Mother-Baby Nurture® program aims to strengthen the developing infant-mother attachment relationship by increasing maternal mentalizing. These studies were undertaken with pre-post evaluations with the mothers of infants under 10-months of age. The mother-infant dyads participated in ten 2-h group sessions. Study one (N = 69 dyads) included self-reported maternal depression, anxiety, and parenting confidence. In study two (N = 27 dyads), parenting stress and reflective functioning were measured by self-report, and reflective functioning coded on the 5 min speech sample (completed by N = 22). Results from study one confirmed a decrease in depression (p < .001, d = .79) and anxiety (p < .001, d = .72) symptoms, and an increase in mothers' scores for parenting confidence (p < .001, d = -.98). Results from Study Two demonstrated a significant decrease in parenting stress (p < .001, d = .94) and significant improvement in measures of self-report reflective functioning (p = .007, .024; d = .56, .61). These findings are preliminary yet promising indications that this program could be effective in alleviating parenting stress, depression, and anxiety, and improving mother's reflective functioning and parenting confidence. Further research is needed, with a control group and long-term follow-up assessments.

Reportamos sobre dos evaluaciones preliminares de un grupo de intervención, con enfoque en infantes vulnerables y sus madres dentro de los primeros seis meses después del parto. El programa Naturaleza Mamá-Bebé® se propone fortalecer el desarrollo de la relación afectiva infante-madre por medio de incrementar el proceso de mentalización materna. Estos estudios se llevaron a cabo con evaluaciones anteriores y posteriores con las madres de infantes menores de 10 meses de edad. Las díadas madre-infante participaron en diez sesiones de grupo de 2 horas. El Estudio Uno (N=69 díadas) incluyó la auto reportada depresión materna, la ansiedad y la confianza en la crianza. En el Estudio Dos (N=27 díadas) se midieron el estrés de crianza y el funcionamiento con reflexión por medio de auto reportes, y el funcionamiento con reflexión se codificó en base a la Muestra de Cinco Minutos de Charla Oral (completada por N=22). Los resultados del Estudio Uno confirmaron una disminución en los síntomas de depresión (p<.001, d=0.79) y ansiedad (p<.001, d=0.72) y un aumento en los puntajes de las madres en cuanto a confianza en la crianza (p<.001, d=-0.98). Los resultados del Estudio Dos demostraron una significativa disminución en el estrés de crianza (p<.001, d = 0.94) y un significativo mejoramiento en las medidas de funcionamiento con reflexión auto reportadas (p=.007, .024; d=0.56, 0.61). Estos resultados son preliminares, pero aun así indicaciones prometedoras de que este programa pudiera ser eficaz para aliviar el estrés de crianza, la depresión y la ansiedad, y mejorar el funcionamiento con reflexión y confianza en la crianza de la madre. Se necesita una mayor investigación, con un grupo de control y medidas de evaluación a largo plazo.

Nous présentons deux évaluations préliminaires d'un groupe d'intervention ciblant des nourrissons vulnérables et leurs mères durant les six premiers mois postpartum. Le programme Mother-Baby Nurture® a pour but de renforcer la relation d'attachement infant-mère qui se développe en augmentant la mentalisation maternelle. Ces études ont été faites avec des évaluations pré-post avec les mères de nourrissons de 10 mois. Les dyades mère-bébé ont participé à dix séances de groupes, de heures chacune. La première étude (N=69 dyades) a inclus une dépression maternelle, de l'anxiété et la confiance de parentage, toutes auto-rapportées. Dans la deuxième étude (N=27 dyades), le stress de parentage et le fonctionnement de réflexion ont été mesurés par auto-déclaration, et le fonctionnement de réflexion a été codé à partir du de l'échantillon Five-Minute Speech Sample (complété par N=22). Les résultats de la première étude ont confirmé une décroissance de la dépression (p<,001, d=0,79) et des symptômes d'anxiété (p<,001, d=0,72) et une augmentation des scores des mères pour ce qui concerne la confiance de parentage (p<,001, d=-0,98). Les résultats de la deuxième étude ont révélé une décroissance importante du stress de parentage (p<,001, d = 0,94) et une amélioration importante dans les mesures de fonctionnement de réflexion auto-rapporté (p=,007, ,024; d=0,56, 0,61). Ces résultats sont préliminaires mais cependant ils s'avèrent présenter des indications prometteuses que ce programme pourrait être efficaces pour soulager et atténuer le stress de parentage, la dépression et l'anxiété, et améliorer le fonctionnement de réflexion des mères ainsi que leur confiance de parentage. De plus amples recherches sont nécessaires, avec un groupe de contrôle et des évaluations de suivi à long terme.

Crohn's disease and smoking: is it ever too late to quit?

BACKGROUND: Smoking increases CD risk. The aim was to determine if smoking cessation at, prior to, or following, CD diagnosis affects medication use, disease phenotypic progression and/or surgery. METHODS: Data on CD patients with disease for ≥5 yrs were collected retrospectively including the Montreal classification, smoking history, CD-related abdominal surgeries, family history, medication use and disease behaviour at diagnosis and the time when the disease behaviour changed. RESULTS: 1115 patients were included across six sites (mean follow-up-16.6 yrs). More non-smokers were male (p=0.047) with A1 (p<0.0001), L4 (p=0.028) and perianal (p=0.03) disease. Non-smokers more frequently received anti-TNF agents (p=0.049). (p=0.017: OR 2.5 95%CI 1.18-5.16) and those who ceased smoking prior to diagnosis (p=0.045: OR 2.3 95%CI 1.02-5.21) progressed to complicated (B2/B3) disease as compared to those quitting at diagnosis. Patients with uncomplicated terminal ileal disease at diagnosis more frequently developed B2/B3 disease than isolated colonic CD (p<0.0001). B2/B3 disease was more frequent with perianal disease (p<0.0001) and if i.v. steroids (p=0.004) or immunosuppressants (p<0.0001) were used. 49.3% (558/1115) of patients required at least one intestinal surgery. More smokers had a 2nd surgical resection than patients who quit at, or before, the 1st resection and non-smokers (p=0.044: HR=1.39 95%CI 1.01-1.91). Patients smoking >3 cigarettes/day had an increased risk of developing B2/B3 disease (p=0.012: OR 3.8 95%CI 1.27-11.17). CONCLUSION: Progression to B2/B3 disease and surgery is reduced by smoking cessation. All CD patients regardless of when they were diagnosed, or how many surgeries, should be strongly encouraged to cease smoking.

Inter-observer agreement for Crohn's disease sub-phenotypes using the Montreal Classification: How good are we? A multi-centre Australasian study.

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) exhibits significant clinical heterogeneity. Classification systems attempt to describe this; however, their utility and reliability depends on inter-observer agreement (IOA). We therefore sought to evaluate IOA using the Montreal Classification (MC). METHODS: De-identified clinical records of 35 CD patients from 6 Australian IBD centres were presented to 13 expert practitioners from 8 Australia and New Zealand Inflammatory Bowel Disease Consortium (ANZIBDC) centres. Practitioners classified the cases using MC and forwarded data for central blinded analysis. IOA on smoking and medications was also tested. Kappa statistics, with pre-specified outcomes of κ>0.8 excellent; 0.61-0.8 good; 0.41-0.6 moderate and ≤0.4 poor, were used. RESULTS: 97% of study cases had colonoscopy reports, however, only 31% had undergone a complete set of diagnostic investigations (colonoscopy, histology, SB imaging). At diagnosis, IOA was excellent for age, κ=0.84; good for disease location, κ=0.73; only moderate for upper GI disease (κ=0.57) and disease behaviour, κ=0.54; and good for the presence of perianal disease, κ=0.6. At last follow-up, IOA was good for location, κ=0.68; only moderate for upper GI disease (κ=0.43) and disease behaviour, κ=0.46; but excellent for the presence/absence of perianal disease, κ=0.88. IOA for immunosuppressant use ever and presence of stricture were both good (κ=0.79 and 0.64 respectively). CONCLUSION: IOA using MC is generally good; however some areas are less consistent than others. Omissions and inaccuracies reduce the value of clinical data when comparing cohorts across different centres, and may impair the ability to translate genetic discoveries into clinical practice.

Effect of hookworm infection on wheat challenge in celiac disease--a randomised double-blinded placebo controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The association between hygiene and prevalence of autoimmune disease has been attributed in part to enteric helminth infection. A pilot study of experimental infection with the hookworm Necator americanus was undertaken among a group of otherwise healthy people with celiac disease to test the potential of the helminth to suppress the immunopathology induced by gluten. METHODS: In a 21-week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, we explored the effects of N. americanus infection in 20 healthy, helminth-naïve adults with celiac disease well controlled by diet. Staged cutaneous inoculations with 10 and 5 infective 3(rd) stage hookworm larvae or placebo were performed at week-0 and -12 respectively. At week-20, a five day oral wheat challenge equivalent to 16 grams of gluten per day was undertaken. Primary outcomes included duodenal Marsh score and quantification of the immunodominant α-gliadin peptide (QE65)-specific systemic interferon-γ-producing cells by ELISpot pre- and post-wheat challenge. RESULTS: Enteric colonisation with hookworm established in all 10 cases, resulting in transiently painful enteritis in 5. Chronic infection was asymptomatic, with no effect on hemoglobin levels. Although some duodenal eosinophilia was apparent, hookworm-infected mucosa retained a healthy appearance. In both groups, wheat challenge caused deterioration in both primary and several secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Experimental N. americanus infection proved to be safe and enabled testing its effect on a range of measures of the human autoimmune response. Infection imposed no obvious benefit on pathology. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00671138.