1. Downs J, Leonard H, Hill K. {{Initial assessment of the StepWatch Activity Monitor to measure walking activity in Rett syndrome}}. {Disabil Rehabil};2011 (Nov 22)
Purpose: In girls and women with Rett syndrome, we assessed the accuracy of the StepWatch Activity Monitor and investigated relationships between daily step counts, gross motor skills and age. Method: Twelve subjects (age 12.9 +/- 8.0 years) participating in the Australian Rett Syndrome Database wore a StepWatch during a videoed session of activities to assess agreement with the criterion method of observation. Physical activity data were also collected over the course of 6 +/- 1 whole days. Relationships between agreement, gross motor skills, average daily step count and age were analyzed. Results: The number of steps obtained using the StepWatch was similar to that viewed on video (mean difference = 0 steps per minute) and agreement did not differ with the level of general (p = 0.389) or complex gross motor skills (p = 0.221). Subjects were less active than their healthy peers (difference 6086 steps per day; p = 0.001), and physical activity was significantly greater in those who were younger and with greater levels of motor skill. Conclusions: The StepWatch provided accurate information on the physical activity of girls and women with Rett syndrome regardless of their level of gross motor function. Physical activity reduced with age despite the ability to walk. Advocacy for pro-active lifestyles is justified. [Box: see text].
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
2. Gabos PG, Inan M, Thacker M, Borkhu B. {{Spinal Fusion for Scoliosis in Rett Syndrome With an Emphasis on Early Postoperative Complications}}. {Spine (Phila Pa 1976)};2011 (Nov 19)
Study Design. Retrospective case control study.Objective. To examine the postoperative complications of posterior spinal fusion in a population of patients with Rett syndrome (RS).Summary of Background Data. Scoliosis is a common feature of RS, a progressive neurologic disorder affecting almost exclusively females. Despite this, there is little published information regarding the surgical treatment of scoliosis in this disorder.Methods. Sixteen consecutive females with RS treated by posterior spinal fusion and unit rod instrumentation for progressive scoliosis between 1995 and 2003 were evaluated. Only patients with a minimum of 2-year follow-up were included. Preoperative medical conditions and postoperative complications were recorded. As a control group we randomly selected 32 spastic quadriplegic patients who underwent the identical procedure during the same time period, selected from our database and matched according to age, level of neurologic impairment and medical complexity.Results. There was a high rate of early medical complications in the RS patients, with 28 major and 37 minor complications. Only one patient did not have a major medical complication and every patient had at least 1 minor gastrointestinal and/or respiratory complication. Major respiratory complications occurred in 10 patients (63%), and comprised 61% of all major complications. Major gastrointestinal complications occurred in 6 patients (37%), and comprised 21% of all major complications. Other major complications included disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (1 patient), subacute bacterial endocarditis (1 patient), sacral decubiti requiring surgical debridement (2 patients) and extensive bilateral heterotopic ossification of the hips (1 patient). There were no cases of instrumentation failure, pseudarthrosis, deep infection or need for rod revision. Postoperative complication scores were similar to those in patients with spastic quadriplegic pattern cerebral palsy.Conclusion. Spinal fusion for scoliosis in RS can give a satisfactory technical result, but a high rate of early postoperative medical problems should be anticipated.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
3. Giarelli E, Ruttenberg J, Segal A. {{Continuing Education for Nurses in the Clinical Management of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Results of a Pilot Evaluation}}. {J Contin Educ Nurs};2011 (Nov 22);43(X):1-8.
The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is 1 in 110 in the United States. Nurses encounter patients with ASDs across practice settings. This article describes the results of an evaluation research pilot that assessed the perceived value to nurses of a continuing education program on comprehensive care of people with ASDs. Two 2-day workshops were offered in 2010. Of the 37 participants, 92% were female; 35% worked in pediatrics, 35% worked in adult care, and 30% were administrators; and 33% had practiced for 11 years or more. Six months after the course, 74% shared information with their employers and 94% shared information with coworkers. Although 77% incorporated learning into practice, 23% reported that they had not yet had the opportunity to do so. All participants valued the course content. Future programs can target audiences in specific service areas or those who work with specific populations. This pilot provided useful feedback on the nursing care of people with ASDs that is relevant to a variety of potential audiences. Continuing education programs can target sponsors, donors, client groups, administrators, and staff as they prepare to care for patients with ASDs.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
4. Imran N, Chaudry MR, Azeem MW, Bhatti MR, Choudhary ZI, Cheema MA. {{A survey of Autism knowledge and attitudes among the healthcare professionals in Lahore, Pakistan}}. {BMC Pediatr};2011 (Nov 22);11(1):107.
ABSTRACT: ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: The diagnosis and treatment of Autism in Pakistan occurs in multiple settings and is provided by variety of health professionals. Unfortunately, knowledge and awareness about Autism is low among Pakistani healthcare professionals & the presence of inaccurate and outdated beliefs regarding this disorder may compromise early detection and timely referral for interventions. The study assessed the baseline knowledge and misconceptions regarding autism among healthcare professionals in Pakistan which can impact future awareness campaigns. METHODS: Physicians (psychiatrists, pediatricians, neurologists and family physicians) and non-physicians (psychologists and speech therapists) participated in this study. Knowledge of DSM-IV TR criteria for Autistic Disorder, beliefs about social, emotional, cognitive, treatment and prognosis of the disorder were assessed. Demographic information regarding the participants of the survey was also gathered. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty seven respondents (154 Physicians & 93 Non-physicians) participated in the study. Mean age of respondents was 33.2 years (S.D 11.63) with 53% being females. Reasonably accurate familiarity with the DSM IV-TR diagnostic criteria of Autistic Disorder was observed. However, within the professional groups, differences were found regarding the utilization of the DSM-IV-TR criteria when diagnosing Autistic Disorder. Non-Physicians were comparatively more likely to correctly identify diagnostic features of autism compared with Physicians (P-value <0.001).Significant misunderstandings of some of the salient features of autism were present in both professional groups. CONCLUSION: Results suggests that current professionals in the field have an unbalanced understanding of autism due to presence of several misconceptions regarding many of the salient features of autism including developmental, cognitive and emotional features. The study has clinical implications and calls for continued education for healthcare professionals across disciplines with regards to Autism in Pakistan.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
5. Shattuck PT, Orsmond GI, Wagner M, Cooper BP. {{Participation in Social Activities among Adolescents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder}}. {PLoS One};2011;6(11):e27176.
BACKGROUND: Little is known about patterns of participation in social activities among adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The objectives were to report nationally representative (U.S.) estimates of participation in social activities among adolescents with an ASD, to compare these estimates to other groups of adolescents with disabilities, and examine correlates of limited social participation. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We analyzed data from wave 1 of the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2, a large cohort study of adolescents enrolled in special education. Three comparison groups included adolescents with learning disabilities, mental retardation, and speech/language impairments. Adolescents with an ASD were significantly more likely never to see friends out of school (43.3%), never to get called by friends (54.4%), and never to be invited to social activities (50.4%) when compared with adolescents from all the other groups. Correlates of limited social participation included low family income and having impairments in conversational ability, social communication, and functional cognitive skills. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with prior research, our study significantly expands inquiry in this area by broadening the range of social participation indicators examined, increasing the external validity of findings, focusing on the under-studied developmental stage of adolescence, and taking an ecological approach that included many potential correlates of social participation. There were notable differences in social participation by income, a dimension of social context seldom examined in research on ASDs.
Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)
6. Zhou X, Xu Y, Wang J, Zhou H, Liu X, Ayub Q, Wang X, Tyler-Smith C, Wu L, Xue Y. {{Replication of the Association of a MET Variant with Autism in a Chinese Han Population}}. {PLoS One};2011;6(11):e27428.
BACKGROUND: Autism is a common, severe and highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder in children, affecting up to 100 children per 10,000. The MET gene has been regarded as a promising candidate gene for this disorder because it is located within a replicated linkage interval, is involved in pathways affecting the development of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum in ways relevant to autism patients, and has shown significant association signals in previous studies. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we present new ASD patient and control samples from Heilongjiang, China and use them in a case-control and family-based replication study of two MET variants. One SNP, rs38845, was successfully replicated in a case-control association study, but failed to replicate in a family-based study, possibly due to small sample size. The other SNP, rs1858830, failed to replicate in both case-control and family-based studies. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first attempt to replicate associations in Chinese autism samples, and our result provides evidence that MET variants may be relevant to autism susceptibility in the Chinese Han population.
