Maternal childhood maltreatment: associations to offspring brain volume and white matter connectivity.

The deleterious effects of adversity are likely intergenerational, such that one generation's adverse experiences can affect the next. Epidemiological studies link maternal adversity to offspring depression and anxiety, possibly via transmission mechanisms that influence offspring fronto-limbic connectivity. However, studies have not thoroughly disassociated postnatal exposure effects nor considered the role of offspring sex. We utilized infant neuroimaging to test the hypothesis that maternal childhood maltreatment (CM) would be associated with increased fronto-limbic connectivity in infancy and tested brain-behavior associations in childhood. Ninety-two dyads participated (32 mothers with CM, 60 without; 52 infant females, 40 infant males). Women reported on their experiences of CM and non-sedated sleeping infants underwent MRIs at 2.44 ± 2.74 weeks. Brain volumes were estimated via structural MRI and white matter structural connectivity (fiber counts) via diffusion MRI with probabilistic tractography. A subset of parents (n = 36) reported on children's behaviors at age 5.17 ± 1.73 years. Males in the maltreatment group demonstrated greater intra-hemispheric fronto-limbic connectivity (b = 0.96, p= 0.008, [95%CI 0.25, 1.66]), no differences emerged for females. Fronto-limbic connectivity was related to somatic complaints in childhood only for males (r = 0.673, p = 0.006). Our findings suggest that CM could have intergenerational associations to offspring brain development, yet mechanistic studies are needed.

Corticoterapia no choque séptico e sepse grave / Corticotherapy in severe sepsis and septic shock

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A sepse é uma causa importante de internação e a principal causa de morte em unidades de terapia intensiva (UTI). Atualmente existem várias orientações terapêuticas e dúvidas quanto ao emprego dos corticoides na sepse grave e no choque séptico. O objetivo deste estudo foi confrontar os diversos pontos de vista, bem como aperfeiçoar a qualidade e segurança do tratamento da sepse grave e choque séptico. CONTEÚDO: Realizou-se uma pesquisa em estudos publicados entre 1993 e 2009, nos bancos de dados Pubmed, Cochrane Librarye Embase LILACS, através das palavras-chave: "sepsis", "septic shock","steroids" e "corticosteroids", além de livros das áreas de Medicina Intensiva. As altas taxas de morbimortalidade associadas à sepse grave e ao choque séptico geram grande preocupação frente a essas condições clínicas. Enquanto alguns estudos demonstraram benefícios na sobrevida de pacientes que fizeram uso de corticoides por tempo prolongado e em baixa dose, uma importante metanálise na qual se utilizou o corticoide durante cinco dias, mostrou ineficácia dessa terapia com relação à mortalidade, pois não houve evidência de sua redução, apenas acelerando o tempo de reversão do choque. Apesar dos avanços da Medicina, a taxa de sua incidência é crescente devido ao grande número de pessoas com fatores de risco. Desta forma, a utilização adequada dos recursos corticoterápicos pode ser fundamental para o sucesso do tratamento. CONCLUSÃO: O uso de corticoides no choque séptico é indicado em baixas doses, por período prolongado.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sepsis is a major cause of hospitalization and the leading cause of death in intensive care units. Currently there are several treatment guidelines and questions regarding the use of corticosteroids in severe sepsis and septic shock. The aim of this study was to compare the various views, and optimize the quality and safety of treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock. CONTENTS: Review of studies published between 1993 and 2009 in the databases Pubmed, Cochrane and Embase Library, LILACS, through the keywords: "sepsis", "septic shock", "steroids" and "corticosteroids" as well as books in the areas of Intensive Care Medicine. The high rates of morbidity and mortality associated with severe sepsis and septic shock cause high concern before these clinical conditions. While some studies show benefits in survival of patients who used corticosteroids for long term and low dose, an important metaanalysis in which we used the corticosteroids for five days, show edthat inefficiency therapy regarding mortality, because there was no evidence of reduction, only speeding time to reversal of shock . Despite medical advances, the rate of its incidence is increasing due tothe large number of people with risk factors. In this way, the use of resources corticotherapy can be the key resource to the success of treatment. CONCLUSION: The use of corticosteroids in septic shock is indicatedin low doses, for prolonged periods.