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Rubenstein E, Toth M, Tewolde S. Autism Among Adults with Down Syndrome: Prevalence, Medicaid Usage, and Co-Occurring Conditions. J Autism Dev Disord 2024:10.1007/s10803-024-06484-2. [PMID: 39046684 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06484-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Our objective was to examine occurrence of both conditions in Medicaid; and compare Medicaid service use and cost, and chronic conditions among adults with Down syndrome and autism to those with Down syndrome alone and those with autism alone. We used ICD9 and ICD10 codes in Medicaid claims and encounters from 2011 to 2019 to identify autism and Down syndrome in adults > 18 years. We then calculated costs, claims, hospitalizations, long term care days, and chronic conditions, and compared by group- autism alone, Down syndrome alone, Down syndrome + autism. Between 2011 and 2019, there were 519,450 adult Medicaid enrollees who met our criteria for autism (N = 396,426), Down syndrome (N = 116,422), or both Down syndrome and autism (N = 6,602). In 2011, 4.1% of enrollees with Down syndrome had co-occurring autism; by 2011 it was 6.6%. The autism group had the fewest claims and inpatient hospitalizations, followed by the Down syndrome group, then the Down syndrome + autism group. After age adjustment, those with Down syndrome alone and Down syndrome + autism had elevated prevalence of atrial fibrillation, dementia, heart failure, kidney disease, and obesity compared to the autism alone group. Both groups also had decreased occurrence of depression and hypertension compared to the autism alone group. Prevalence of autism is higher among people with Down syndrome than in peers. The increased costs and service use for those with both conditions highlight the extent to which this population need health care and signal the need for more effective preventative care and therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Rubenstein
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Mack Toth
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Salina Tewolde
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Chau K, Neier K, Valenzuela AE, Schmidt RJ, Durbin-Johnson B, Lein PJ, Korf I, LaSalle JM. Placental-brain axis in females detected within broadly impacted metabolic gene networks protects against prenatal PCB exposure. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.14.603326. [PMID: 39071357 PMCID: PMC11275969 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.14.603326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Background Neurodevelopmental disorders have a strong male bias that is poorly understood. Placenta is a rich source of molecular information about environmental interactions with genetics (including biological sex), that affect the developing brain. We investigated placental-brain transcriptional responses in an established mouse model of prenatal exposure to a human-relevant mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Results To understand sex, tissue, and dosage effects in embryonic (E18) brain and placenta by RNAseq, we used weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) to create correlated gene networks that could be compared across sex or tissue. WGCNA revealed that expression within most correlated gene networks was significantly and strongly associated with PCB exposures, but frequently in opposite directions between male-female and placenta-brain comparisons. In both WGCNA and differentially expressed gene analyses, male brain showed more PCB-induced transcriptional changes than male placenta, but the reverse pattern was seen in females. Furthermore, non-monotonic dose responses to PCBs were observed in most gene networks but were most prominent in male brain. The transcriptomic effects of low dose PCB exposure were significantly reversed by dietary folic acid supplementation across both sexes, but these effects were strongest in female placenta. PCB-dysregulated and folic acid-reversed gene networks were commonly enriched in functions in metabolic pathways involved in energy usage and translation, with female-specific protective effects enriched in PPAR, thermogenesis, glycerolipids, and O-glycan biosynthesis, as opposed to toxicant responses in male brain. Conclusions The female protective effect in prenatal PCB exposures appears to be mediated by dose-dependent sex differences in transcriptional modulation of metabolism in placenta.
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Lemke J, D'Alessio AS, Briggs FBS, Bailey C. Influence of social determinants of health and adversity on computerized neurocognitive assessment. Clin Neuropsychol 2024:1-20. [PMID: 38993089 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2024.2375801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Introduction: Social determinants of health and adversity, including poverty, maltreatment, and neighborhood deprivation, are individual-level factors that may significantly affect baseline neurocognitive testing and management that have yet to be thoroughly explored within the computerized neurocognitive assessment.Objectives: Examine individual-level experiences of poverty, abuse, neighborhood deprivation, and social mobility on computerized cognitive testing.Methods: The sample included 3,845 student-athletes who completed a baseline Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) and were enrolled in the Child-Household Integrated Longitudinal Data database. Multivariable linear regressions were used to assess independent variables of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program enrollment, abuse or neglect cases, Area Deprivation Index scores, and other demographic factors on four baseline ImPACT composite scores: verbal and visual memory, visuomotor, and reaction time.Results: Individual-level factors of persistent poverty and neighborhood deprivation were associated with lower composite scores; however, upward social mobility was not significantly associated with cognitive performance. The effects of mother's race on computerized cognitive testing performance were attenuated when accounting for measures of adversity.Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of social determinants of health in computerized neurocognitive testing to ensure more culturally sensitive and precise understanding of athletic baselines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Lemke
- Neurological Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Alena Sorensen D'Alessio
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Farren B S Briggs
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Christopher Bailey
- Neurological Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Neurology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Neurological Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Weiss MD, Daniolos PT, Coughlin K, Mulvaney-Day N, Cook B, Rosenblum D. A Scoping Review of the Intersectionality of Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disability with Social Inequity on Diagnosis and Treatment of Youth. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2024. [PMID: 38957953 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2023.0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Objective: To describe how the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, and language with autism and intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) impacts mental health inequities in psychopharmacological management of youth. Method: This was a scoping review in which a series of searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and manual review of the articles collected. Results: Although autism and/or IDD increases the risk for poor physical and mental health, social determinants of health such as race, ethnicity, and language account for approximately a third of poor outcomes. Minoritized children with autism/IDD experience significantly greater delays to diagnosis and misdiagnosis and are less likely to receive appropriate services. Access to psychological testing and psychosocial services is often limited by availability, skilled practitioners, a shortage of non-English-language providers or interpreters, and poor reimbursement. Conclusion: The intersectionality of autism and/or IDD with race, ethnicity, and language compounds the health inequities associated with either of these challenges independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Danielle Weiss
- Cambridge Health Alliance, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Peter T Daniolos
- Cambridge Health Alliance, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kevin Coughlin
- Cambridge Health Alliance, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Norah Mulvaney-Day
- Cambridge Health Alliance, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Benjamin Cook
- Cambridge Health Alliance, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Debra Rosenblum
- Cambridge Health Alliance, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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5
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Kazarov C, Peasah SK, McConnell E, Fischer KK, Good CB. Trends in Pediatric Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Diagnoses and Prescription Utilization: 2016 to 2019. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2024:00004703-990000000-00181. [PMID: 38904656 DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000001296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among children, with estimated prevalence of 7% to 15% worldwide. The aim of this analysis was to update and summarize trends in diagnosis, demographics, and drug utilization of pediatric patients with ADHD. METHODS We used the Agency for Health care Research and Quality Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a survey of US individuals, families, their medical providers, and employers, using datasets from 2016 to 2019. The data sources from the MEPS database included the full-year consolidated files, medical conditions files, prescribed-medicines files, and condition-event link files for each year. We summarized trends in the proportion of children, ages 17 years and younger, with a diagnosis of ADHD, demographic information and a prescription for medication known to treat ADHD. In addition, we further stratified ADHD medication use by stimulant/nonstimulant categories. RESULTS There was a 1.6% and 4.7% absolute increase in children with an ADHD diagnosis and those prescribed ADHD medications, respectively, from 2016 to 2019. Most of these children were male, non-Hispanic, and on public insurance. Of the children prescribed an ADHD medication and concomitant behavioral medications, stimulants-only use was the highest (60%-67%), followed by stimulants/nonstimulants (13%-15%), stimulant/antidepressants (6%-9%), and nonstimulants only (5%-9%). The proportion of patients with ADHD in the high-income and near-poor categories increased by 4% from 2016 to 2019. CONCLUSION Diagnosis of ADHD among children is trending upward in the United States. Central nervous system stimulants, especially methylphenidate formulations, are the most prescribed ADHD medications for children 17 years and younger.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samuel K Peasah
- Center for Value-based Pharmacy Initiative, CHVHC, UPMC Health Plan, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Erin McConnell
- Department of Pharmacy Services, UPMC Health Plan, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Kavita K Fischer
- Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, UPMC Insurance Services Division, Pittsburgh, PA; and
| | - Chester B Good
- Center for Value-based Pharmacy Initiatives, CHVHC/Department of Pharmacy Services, UPMC Health Plan, Pittsburgh, PA
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Rubenstein E, Tewolde S, Levine AA, Droscha L, Meyer RM, Michals A, Skotko B. Medicare, Medicaid, and dual enrollment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Health Serv Res 2024; 59:e14287. [PMID: 38264862 PMCID: PMC11063084 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Given high rates of un- and underemployment among disabled people, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities rely on Medicaid, Medicare, or both to pay for healthcare. Many disabled adults are Medicare eligible before the age of 65 but little is known as to why some receive Medicare services while others do not. We described the duration of Medicare enrollment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in 2019 and then compared demographics by enrollment type (Medicare-only, Medicaid-only, dual-enrolled). Additionally, we examined the percent in each enrollment type by state, and differences in enrollment type for those with Down syndrome. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING 2019 Medicare and Medicaid claims data for all adults (≥18 years) in the US with claim codes for intellectual disability, Down syndrome, or autism at any time between 2011 and 2019. STUDY DESIGN Administrative claims cohort. DATA COLLECTION AND ABSTRACTION METHODS Data were from the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytic Files and Medicare Beneficiary Summary files. PRINCIPLE FINDINGS In 2019, Medicare insured 582,868 adults with identified intellectual disability, autism, or Down syndrome. Of 582,868 Medicare beneficiaries, 149,172 were Medicare only and 433,396 were dual-enrolled. Most Medicare enrollees were enrolled as child dependents (61.5%) Medicaid-only enrollees (N = 819,256) were less likely to be white non-Hispanic (58.5% white non-Hispanic vs. 72.9% white non-Hispanic in dual-enrolled), more likely to be Hispanic (19.6% Hispanic vs. 9.2% Hispanic in dual-enrolled) and were younger (mean 34.2 years vs. 50.5 years dual-enrolled). CONCLUSION There is heterogeneity in public insurance enrollment which is associated with state and disability type. Action is needed to ensure all are insured in the program that works for their healthcare needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Rubenstein
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Salina Tewolde
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - A. Alex Levine
- Department of Health Policy Law and ManagementBoston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Lillian Droscha
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Rachel Midori Meyer
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Amy Michals
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics CenterBoston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Brian Skotko
- Massachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
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Adams SM, Riley T, Quinn PD, Meraz R, Karna V, Rickert M, D'Onofrio BM. Racial-Ethnic Differences in ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment During Adolescence and Early Adulthood. Psychiatr Serv 2024; 75:521-527. [PMID: 38239182 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20230113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined racial-ethnic differences in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and treatment during adolescence and early adulthood. METHODS A national health care claims database was used to identify a cohort of 4,216,757 commercially insured youths with at least 1 year of coverage during 2014-2019. Racial-ethnic differences in the prevalence of visits with a recorded ADHD diagnosis (identified through ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes) and of ADHD treatment (identified through medical claims for psychosocial treatments and pharmacy claims for ADHD medications) were examined. Period prevalence rates were determined within five age categories, stratified by race-ethnicity. Poisson regression with a natural log link was used within each age category to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) comparing prevalence in each racially and ethnically minoritized group with prevalence in the White group. RESULTS The overall prevalence of ADHD diagnosis was 9.1% at ages 12-14 and 5.3% at ages 24-25. In each age category, Asian, Black, and Hispanic youths had lower prevalence of ADHD diagnosis than did White youths (PR=0.29-0.77). Among youths with an ADHD diagnosis, relative racial-ethnic differences in treatment were small (PR=0.92-1.03). CONCLUSIONS Throughout adolescence and early adulthood, racially and ethnically minoritized youths were less likely than White youths to have health care visits with recorded ADHD diagnoses and, among those with diagnoses, were also slightly less likely to receive treatment. More research is needed to understand the processes underlying these differences and their potential health consequences among racially and ethnically minoritized youths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney M Adams
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (Adams, Meraz, Karna, Rickert, D'Onofrio), Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, School of Education (Riley), and Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health (Quinn), Indiana University, Bloomington; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (D'Onofrio)
| | - Tennisha Riley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (Adams, Meraz, Karna, Rickert, D'Onofrio), Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, School of Education (Riley), and Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health (Quinn), Indiana University, Bloomington; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (D'Onofrio)
| | - Patrick D Quinn
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (Adams, Meraz, Karna, Rickert, D'Onofrio), Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, School of Education (Riley), and Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health (Quinn), Indiana University, Bloomington; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (D'Onofrio)
| | - Richard Meraz
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (Adams, Meraz, Karna, Rickert, D'Onofrio), Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, School of Education (Riley), and Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health (Quinn), Indiana University, Bloomington; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (D'Onofrio)
| | - Vivek Karna
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (Adams, Meraz, Karna, Rickert, D'Onofrio), Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, School of Education (Riley), and Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health (Quinn), Indiana University, Bloomington; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (D'Onofrio)
| | - Martin Rickert
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (Adams, Meraz, Karna, Rickert, D'Onofrio), Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, School of Education (Riley), and Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health (Quinn), Indiana University, Bloomington; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (D'Onofrio)
| | - Brian M D'Onofrio
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (Adams, Meraz, Karna, Rickert, D'Onofrio), Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, School of Education (Riley), and Department of Applied Health Science, School of Public Health (Quinn), Indiana University, Bloomington; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (D'Onofrio)
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8
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Apperly IA, Lee R, van der Kleij SW, Devine RT. A transdiagnostic approach to neurodiversity in a representative population sample: The N+ 4 model. JCPP ADVANCES 2024; 4:e12219. [PMID: 38827989 PMCID: PMC11143952 DOI: 10.1002/jcv2.12219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The concept of neurodiversity draws upon scientific research, and lessons from practice and lived experience to suggest new ways of thinking about neurodevelopmental conditions. Among the formative observations are that characteristics associated with neurodevelopmental conditions are part of a "broader phenotype" of variation across the whole population, and that there appear to be "transdiagnostic" similarities as well as differences in these characteristics. These observations raise important questions that have implications for understanding diversity in neurodevelopmental conditions and in neurocognitive phenotypes across the whole population. Method The present work examines broader phenotypes using seven widely used self-report assessments of traits associated with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, Developmental Coordination Disorder/dyspraxia, tic disorders/Tourette's, cortical hyperexcitability associated with subclinical epilepsy, and sensory sensitivities. A representative sample of 995 adults (aged 17-77) in the UK completed self-report measures of neurodiversity, wellbeing, generalized anxiety, and depression, and cognitive abilities (nonverbal intelligence and executive functioning). Results We used confirmatory factor analysis to test whether variation and covariation was better characterized (1) by traditional diagnostic labels, or (2) transdiagnostically according to similarities in functions, behaviours, or phenomena. Results indicated that neurodiversity characteristics were best explained using a bifactor model with one general "N" factor and four condition-specific factors. Conclusion This was the largest examination to date of the factor structure of broader phenotypes relevant to neurodevelopmental conditions. It provides critical benchmark data, and a framework approach for asking systematic questions about the structure of neurocognitive diversities seen in the whole population and in people with one or more diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian A. Apperly
- Centre for Developmental ScienceSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Robert Lee
- Centre for Developmental ScienceSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Sanne W. van der Kleij
- Centre for Developmental ScienceSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Rory T. Devine
- Centre for Developmental ScienceSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
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9
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Freeman SJ, Nisenbaum R, Jegathesan T, Sgro MD. Healthcare visits for new neurodevelopmental problems before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03279-0. [PMID: 38796534 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03279-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare delivery. We hypothesized that children with neurodevelopmental problems would have reduced healthcare utilization during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic. METHODS We conducted a population-based study of healthcare visits for new neurodevelopmental problems among children ages 0-6 years in Ontario, Canada. Our outcome measure was rate per 1000 children-months for healthcare visits for new neurodevelopmental problems. We compared changes in monthly rates before and during the pandemic using interrupted time series analysis (ITSA). RESULTS The rate of new neurodevelopmental problems before the pandemic was 6.31 per 1000 children-months and during the pandemic was 6.58 per 1000 children-months. However, using ITSA, there were no differences in monthly rates of healthcare visits for new neurodevelopmental problems before and during the pandemic. The observed rate during the first 30 days of the pandemic dropped to 3.40 per 1000 children-months. CONCLUSION We found no significant difference in rates of healthcare visits for new neurodevelopmental problems before and during the pandemic. There was a decrease in the number of visits during the first 30 days of the pandemic compared to all months prior. IMPACT This study found no significant difference in rates of healthcare visits for new neurodevelopmental problems before and during the pandemic. There was a decrease in the number of visits during the first 30 days of the pandemic compared to all months prior. This study adds information on healthcare access for children during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid deployment of virtual healthcare delivery in Ontario, Canada may explain the fast recovery of healthcare utilization for children with neurodevelopmental problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sloane J Freeman
- Women and Children's Health Program, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Rosane Nisenbaum
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Applied Health Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Thivia Jegathesan
- Women and Children's Health Program, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Joint Centre for Bioethics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael D Sgro
- Women and Children's Health Program, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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10
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Suarez EA, Bateman BT, Hernandez-Diaz S, Straub L, McDougle CJ, Wisner KL, Gray KJ, Pennell PB, Lester B, Zhu Y, Mogun H, Huybrechts KF. Prescription Stimulant Use During Pregnancy and Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children. JAMA Psychiatry 2024; 81:477-488. [PMID: 38265792 PMCID: PMC10809143 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.5073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Importance Use of medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during pregnancy is increasing in the US. Whether exposure to these medications in utero impacts the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children is uncertain. Objective To evaluate the association of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders with in utero exposure to stimulant medications for ADHD. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included health care utilization data from publicly insured (Medicaid data from 2000 to 2018) and commercially insured (MarketScan Commercial Claims Database data from 2003 to 2020) pregnant individuals aged 12 to 55 years in the US with enrollment from 3 months prior to pregnancy through 1 month after delivery, linked to children. Children were monitored from birth until outcome diagnosis, disenrollment, death, or end of the study (December 2018 for Medicaid and December 2020 for MarketScan). Exposures Dispensing of amphetamine/dextroamphetamine or methylphenidate in the second half of pregnancy. Main Outcomes and Measures Autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and a composite of any neurodevelopmental disorder were defined using validated algorithms. Hazard ratios were estimated comparing amphetamine/dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate to no exposure. Results The publicly insured cohort included 2 496 771 stimulant-unexposed, 4693 amphetamine/dextroamphetamine-exposed, and 786 methylphenidate-exposed pregnancies with a mean (SD) age of 25.2 (6.0) years. The commercially insured cohort included 1 773 501 stimulant-unexposed, 2372 amphetamine/dextroamphetamine-exposed, and 337 methylphenidate-exposed pregnancies with a mean (SD) age of 31.6 (4.6) years. In unadjusted analyses, amphetamine/dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate exposure were associated with a 2- to 3-fold increased risk of the neurodevelopmental outcomes considered. After adjustment for measured confounders, amphetamine/dextroamphetamine exposure was not associated with any outcome (autism spectrum disorder: hazard ratio [HR], 0.80; 95% CI, 0.56-1.14]; ADHD: HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.89-1.28; any neurodevelopmental disorder: HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.81-1.28). Methylphenidate exposure was associated with an increased risk of ADHD (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.12-1.82]) but not other outcomes after adjustment (autism spectrum disorder: HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.62-1.81; any neurodevelopmental disorder: HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.97-1.36). The association between methylphenidate and ADHD did not persist in sensitivity analyses with stricter control for confounding by maternal ADHD. Conclusions and Relevance The findings in this study suggest that amphetamine/dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate exposure in utero are not likely to meaningfully increase the risk of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Suarez
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Brian T. Bateman
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Sonia Hernandez-Diaz
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Loreen Straub
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Christopher J. McDougle
- Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lexington
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Katherine L. Wisner
- The Asher Center for the Study and Treatment of Depressive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kathryn J. Gray
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Page B. Pennell
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Barry Lester
- Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Yanmin Zhu
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Helen Mogun
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Krista F. Huybrechts
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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11
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Seppänen AV, Barros H, Draper ES, Petrou S, Andronis L, Kim S, Maier RF, Pedersen P, Gadzinowski J, Pierrat V, Sarrechia I, Lebeer J, Ådén U, Toome L, Thiele N, van Heijst A, Cuttini M, Zeitlin J. Variation in follow-up for children born very preterm in Europe. Eur J Public Health 2024; 34:91-100. [PMID: 37978865 PMCID: PMC10843937 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckad192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children born very preterm (<32 weeks of gestation) face high risks of neurodevelopmental and health difficulties compared with children born at term. Follow-up after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit is essential to ensure early detection and intervention, but data on policy approaches are sparse. METHODS We investigated the characteristics of follow-up policy and programmes in 11 European countries from 2011 to 2022 using healthcare informant questionnaires and the published/grey literature. We further explored how one aspect of follow-up, its recommended duration, may be reflected in the percent of parents reporting that their children are receiving follow-up services at 5 years of age in these countries using data from an area-based cohort of very preterm births in 2011/12 (N = 3635). RESULTS Between 2011/12 and 22, the number of countries with follow-up policies or programmes increased from 6 to 11. The policies and programmes were heterogeneous in eligibility criteria, duration and content. In countries that recommended longer follow-up, parent-reported follow-up rates at 5 years of age were higher, especially among the highest risk children, born <28 weeks' gestation or with birthweight <1000 g: between 42.1% and 70.1%, vs. <20% in most countries without recommendations. CONCLUSIONS Large variations exist in follow-up policies and programmes for children born very preterm in Europe; differences in recommended duration translate into cross-country disparities in reported follow-up at 5 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Veera Seppänen
- Université de Paris Cité, Inserm, INRAE, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Obstetrical Perinatal and Paediatric Epidemiology Research Team (EPOPé), Paris, France
| | - Henrique Barros
- EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Stavros Petrou
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lazaros Andronis
- Division of Clinical Trials, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Sungwook Kim
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rolf F Maier
- Children’s Hospital, University Hospital, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Janusz Gadzinowski
- Department of Neonatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Véronique Pierrat
- Université de Paris Cité, Inserm, INRAE, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Obstetrical Perinatal and Paediatric Epidemiology Research Team (EPOPé), Paris, France
| | - Iemke Sarrechia
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jo Lebeer
- Department of Family Medicine & Population Health, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ulrika Ådén
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neonatal Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Liis Toome
- Department of Neonatal and Infant Medicine, Tallinn Children's Hospital, Tallinn, Estonia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Nicole Thiele
- European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI), Munich, Germany
| | - Arno van Heijst
- Department of Neonatology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Neonatology, Erasmus MC—Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marina Cuttini
- Clinical Care and Management Innovation Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Jennifer Zeitlin
- Université de Paris Cité, Inserm, INRAE, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and StatisticS (CRESS), Obstetrical Perinatal and Paediatric Epidemiology Research Team (EPOPé), Paris, France
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12
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Wang S, Puggioni G, Wu J, Meador KJ, Caffrey A, Wyss R, Slaughter JL, Suzuki E, Ward KE, Lewkowitz AK, Wen X. Prenatal Exposure to Opioids and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children: A Bayesian Mediation Analysis. Am J Epidemiol 2024; 193:308-322. [PMID: 37671942 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwad183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
This study explores natural direct and joint natural indirect effects (JNIE) of prenatal opioid exposure on neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in children mediated through pregnancy complications, major and minor congenital malformations, and adverse neonatal outcomes, using Medicaid claims linked to vital statistics in Rhode Island, United States, 2008-2018. A Bayesian mediation analysis with elastic net shrinkage prior was developed to estimate mean time to NDD diagnosis ratio using posterior mean and 95% credible intervals (CrIs) from Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms. Simulation studies showed desirable model performance. Of 11,176 eligible pregnancies, 332 had ≥2 dispensations of prescription opioids anytime during pregnancy, including 200 (1.8%) having ≥1 dispensation in the first trimester (T1), 169 (1.5%) in the second (T2), and 153 (1.4%) in the third (T3). A significant JNIE of opioid exposure was observed in each trimester (T1, JNIE = 0.97, 95% CrI: 0.95, 0.99; T2, JNIE = 0.97, 95% CrI: 0.95, 0.99; T3, JNIE = 0.96, 95% CrI: 0.94, 0.99). The proportion of JNIE in each trimester was 17.9% (T1), 22.4% (T2), and 56.3% (T3). In conclusion, adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes jointly mediated the association between prenatal opioid exposure and accelerated time to NDD diagnosis. The proportion of JNIE increased as the timing of opioid exposure approached delivery.
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13
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Barry MJ, Nicholson WK, Silverstein M, Chelmow D, Coker TR, Davis EM, Donahue KE, Jaén CR, Li L, Mangione CM, Ogedegbe G, Rao G, Ruiz JM, Stevermer J, Tsevat J, Underwood SM, Wong JB. Screening for Speech and Language Delay and Disorders in Children: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA 2024; 331:329-334. [PMID: 38261037 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.26952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Importance Speech and language delays and disorders can pose significant problems for children and their families. Evidence suggests that school-aged children with speech or language delays may be at increased risk of learning and literacy disabilities, including difficulties with reading and writing. Objective The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) commissioned a systematic review to evaluate benefits and harms of screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children 5 years or younger. Population Asymptomatic children 5 years or younger whose parents or clinicians do not have specific concerns about their speech, language, hearing, or development. Evidence Assessment The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children who do not present with signs or symptoms or parent/caregiver concerns. Recommendation The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for speech and language delay and disorders in children 5 years or younger without signs or symptoms. (I statement).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Esa M Davis
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore
| | | | | | - Li Li
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville
| | | | | | - Goutham Rao
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | | | - Joel Tsevat
- University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio
| | | | - John B Wong
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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14
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Liu X, Zhu Y, Seamans M, Nianogo R, Janzen C, Fei Z, Chen L. Gestational diabetes mellitus and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in young offspring: does the risk differ by race and ethnicity? Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2024; 6:101217. [PMID: 37940104 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajogmf.2023.101217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies examined the associations of gestational diabetes mellitus with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, the associations between gestational diabetes mellitus and other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as the common speech/language disorder and developmental coordination disorder, are rarely studied, and whether the associations vary by race/ethnicity remains unknown. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the associations of gestational diabetes mellitus with individual neurodevelopmental disorders in young offspring, and to investigate whether the associations vary by race/ethnicity. STUDY DESIGN This retrospective cohort study (Glucose in Relation to Women and Babies' Health [GrownB]) included 14,480 mother-offspring pairs in a large medical center in the United States from March 1, 2013 to August 31, 2021. We ascertained gestational diabetes mellitus using the validated ICD (International Classification of Diseases) codes (ICD-9: 648.8x; ICD-10: O24.4x), and identified neurodevelopmental disorders (speech/language disorder, developmental coordination disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and other neurodevelopmental disorders [attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, behavioral disorder, intellectual disability, and learning difficulty]) and their combinations using validated algorithms. We compared the hazard of neurodevelopmental disorders during the entire follow-up period between offspring born to mothers with and without gestational diabetes mellitus using multivariable Cox regression models. RESULTS Among all mothers, 19.9% were Asian, 21.8% were Hispanic, 41.0% were non-Hispanic White, and 17.3% were of other/unknown race/ethnicity. During the median follow-up of 3.5 years (range, 1.0-6.3 years) after birth, 8.7% of offspring developed at least 1 neurodevelopmental disorder. Gestational diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher risk of speech/language disorder (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.59 [95% confidence interval, 1.07-2.35]), developmental coordination disorder (2.36 [1.37-4.04]), autism spectrum disorder (3.16 [1.36-7.37]), other neurodevelopmental disorders (3.12 [1.51-6.47]), any neurodevelopmental disorder (1.86 [1.36-2.53]), the combination of speech/language disorder and autism spectrum disorder (3.79 [1.35-10.61]), and the combination of speech/language disorder and developmental coordination disorder (4.22 [1.69-10.51]) among offspring born to non-Hispanic White mothers. No associations between gestational diabetes mellitus and any neurodevelopmental disorders or their combinations were observed among offspring born to mothers of other racial/ethnic groups. CONCLUSION We observed an elevated risk of neurodevelopmental disorders among young offspring born to non-Hispanic White mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus, but not among other racial/ethnic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (Drs Liu, Seamans, Nianogo, and Chen)
| | - Yeyi Zhu
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA. (Dr Zhu); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (Dr Zhu)
| | - Marissa Seamans
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (Drs Liu, Seamans, Nianogo, and Chen)
| | - Roch Nianogo
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (Drs Liu, Seamans, Nianogo, and Chen); California Center for Population Research, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (Dr Nianogo)
| | - Carla Janzen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (Dr Janzen)
| | - Zhe Fei
- Department of Statistics, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA (Dr Fei)
| | - Liwei Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA (Drs Liu, Seamans, Nianogo, and Chen).
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15
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Calame DG, Emrick LT. Functional genomics and small molecules in mitochondrial neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurotherapeutics 2024; 21:e00316. [PMID: 38244259 PMCID: PMC10903096 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurot.2024.e00316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are critical for brain development and homeostasis. Therefore, pathogenic variation in the mitochondrial or nuclear genome which disrupts mitochondrial function frequently results in developmental disorders and neurodegeneration at the organismal level. Large-scale application of genome-wide technologies to individuals with mitochondrial diseases has dramatically accelerated identification of mitochondrial disease-gene associations in humans. Multi-omic and high-throughput studies involving transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and saturation genome editing are providing deeper insights into the functional consequence of mitochondrial genomic variation. Integration of deep phenotypic and genomic data through allelic series continues to uncover novel mitochondrial functions and permit mitochondrial gene function dissection on an unprecedented scale. Finally, mitochondrial disease-gene associations illuminate disease mechanisms and thereby direct therapeutic strategies involving small molecules and RNA-DNA therapeutics. This review summarizes progress in functional genomics and small molecule therapeutics in mitochondrial neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G Calame
- Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Lisa T Emrick
- Section of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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16
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Lai MC. Mental health challenges faced by autistic people. Nat Hum Behav 2023; 7:1620-1637. [PMID: 37864080 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01718-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Mental health challenges impede the well-being of autistic people. This Review outlines contributing neurodevelopmental and physical health conditions, rates and developmental trajectories of mental health challenges experienced by autistic people, as well as unique clinical presentations. A framework is proposed to consider four contributing themes to aid personalized formulation: social-contextual determinants, adverse life experiences, autistic cognitive features, and shared genetic and early environmental predispositions. Current evidence-based and clinical-knowledge-informed intervention guidance and ongoing development of support are highlighted for specific mental health areas. Tailored mental health support for autistic people should be neurodivergence-informed, which is fundamentally humanistic and compatible with the prevailing bio-psycho-social frameworks. The personalized formulation should be holistic, considering physical health and transdiagnostic neurodevelopmental factors, intellectual and communication abilities, and contextual-experiential determinants and their interplay with autistic cognition and biology, alongside resilience. Supporting family well-being is integral. Mutual empathic understanding is fundamental to creating societies in which people across neurotypes are all empowered to thrive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Chuan Lai
- Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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17
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Schott W, Tao S, Shea L. Prevalence of high-risk conditions for severe COVID-19 among Medicaid-enrolled children with autism and mental health diagnoses in the United States. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:2145-2157. [PMID: 36799305 PMCID: PMC9941459 DOI: 10.1177/13623613231155265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Children are at risk of varying severity of illness and even death from COVID-19. We aim to determine whether autistic children or children with mental health conditions have more underlying health conditions that put people at risk of severe illness from COVID-19. We use data from a national sample of Medicaid-enrolled children for the years 2008-2016. These data include children across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. We compare the prevalence of underlying conditions among autistic children and children with mental health condition to that of other children in Medicaid. This study included 888,487 autistic children, 423,397 with any mental health condition (but not autism), and 932,625 children without any of these diagnoses. We found 29.5% of autistic children and 25.2% of children with mental health conditions had an underlying condition with high risk for severe illness from COVID, compared to 14.1% of children without these diagnoses. Autistic children had over twice the odds of having any underlying conditions, when accounting for age, race, sex, and other characteristics. Children with mental health conditions had 70% higher odds of having these underlying conditions. Mitigation measures in schools and other areas could minimize risk of short- and long-term impacts from COVID for autistic and all children.
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18
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Elia J, Pajer K, Prasad R, Pumariega A, Maltenfort M, Utidjian L, Shenkman E, Kelleher K, Rao S, Margolis PA, Christakis DA, Hardan AY, Ballard R, Forrest CB. Electronic health records identify timely trends in childhood mental health conditions. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2023; 17:107. [PMID: 37710303 PMCID: PMC10503059 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-023-00650-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Electronic health records (EHRs) data provide an opportunity to collect patient information rapidly, efficiently and at scale. National collaborative research networks, such as PEDSnet, aggregate EHRs data across institutions, enabling rapid identification of pediatric disease cohorts and generating new knowledge for medical conditions. To date, aggregation of EHR data has had limited applications in advancing our understanding of mental health (MH) conditions, in part due to the limited research in clinical informatics, necessary for the translation of EHR data to child mental health research. METHODS In this cohort study, a comprehensive EHR-based typology was developed by an interdisciplinary team, with expertise in informatics and child and adolescent psychiatry, to query aggregated, standardized EHR data for the full spectrum of MH conditions (disorders/symptoms and exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), across 13 years (2010-2023), from 9 PEDSnet centers. Patients with and without MH disorders/symptoms (without ACEs), were compared by age, gender, race/ethnicity, insurance, and chronic physical conditions. Patients with ACEs alone were compared with those that also had MH disorders/symptoms. Prevalence estimates for patients with 1+ disorder/symptoms and for specific disorders/symptoms and exposure to ACEs were calculated, as well as risk for developing MH disorder/symptoms. RESULTS The EHR study data set included 7,852,081 patients < 21 years of age, of which 52.1% were male. Of this group, 1,552,726 (19.8%), without exposure to ACEs, had a lifetime MH disorders/symptoms, 56.5% being male. Annual prevalence estimates of MH disorders/symptoms (without exposure to ACEs) rose from 10.6% to 2010 to 15.1% in 2023, a 44% relative increase, peaking to 15.4% in 2019, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. MH categories with the largest increases between 2010 and 2023 were exposure to ACEs (1.7, 95% CI 1.6-1.8), anxiety disorders (2.8, 95% CI 2.8-2.9), eating/feeding disorders (2.1, 95% CI 2.1-2.2), gender dysphoria/sexual dysfunction (43.6, 95% CI 35.8-53.0), and intentional self-harm/suicidality (3.3, 95% CI 3.2-3.5). White youths had the highest rates in most categories, except for disruptive behavior disorders, elimination disorders, psychotic disorders, and standalone symptoms which Black youths had higher rates. Median age of detection was 8.1 years (IQR 3.5-13.5) with all standalone symptoms recorded earlier than the corresponding MH disorder categories. CONCLUSIONS These results support EHRs' capability in capturing the full spectrum of MH disorders/symptoms and exposure to ACEs, identifying the proportion of patients and groups at risk, and detecting trends throughout a 13-year period that included the Covid-19 pandemic. Standardized EHR data, which capture MH conditions is critical for health systems to examine past and current trends for future surveillance. Our publicly available EHR-mental health typology codes can be used in other studies to further advance research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Elia
- Department of Pediatrics, Nemours Children's Health Delaware, Sydney Kimmel School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, US.
| | - Kathleen Pajer
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Raghuram Prasad
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, US
| | - Andres Pumariega
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida College of Medicine, University of Florida Health, Gainesville, FL, US
| | - Mitchell Maltenfort
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, US
| | - Levon Utidjian
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, US
| | - Elizabeth Shenkman
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, US
| | - Kelly Kelleher
- The Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Ohio, US
| | - Suchitra Rao
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Colorado, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, US
| | - Peter A Margolis
- James Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, US
| | - Dimitri A Christakis
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, US
| | - Antonio Y Hardan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, US
| | - Rachel Ballard
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL, US
| | - Christopher B Forrest
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, US
- Applied Clinical Research Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Healthcare Management, Perelman School of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, US
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19
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Srinivasan AP, Sullivan E, Desai A, Adiele A, Bell S, Lion KC. Disparities in Pediatric Specialty Referral Scheduling and Completion. J Pediatr 2023; 260:113485. [PMID: 37196777 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To estimate differences in scheduled and completed specialty referrals by race, ethnicity, language for care, and insurance type. STUDY DESIGN We studied a retrospective cohort of 38 334 specialty referrals to a large children's hospital between March 2019 and March 2021. We included referrals for patients with primary care clinics within 5 miles of the hospital. We examined whether the odds of and time to scheduled and completed referrals differed by patient sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS Of all referrals, 62% were scheduled and 54% were completed. Referral completion rates were lower for patients with Black race (45%), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander race (48%), Spanish language (49%), and public insurance (47%). Odds of scheduled and completed referral were lower for Asian (aOR scheduled: 0.94, [95% CI: 0.89, 0.99]; aOR completed: 0.92 [0.87, 0.97]), Black (aOR scheduled: 0.86 [0.79, 0.94]; aOR completed: 0.80 [0.73, 0.87]), and publicly insured patients (aOR scheduled: 0.71 [0.66, 0.75]; aOR completed: 0.70 [0.66, 0.75]). Time to scheduled and completed referral was longer for Black (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] scheduled: 0.93 [0.88, 0.98]; aHR completed: 0.93 [0.87, 0.99]) and publicly insured patients (aHR scheduled: 0.85 [0.82, 0.88]; aHR completed: 0.84 [0.80, 0.87]) and families with a language other than English (aHR scheduled: 0.66 [0.62, 0.70]; aHR completed: 0.92 [0.86, 0.99]). CONCLUSIONS Within a geographically homogenous pediatric population, the odds and time to scheduled and completed specialty referrals differed by sociodemographic characteristics, suggesting the effects of discrimination. To improve access equity, health care organizations need clear and consistent referral workflows and more comprehensive metrics for access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisha P Srinivasan
- Department of Pediatrics, MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA.
| | - Erin Sullivan
- Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | - Arti Desai
- Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Institute, Seattle, WA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Alicia Adiele
- Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | - Shaquita Bell
- Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Institute, Seattle, WA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - K Casey Lion
- Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Institute, Seattle, WA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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20
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Rubenstein E, Michals A, Wang N, Scott A, Tewolde S, Levine AA, Tripodis Y, Skotko BG. Medicaid Enrollment and Service Use Among Adults With Down Syndrome. JAMA HEALTH FORUM 2023; 4:e232320. [PMID: 37566429 PMCID: PMC10422190 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2023.2320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Down syndrome is the leading genetic cause of intellectual disability and automatically qualifies individuals for Social Security Insurance. Therefore, Medicaid is the major health insurance provider for a population at high risk for dementia, obesity, and premature mortality. Despite the importance of Medicaid for adults with Down syndrome, little is known about how this population uses Medicaid. Objective To describe enrollment in, health care use in, and cost to Medicaid for adults with Down syndrome compared with adults with intellectual disability and a random sample of adults enrolled in Medicaid. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cohort study, the data are from a claims cohort of adults aged 18 years or older enrolled in Medicaid at any point between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2019. Participants were enrollees with 1 or more inpatient claim or 2 or more other claims with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code or an International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision code for Down syndrome or intellectual disability as well as a random sample of those without developmental disability. Analyses were conducted from June 2022 to February 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures Data were linked across 2 data reporting systems. Main outcomes were enrollee demographic characteristics, enrollment characteristics, cost, and service use. Results This cohort study included 123 024 individuals with Down syndrome (820 273 person-years of coverage; mean [SD] age, 35 [14.7] years; median age, 33 years [IQR, 21-48 years]; 51.6% men; 14.1% Black individuals; 16.7% Hispanic individuals; and 74.6% White individuals), 1 182 246 individuals with intellectual disability (mean [SD] age, 37.1 [16.8] years; median age, 33 years [IQR, 22-50 years]; 56.5% men; 22.0% Black individuals; 11.7% Hispanic individuals; and 69.5% White individuals), and 3 176 371 individuals with no developmental disabilities (mean [SD] age, 38 [18.6] years; median age, 33 years [IQR, 21-52 years]; 43.8% men; 23.7% Black individuals; 20.7% Hispanic individuals; and 61.3% White individuals). Median enrollment in Medicaid for a person with Down syndrome was 8.0 years (IQR, 5.0-9.0 years; mean [SD], 6.6 [2.6] years). Costs were higher for the Down syndrome group (median, $26 278 per person-year [IQR, $11 145-$55 928 per person-year]) relative to the group with no developmental disabilities (median, $6173 per person-year [IQR, $868-$58 390 per person-year]). Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Pacific Islander adults with Down syndrome had fewer costs and claims per person-year compared with White adults with Down syndrome. Conclusion and Relevance This cohort study of individuals with Down syndrome enrolled in Medicaid found consistent enrollment and high use of health care in a population with high health care needs. Results were similar comparing individuals with Down syndrome and those with intellectual disability, with both groups differing from a sample of Medicaid enrollees with no developmental disabilities. Medicaid data are a useful tool for understanding the health and well-being of individuals with Down syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Rubenstein
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Amy Michals
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Na Wang
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ashley Scott
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Salina Tewolde
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - A. Alex Levine
- Department of Health Policy Law and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brian G. Skotko
- Down Syndrome Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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21
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Wallis KE, Adebajo T, Bennett AE, Drye M, Gerdes M, Miller JS, Guthrie W. Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in a large pediatric primary care network. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 27:1840-1846. [PMID: 36652297 PMCID: PMC10352464 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221147396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Historically, children from non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic backgrounds, those from lower-income families, and girls are less likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Under-identification among these historically and contemporaneously marginalized groups can limit their access to early, autism spectrum disorder-specific interventions, which can have long-term negative impacts. Recent data suggest that some of these trends may be narrowing, or even reversing. Using electronic health record data, we calculated autism spectrum disorder prevalence rates and age of first documented diagnosis across socio-demographic groups. Our cohort included children seen at young ages (when eligible for screening in early childhood) and again at least after 4 years of age in a large primary care network. We found that autism spectrum disorder prevalence was unexpectedly higher among Asian children, non-Hispanic Black children, children with higher Social Vulnerability Index scores (a measure of socio-economic risk at the neighborhood level), and children who received care in urban primary care sites. We did not find differences in the age at which autism spectrum disorder diagnoses were documented in children's records across these groups. Receiving primary care at an urban site (regardless of location of specialty care) appeared to account for most other socio-demographic differences in autism spectrum disorder prevalence rates, except among Asian children, who remained more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder after controlling for other factors. We must continue to better understand the process by which children with autism spectrum disorder from traditionally under-identified and under-served backgrounds come to be recognized, to continue to improve the equity of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate E. Wallis
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Toore Adebajo
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Amanda E. Bennett
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Madison Drye
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Marsha Gerdes
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Judith S. Miller
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Whitney Guthrie
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
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22
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McMath AL, Aguilar-Lopez M, Cannavale CN, Khan NA, Donovan SM. A systematic review on the impact of gastrointestinal microbiota composition and function on cognition in healthy infants and children. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1171970. [PMID: 37389363 PMCID: PMC10306408 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1171970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence from animal models or children with neurodevelopmental disorders has implicated the gut microbiome (GM) in neurocognitive development. However, even subclinical impairement of cognition can have negative consequences, as cognition serves as the foundation for skills necessary to succeed in school, vocation and socially. The present study aims to identify gut microbiome characteristics or changes in gut microbiome characteristics that consistently associate with cognitive outcomes in healthy, neurotypical infants and children. Of the 1,520 articles identified in the search, 23 were included in qualitative synthesis after applying exclusion criteria. Most studies were cross-sectional and focused on behavior or motor and language skills. Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Clostridia, Prevotella, and Roseburia were related to these aspects of cognition across several studies. While these results support the role of GM in cognitive development, higher quality studies focused on more complex cognition are needed to understand the extent to which the GM contributes to cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arden L. McMath
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Miriam Aguilar-Lopez
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Children’s Microbiome Center, Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Corinne N. Cannavale
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Naiman A. Khan
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Sharon M. Donovan
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
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23
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Li BZ, Sumera A, Booker SA, McCullagh EA. Current Best Practices for Analysis of Dendritic Spine Morphology and Number in Neurodevelopmental Disorder Research. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:1561-1572. [PMID: 37070364 PMCID: PMC10161226 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantitative methods for assessing neural anatomy have rapidly evolved in neuroscience and provide important insights into brain health and function. However, as new techniques develop, it is not always clear when and how each may be used to answer specific scientific questions posed. Dendritic spines, which are often indicative of synapse formation and neural plasticity, have been implicated across many brain regions in neurodevelopmental disorders as a marker for neural changes reflecting neural dysfunction or alterations. In this Perspective we highlight several techniques for staining, imaging, and quantifying dendritic spines as well as provide a framework for avoiding potential issues related to pseudoreplication. This framework illustrates how others may apply the most rigorous approaches. We consider the cost-benefit analysis of the varied techniques, recognizing that the most sophisticated equipment may not always be necessary for answering some research questions. Together, we hope this piece will help researchers determine the best strategy toward using the ever-growing number of techniques available to determine neural changes underlying dendritic spine morphology in health and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben-Zheng Li
- Department
of Physiology and Biophysics, University
of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - Anna Sumera
- Simons
Initiative for the Developing Brain, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, U.K.
| | - Sam A Booker
- Simons
Initiative for the Developing Brain, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, U.K.
| | - Elizabeth A. McCullagh
- Department
of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, United States
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24
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Boulton KA, Guastella AJ, Hodge MA, Demetriou EA, Ong N, Silove N. Mental health concerns in children with neurodevelopmental conditions attending a developmental assessment service. J Affect Disord 2023; 335:264-272. [PMID: 37119867 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Children with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) experience co-occurring mental health concerns. Little research has examined mental health symptoms in children attending developmental assessment services. This study profiled mental health symptoms in children with NDCs attending a hospital-based diagnostic service for their first diagnostic assessment. Participants were 232 children aged 1.96-17.51 years. Mental health concerns were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a caregiver-rated, questionnaire-based assessment of behavioural and emotional difficulties. Subclinical or clinically elevated internalising, externalising and total scores on the CBCL were reported in over one third of children. These increased prevalence rates remained after excluding items specifically relating to neurodevelopmental concerns. More school-aged females reported elevated internalising problems, relative to males (67 % vs 48 %). The number of diagnoses impacted symptoms, with children who received two or more DSM-5 diagnoses showing a greater rate of subclinical or clinically elevated scores, relative to children who received one DSM-5 diagnosis. Our findings demonstrate that children attending developmental assessment services have considerable mental health needs. It is critical that mental health concerns are identified and addressed in children when they first present to developmental assessment services, and that service providers are equipped to provide appropriate resources and pathways to ongoing care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsie A Boulton
- Clinic for Autism and Neurodevelopment (CAN) research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia; Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Australia.
| | - Adam J Guastella
- Clinic for Autism and Neurodevelopment (CAN) research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia; Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Marie-Antoinette Hodge
- Child Development Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Eleni A Demetriou
- Clinic for Autism and Neurodevelopment (CAN) research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia; Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Natalie Ong
- Child Development Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Natalie Silove
- Child Development Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Australia
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25
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Boulton KA, Hodge MA, Jewell A, Ong N, Silove N, Guastella AJ. Diagnostic delay in children with neurodevelopmental conditions attending a publicly funded developmental assessment service: findings from the Sydney Child Neurodevelopment Research Registry. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e069500. [PMID: 36725093 PMCID: PMC9896183 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Early developmental assessment is crucial for effective support and intervention. This study examined factors that contribute to (a) older child age when caregivers first became concerned about their child's development and (b) older child age at the point of entry into developmental and diagnostic assessment. We also quantified how factors contributed to risk of children not receiving an assessment by 5 years and considered the acceptability of electronic data capture for families. DESIGN This cross-sectional study collected information about caregiver developmental concerns, family history and child characteristics. SETTING Children and families entered a large, publicly funded hospital-based paediatric developmental assessment service. PARTICIPANTS Consecutively enrolled children (N=916) aged 6 months to 17 years with neurodevelopmental concerns and their caregivers. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES A developmental history questionnaire completed by caregivers. RESULTS The average age that caregivers identified developmental concerns was 3.0 years of age but the average age of a receiving a developmental assessment was 6.6 years. Only 46.4% of children received a diagnostic assessment by 5 years of age, even though 88.0% of caregivers were concerned about their child's development by that age. Parental age, relationship status, education level, prior use of support services and being from a culturally and linguistically diverse background contributed to age at identification of concern, age at diagnostic assessment and the likelihood of receiving a diagnostic assessment by 5 years. Electronic data capture had high acceptability, with 88.2% of caregivers reporting a preference for electronic completion of questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS The study shows a substantial delay in diagnostic assessments that leaves most vulnerable children without an assessment by school age and highlights contributors to delays. These delays highlight the complexity of delivering early intervention and support policies that rely on swift and appropriate developmental assessment to vulnerable families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsie A Boulton
- Clinic for Autism and Neurodevelopment (CAN) research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marie-Antoinette Hodge
- Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Child Development Unit, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ailsa Jewell
- Clinic for Autism and Neurodevelopment (CAN) research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natalie Ong
- Child Development Unit, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natalie Silove
- Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Child Development Unit, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Adam J Guastella
- Clinic for Autism and Neurodevelopment (CAN) research, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Child Neurodevelopment and Mental Health Team, Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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26
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Roth C, Kilpinen H, Kurian MA, Barral S. Histone lysine methyltransferase-related neurodevelopmental disorders: current knowledge and saRNA future therapies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1090046. [PMID: 36923252 PMCID: PMC10009263 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1090046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders encompass a group of debilitating diseases presenting with motor and cognitive dysfunction, with variable age of onset and disease severity. Advances in genetic diagnostic tools have facilitated the identification of several monogenic chromatin remodeling diseases that cause Neurodevelopmental disorders. Chromatin remodelers play a key role in the neuro-epigenetic landscape and regulation of brain development; it is therefore not surprising that mutations, leading to loss of protein function, result in aberrant neurodevelopment. Heterozygous, usually de novo mutations in histone lysine methyltransferases have been described in patients leading to haploinsufficiency, dysregulated protein levels and impaired protein function. Studies in animal models and patient-derived cell lines, have highlighted the role of histone lysine methyltransferases in the regulation of cell self-renewal, cell fate specification and apoptosis. To date, in depth studies of histone lysine methyltransferases in oncology have provided strong evidence of histone lysine methyltransferase dysregulation as a determinant of cancer progression and drug resistance. As a result, histone lysine methyltransferases have become an important therapeutic target for the treatment of different cancer forms. Despite recent advances, we still lack knowledge about the role of histone lysine methyltransferases in neuronal development. This has hampered both the study and development of precision therapies for histone lysine methyltransferases-related Neurodevelopmental disorders. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge of the role of histone lysine methyltransferases in neuronal development and disease progression. We will also discuss how RNA-based technologies using small-activating RNAs could potentially provide a novel therapeutic approach for the future treatment of histone lysine methyltransferase haploinsufficiency in these Neurodevelopmental disorders, and how they could be first tested in state-of-the-art patient-derived neuronal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Roth
- Molecular Neurosciences, Developmental Neurosciences Programme, Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helena Kilpinen
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Manju A Kurian
- Molecular Neurosciences, Developmental Neurosciences Programme, Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Serena Barral
- Molecular Neurosciences, Developmental Neurosciences Programme, Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Calixte R, Helzner EP, Islam S, Camacho-Rivera M, Pati S. Unmet Medical Needs and Food Insecurity in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Findings from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9121798. [PMID: 36553242 PMCID: PMC9776614 DOI: 10.3390/children9121798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In the United States, 17% of children ages 3−17 have a developmental disorder. The complexity of care for such children require families to provide a significant amount of health care at home, representing a substantial economic cost. Our study identifies sociodemographic characteristics of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) that are predictive of unmet medical needs and food insecurity. We modeled the outcomes using a multivariable generalized linear model and a robust Cox proportional hazard model. Among children with NDD, 7.4% reported a delay in obtaining care, 3.6% avoided getting care and 17.3% live in a household that experienced food insecurity. Lack of health insurance and lack of usual source of care increased the risk for cost-related delay in medical care and cost-related avoidance of medical care. Children with NDD whose parents have less than a college degree and those from households with income <$75,000 had increased risk for food insecurity in the past 30 days. Our results underscore the need to implement additional screening to identify children with NDD who are at greater risk for unmet medical and social needs by health care providers and care coordination organizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose Calixte
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Elizabeth P. Helzner
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
| | - Sumaiya Islam
- CUNY School of Medicine, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Department of General Public Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Marlene Camacho-Rivera
- Department of Community Health Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
| | - Susmita Pati
- Department ofPediatrics, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science®, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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Suarez EA, Bateman BT, Hernández-Díaz S, Straub L, Wisner KL, Gray KJ, Pennell PB, Lester B, McDougle CJ, Zhu Y, Mogun H, Huybrechts KF. Association of Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy With Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children. JAMA Intern Med 2022; 182:2797101. [PMID: 36190722 PMCID: PMC9531086 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.4268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Importance Antidepressant use during pregnancy has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in children in some studies. However, results may be explained by uncontrolled confounding by parental mental health status, genetics, and environmental factors. Objective To evaluate the association between antidepressant use in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study of health care utilization data was separated into cohorts of publicly and privately insured pregnant individuals and their children nested in the Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX; 2000-2014) and the IBM MarketScan Research Database (MarketScan; 2003-2015). A total of 1.93 million pregnancies in MAX and 1.25 million pregnancies in MarketScan were recorded. Children were followed from birth until outcome diagnosis, disenrollment, death, or end of study (maximum 14 years). Analyses were conducted between August 2020 and July 2021. Exposures Dispensing of antidepressant medication from gestational week 19 until delivery, the period of synaptogenesis. Main Outcomes and Measures Neurodevelopmental disorders in children defined using validated algorithms. Early pregnancy exposure was considered in sensitivity analyses, and approaches to confounding adjustment included propensity score fine stratification, discontinuers comparison, and sibling analyses. Results Among the individuals included in the analysis, there were 145 702 antidepressant-exposed and 3 032 745 unexposed pregnancies; the mean (SD) age among the antidepressant exposed and unexposed was 26.2 (5.7) and 24.3 (5.8) years in MAX and 32.7 (4.6) and 31.9 (4.6) years in MarketScan, respectively; and in MAX, which collected information on race and ethnicity, 72.4% of the antidepressant-exposed and 37.1% of the unexposed individuals were White. Crude results suggested up to a doubling in risk of neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with antidepressant exposure; however, no association was observed in the most fully adjusted analyses. When comparing antidepressant-exposed and unexposed siblings, hazard ratios were 0.97 (95% CI, 0.88-1.06) for any neurodevelopmental disorder, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.60-1.23) for autism spectrum disorder, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.81-1.08) for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, 0.77 (95% CI, 0.42-1.39) for specific learning disorders, 1.01 (95% CI, 0.88-1.16) for developmental speech/language disorder, 0.79 (95% CI, 0.54-1.17) for developmental coordination disorder, 1.00 (95% CI, 0.45-2.22) for intellectual disability, and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.80-1.12) for behavioral disorders. Results were generally consistent for antidepressant classes and drugs and across exposure windows. Conclusions and Relevance The results of this cohort study suggest that antidepressant use in pregnancy itself does not increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. However, given strong crude associations, antidepressant exposure in pregnancy may be an important marker for the need of early screening and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Suarez
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brian T. Bateman
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Sonia Hernández-Díaz
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Loreen Straub
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Katherine L. Wisner
- Asher Center for the Study and Treatment of Depressive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kathryn J. Gray
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Page B. Pennell
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Barry Lester
- Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Christopher J. McDougle
- Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lexington
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yanmin Zhu
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Helen Mogun
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Krista F. Huybrechts
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Loo KK, Cheng J, Sarco D, Nyp SS. Diagnostic Overshadowing: Insidious Neuroregression Mimicking Presentation of Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2022; 43:437-439. [PMID: 35943376 DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0000000000001109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
CASE Zac is a 13-year-old boy who presented with his parents to developmental-behavioral pediatrics seeking diagnostic clarity. He was born by vaginal delivery at full term after an uncomplicated pregnancy. Developmental milestones were met at typical ages until he was noted to have language delay and to be hyperactive and impulsive on entering preschool at age 4 years. Although he used some phrases in speech, he often used physical force to take toys from other children, rather than using words.On entering preschool at age 4 years, he was noted to have language delay (i.e., continued use of phrase speech only) and to be hyperactive and impulsive. An evaluation to determine eligibility for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) was completed and found him to have delays in cognition, receptive language, expressive language, social-emotional, and adaptive skills. His fine motor skills were in the low average range, and his gross motor skills were in the average range. He was admitted into an early childhood special education program, and aggressive behavior and hyperactivity decreased in the structured classroom.At age 7 years, Zac was re-evaluated by the school district and found to have moderate intellectual disability (ID). Chromosomal microarray analysis and testing for Fragile X syndrome were normal. He was noted to enjoy interacting with other children and adults, but his play was very immature (e.g., preference for cause/effect toys). He was able to respond appropriately when asked his name and age, but he also frequently demonstrated echolalia. He was also evaluated by his primary care physician and found to meet the criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, combined presentation (ADHD). Treatment with methylphenidate was initiated but discontinued after a brief time because of increased aggressive behaviors.Owing to continued significant tantrums, aggressive tendencies, and inability to communicate his basic needs, Zac was evaluated at a local Regional Center (statewide system for resources and access to services for individuals with developmental disabilities) at age 10 years and found to meet the criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and previous diagnosis of ID was confirmed. Zac received applied behavior analysis (ABA), but this was discontinued after 1 year because of a combination of a change in the insurance provider and parental perception that the therapy had not been beneficial.Zac became less hyperactive and energetic as he grew older. By the time Zac presented to the developmental-behavioral clinic at age 13 years, he was consistently using approximately 30 single words and was no longer combining words into phrases. He had a long latency in responding to verbal and nonverbal cues and seemed to be quite withdrawn. Physical examination revealed scoliosis and hand tremors while executing fine motor tasks. Seizures were not reported, but neuromotor regression was apparent from the examination and history. Laboratory studies including thyroid-stimulating hormone, free T4, creatine kinase, very-long-chain fatty acids, lactate, pyruvate, urine organic acids, and plasma amino acids were normal. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated abnormal T2 hyperintensities in the periventricular and deep cerebral white matter and peridentate cerebellar white matter, consistent with a "tigroid" pattern seen in metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) and other white matter neurodegenerative diseases. Arylsulfatase A mutation was detected with an expanded ID/ASD panel, and leukocyte arylsulfatase activity was low, confirming the diagnosis of juvenile-onset MLD.Are there behavioral markers and/or historical caveats that clinicians can use to distinguish between ASD/ID with coexisting ADHD and a neurodegenerative disorder with an insidious onset of regression?
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Affiliation(s)
- Kek Khee Loo
- Department of Pediatrics, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Pasadena, CA
| | - Jerry Cheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology-Oncology/BMT, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Dean Sarco
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Neurology, Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA; and
| | - Sarah S Nyp
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Health, UMKC School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO
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Peng J, Townsend J, Casamassimo P, Coury DL, Gowda C, Meyer B. Dental Care Differences Among the Behavioral Health Population in an Accountable Care Organization: A Retrospective Cohort. Acad Pediatr 2022; 23:839-845. [PMID: 36055449 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2022.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare dental utilization and expenditures between children with and without behavioral health (BH) diagnoses in an accountable care organization. METHODS This retrospective cohort study used enrollment and claims data of Medicaid-enrolled children in Ohio. Children with 7 years of continuous enrollment from 2013 to 2019 were included. We calculated 5 dental utilization outcomes: 1) Diagnostic only visits, 2) Preventive visits, 3) Treatment visits, 4) Treatment visits under general anesthesia (GA), and 5) Orthodontic visits. Total 7-year cumulative expenditures were calculated for each outcome. Multivariable logistic regression models were run for each outcome adjusting for demographics and medical comorbidities. RESULTS Among 77,962 children, 23% had ≥1 BH diagnosis. No utilization differences were noted between children with and without BH for diagnostic only visits, treatment visits, and orthodontic visits. BH status modified the likelihood of having a preventive visit and dental GA visits based on medical comorbidity. For example, children with BH diagnoses had significantly lower odds of a preventive visit (eg, non-complex chronic comorbidity: odds ratio [OR] = 0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-0.89), and significantly higher odds of a dental treatment under general anesthesia visit (eg, non-chronic comorbidity: OR = 3.69, 95% CI: 3.26-4.18). The total cumulative dental expenditures were $10.5M greater for children with BH. CONCLUSIONS Children with BH diagnoses were significantly less likely to have preventive visits and more likely to have dental GA visits, which was expensive. Early identification and intervention could alter treatment approaches, improve care, reduce risk of harm, and achieve cost-savings within a pediatric accountable care organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Peng
- Information Technology Research and Innovation (J Peng), The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; Department of Dentistry (J Peng, J Townsend, P Casamassimo, and B Meyer), Nationwide Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio
| | - Janice Townsend
- Department of Dentistry (J Peng, J Townsend, P Casamassimo, and B Meyer), Nationwide Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio; Division of Pediatric Dentistry (J Townsend and B Meyer), The Ohio State University, College of Dentistry; Columbus, Ohio
| | - Paul Casamassimo
- Department of Dentistry (J Peng, J Townsend, P Casamassimo, and B Meyer), Nationwide Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio
| | - Daniel L Coury
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DL Coury), Nationwide Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio
| | - Charitha Gowda
- Department of Infectious Diseases (C Gowda), Nationwide Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio; Partner's For Kids (C Gowda), Columbus, Ohio
| | - Beau Meyer
- Department of Dentistry (J Peng, J Townsend, P Casamassimo, and B Meyer), Nationwide Children's Hospital; Columbus, Ohio; Division of Pediatric Dentistry (J Townsend and B Meyer), The Ohio State University, College of Dentistry; Columbus, Ohio.
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Loveall SJ, Channell MM, Mattie LJ, Barkhimer AE. Inclusion of Individuals With Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Norm-Referenced Language Assessments. Front Psychol 2022; 13:929433. [PMID: 36033059 PMCID: PMC9412819 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.929433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Standardized, norm-referenced language assessment tools are used for a variety of purposes, including in education, clinical practice, and research. Unfortunately, norm-referenced language assessment tools can demonstrate floor effects (i.e., a large percentage of individuals scoring at or near the lowest limit of the assessment tool) when used with some groups with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), such as individuals with intellectual disability and neurogenetic syndromes. Without variability at the lower end of these assessment tools, professionals cannot accurately measure language strengths and difficulties within or across individuals. This lack of variability may be tied to poor representation of individuals with NDDs in normative samples. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify and examine common standardized, norm-referenced language assessment tools to report the representation of individuals with NDDs in normative samples and the range of standard/index scores provided. A systematic search identified 57 assessment tools that met inclusion criteria. Coding of the assessment manuals identified that most assessment tools included a “disability” or “exceptionality” group in their normative sample. However, the total number of individuals in these groups and the number of individuals with specific NDDs was small. Further, the characteristics of these groups (e.g., demographic information; disability type) were often poorly defined. The floor standard/index scores of most assessment tools were in the 40s or 50s. Only four assessment tools provided a standard score lower than 40. Findings of this study can assist clinicians, educators, and researchers in their selections of norm-referenced assessment tools when working with individuals with NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan J. Loveall
- Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
- *Correspondence: Susan J. Loveall,
| | - Marie Moore Channell
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Laura J. Mattie
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
| | - Alexandria E. Barkhimer
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States
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Straub L, Hernández-Díaz S, Bateman BT, Wisner KL, Gray KJ, Pennell PB, Lester B, McDougle CJ, Suarez EA, Zhu Y, Zakoul H, Mogun H, Huybrechts KF. Association of Antipsychotic Drug Exposure in Pregnancy With Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A National Birth Cohort Study. JAMA Intern Med 2022; 182:522-533. [PMID: 35343998 PMCID: PMC8961398 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.0375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Although antipsychotic drugs cross the placenta and animal data suggest potential neurotoxic effects, information regarding human neurodevelopmental teratogenicity is limited. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether children prenatally exposed to antipsychotic medication are at an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PARTICIPANTS This birth cohort study used data from the Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX, 2000-2014) and the IBM Health MarketScan Research Database (MarketScan, 2003-2015) for a nationwide sample of publicly (MAX) and privately (MarketScan) insured mother-child dyads with up to 14 years of follow-up. The MAX cohort consisted of 2 034 883 children who were not prenatally exposed and 9551 who were prenatally exposed to antipsychotic medications; the MarketScan consisted of 1 306 408 and 1221 children, respectively. Hazard ratios were estimated through Cox proportional hazards regression, using propensity score overlap weights for confounding control. Estimates from both cohorts were combined through meta-analysis. EXPOSURES At least 1 dispensing of a medication during the second half of pregnancy (period of synaptogenesis), assessed for any antipsychotic drug, at the class level (atypical and typical), and for the most commonly used drugs (aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and haloperidol). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disability, speech or language disorder, developmental coordination disorder, intellectual disability, and behavioral disorder, identified using validated algorithms, and the composite outcome of any NDD. Data were analyzed from April 2020 to January 2022. RESULTS The MAX cohort consisted of 2 034 883 unexposed pregnancies and 9551 pregnancies with 1 or more antipsychotic drug dispensings among women with a mean (SD) age of 26.8 (6.1) years, 204 (2.1%) of whom identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, 2720 (28.5%) as Black, 500 (5.2%) as Hispanic/Latino, and 5356 (56.1%) as White. The MarketScan cohort consisted of 1 306 408 unexposed and 1221 exposed pregnancies among women with a mean (SD) age of 33.1 (5.0) years; race and ethnicity data were not available. Although the unadjusted results were consistent with an approximate 2-fold increased risk for most exposure-outcome contrasts, risks were no longer meaningfully increased after adjustment (eg, pooled unadjusted vs adjusted hazard ratios [95% CI] for any NDD after any antipsychotic exposure: 1.91 [1.79-2.03] vs 1.08 [1.01-1.17]), with the possible exception of aripiprazole (1.36 [1.14-1.63]). Results were consistent across sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The findings of this birth cohort study suggest that the increased risk of NDD seen in children born to women who took antipsychotic drugs late in pregnancy seems to be explained by maternal characteristics and is not causally related with prenatal antipsychotic exposure. This finding highlights the importance of closely monitoring the neurodevelopment of the offspring of women with mental illness to ensure early intervention and support. The potential signal for aripiprazole requires replication in other data before causality can be assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loreen Straub
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sonia Hernández-Díaz
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brian T Bateman
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Katherine L Wisner
- The Asher Center for the Study and Treatment of Depressive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kathryn J Gray
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Page B Pennell
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Barry Lester
- Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Christopher J McDougle
- Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lexington.,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth A Suarez
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yanmin Zhu
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Heidi Zakoul
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Helen Mogun
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Krista F Huybrechts
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Psychosocial Difficulties in Preschool-Age Children with Beckwith–Wiedemann Syndrome: An Exploratory Study. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9040551. [PMID: 35455595 PMCID: PMC9024744 DOI: 10.3390/children9040551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a rare overgrowth disease and is not usually associated with intellectual delay. Living with a chronic illness condition such as BWS, however, might affect emotional-behavioral functioning and psychosocial development. To investigate this issue, parents of 30 children with BWS between 1.5 and 6 years old compiled standardized questionnaires assessing the presence of emotional-behavioral and developmental problems. The group mean scores in each scale of behavioral problems fell within the average range. Nevertheless, 23% of the sample presented scores beyond the risk threshold for social withdrawal. As regards psychomotor development, a lower mean score was reliable in the social domain compared to other developmental scales, and in the gross-motor compared to fine-motor functions. Moreover, scores in the at-risk band were reliable in almost half of the children for social development. Notably, older age was overall associated with higher emotional-behavioral and developmental difficulties, while no other socio-demographic or clinical variables accounted for the scores obtained in the questionnaires. These findings ask for a wider consideration by health and educational professionals of the psychosocial functioning of children with BWS, so as to early detect at-risk conditions and eventually promote adequate interventions.
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