Life events and alcohol use disorder clinical course: Modeling the dynamic association.

Background: Despite over 35 years of study, the relationship between life events (LEs) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment outcome lacks consistent empirical support, which may be due to a lack of theoretically driven designs and corresponding statistical analyses. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the LEs-AUD treatment outcome relationship by statistically modeling the dynamic relationship between negative LEs and alcohol use post-treatment, as it is conceptualized within the dynamic model of relapse.

Methods: Existing longitudinal data from 417 AUD treatment-seeking adults were randomly assigned to two demographically comparable samples.

The Role of Patient Characteristics in the Concordance of Daily and Retrospective Reports of PTSD.

Research has documented discrepancies between daily and retrospective reports of psychological symptoms in a variety of conditions. A limited number of studies have assessed these discrepancies in samples of individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with even less research addressing potential covariates that may influence such discrepancies. In the current study, 65 individuals with co-occurring PTSD and alcohol use disorder (AUD) completed daily assessments of their PTSD symptoms for 1 month, followed by a standard retrospective report of PTSD over the same month.

Prevalence of substance misuse among US veterans in the general population.

Background And Objectives: Epidemiologic data on substance misuse prevalence among US Veterans are crucial to plan for Veterans' future healthcare needs. We estimated US Veterans' age-specific, overall, and age-adjusted prevalence of substance misuse, assessed whether prevalence differed between Veterans and civilians, and examined temporal trends in prevalence.

Methods: Substance-related measures were obtained from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, 2002-2012 (N = 24,210 Veterans; 338,556 civilians).

Daily associations between PTSD, drinking, and self-appraised alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol dependence (AD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are highly comorbid, yet limited research has focused on PTSD and daily drinking as they relate to self-appraised alcohol-related problems. In treatment contexts, patients' appraisals of alcohol-related problems have implications for assessment, intervention strategies, and prognosis. This study investigated the moderating effect of within-person (daily symptoms) and between-person (overall severity) differences in PTSD on the association between daily drinking and same-day alcohol-related problems.

Reassessing Risk Factors in Pediatric Patients With Pacemakers Implanted for Atrioventricular Block: The Impact of Nonsustained Ventricular Tachycardia.

Introduction: In pediatric patients with pacemakers implanted for atrioventricular block (AVB), nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) detected during routine surveillance is a finding of unknown significance. We sought to describe the incidence of NSVT and determine if there was an association between NSVT and adverse outcomes in these patients.

Methods And Results: This is a single-center retrospective study of 136 patients (1971-2013) with pacemakers implanted for advanced and complete AVB.

Degree of correspondence between daily monitoring and retrospective recall of alcohol use among men and women with comorbid AUD and PTSD.

Background And Objectives: The majority of studies that have identified good correspondence between daily monitoring and retrospective recall of alcohol use have included participants who are relatively stable, are moderate drinkers, report abstinence, and are not diagnosed with comorbid disorders. The current study examined degree of correspondence between alcohol use that was reported daily via interactive voice response (IVR) telephone monitoring and retrospectively using an abbreviated Form-90 (Form-35) covering the same 35-day time period.

Methods: Participants were 54 men and women with comorbid alcohol dependence and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who reported drinking during the time period.

Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome in a Term Infant Presenting With Cardiopulmonary Arrest.

Background: Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a congenital abnormality of the cardiac conduction system caused by the presence of an abnormal accessory electrical pathway between the atria and the ventricles. This can result in intermittent tachyarrhythmias such as supraventricular tachycardia. In rare occasions, sudden death may occur from atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular conduction.

Alcohol Consumption, Craving, and Craving Control Efforts Assessed Daily in the Context of Readiness to Change Among Individuals with Alcohol Dependence and PTSD.

Research has demonstrated the positive association between alcohol craving and alcohol use and has identified craving as a central component of alcohol use disorders (AUD). Despite potential clinical implications, few studies have examined the relationship between craving and alcohol use in individuals with AUD and common psychiatric comorbidities or explored possible moderators of the craving-alcohol use relationship. The current study used daily monitoring data to: 1) replicate previous findings detecting a positive relationship between craving and alcohol use in individuals with AUD and co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 2) extend these findings by examining the influence of initial change motivation on the craving-use relationship and within-day associations among craving, efforts to control craving, and alcohol consumption.

[Draft of the best medical treatment in patients with low-risk thyroid cancer].

Introduction: The incidence of well-differentiated low-risk thyroid cancer have increased globally over the last three decades. Thyroid cancer treatment relates to a suitable surgical procedure and the use of adjuvant radio-iodine therapy in selected patients. Evaluation of prognostic factors and risk stratification are critical for determining appropriate treatment.

[Risk factors of thyroid carcinoma].

Thyroid cancer is one of the worlds fastest growing tumor incidences. The number of new cases has particularly increased in differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma. In the Czech Republic it is documented that the incidence of thyroid cancer continues to grow, since 1980 has increased four times.

Brief Behavioral Interventions for Symptoms of Depression and Insomnia in University Primary Care.

Objective: To describe how behavioral activation (BA) for depression and stimulus control (SC) for insomnia can be modified to a brief format for use in a university primary care setting, and to evaluate preliminarily their effectiveness in reducing symptoms of depression and insomnia, respectively, using data collected in routine clinical care.

Participants/methods: Chart review data were obtained for 11 patients treated between August 2009 and December 2010 with 1 session of brief BA for depression and 17 patients treated with 1 session of brief SC for insomnia.

Results: At 2-week follow-up, patients reported significant decreases in symptoms of depression on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, t(10) = 3.

Flecainide use in children with cardiomyopathy or structural heart disease.

Flecainide is frequently used for treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in children. Due to concerns regarding increased mortality, there has been hesitancy to use flecainide in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) or cardiomyopathy (CM). The objective of this study was to describe trends in use of flecainide in children with CHD or CM and assess its association with cardiac arrest or death.

Race contributes to beta-blocker efficacy in pediatric patients with arrhythmias.

In African-American (AA) adults, β-blockers (BB) have been reported to be less efficacious treating cardiac disease compared with whites (CAUC). This has been attributed to genetic polymorphisms of β-receptors. It is unknown if racial differences affect response to BB in pediatric patients with arrhythmias.

Life events and treatment outcomes among individuals with substance use disorders: a narrative review.

Substance use disorders are characterized by a variable course, in which multiple treatment attempts and relapses are typical. Consistent with conceptualizations of substance use and relapse, life events have been implicated in contributing to poor substance use disorders treatment outcomes. However, inconsistencies in empirical findings regarding the life events-substance use disorders outcome literature have been previously observed.

A comparison of the concurrent and predictive validity of three measures of readiness to change alcohol use in a clinical sample of adolescents.

The authors compared 3 measures of readiness to change alcohol use commonly used in clinical research and practice with adolescents: the Readiness Ruler, the SOCRATES (subscales of Recognition and Taking Steps), and a Staging Algorithm. The analysis sample consisted of 161 male and female adolescents presenting for intensive outpatient alcohol-abuse treatment who reported current alcohol use at the initial assessment. Evidence for concurrent validity was assessed by computing simple correlations of each readiness measure with the other 3 and of each readiness measure with drinking behavior (percentage of days abstinent [PDA] and drinks per drinking day [DDD], respectively, in the last 30 days) at the start of treatment and at the 6-month follow-up assessment.

Comparison of the concurrent and predictive validity of three measures of readiness to change marijuana use in a clinical sample of adolescents.

Objective: The measurement of readiness to change has become common practice in alcohol and drug treatment of both adults and adolescents. Nevertheless, there is relatively little research on the validity of measures of readiness to change among treated adolescents. The purpose of this study was to compare three measures of readiness to change marijuana use commonly used in clinical research and practice with adolescents: the Readiness Ruler, the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES; Factors 1 and 2, Recognition and Taking Steps, respectively), and a staging algorithm.

Severity of alcohol problems and readiness to change alcohol use in primary care.

Screening measures for hazardous alcohol use that are efficient and can provide clinically relevant information are essential for primary care providers (PCPs). This study examined the clinical utility of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the AUDIT-Consumption (AUDIT-C) as predictors of readiness to change alcohol use in a primary care setting. In total, 114 veterans completed the AUDIT, readiness to change ruler, and an alcohol use disorders diagnostic interview.

Use of the social competence interview and the anger transcendence challenge in individuals with alcohol use disorder.

Interpersonal stress is a significant determinant of relapse following treatment for Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs), but there remains little specific information about the mechanisms underlying the relationship between interpersonal stress and AUD relapse. Application of Social Action Theory provides one new approach to advancing knowledge about the interpersonal stress-relapse relationship. Especially relevant are the Social Action Theory construct of social-emotional competence, with its accompanying measurement procedures of the Social Competence Interview and the Anger Transcendence Challenge.

Comorbidity of substance dependence and depression: role of life stress and self-efficacy in sustaining abstinence.

The authors examined life stress and self-efficacy as predictors of time to relapse for 113 adults with comorbid major depressive disorder and alcohol and/or substance dependence in a randomized clinical trial comparing 2 psychotherapy interventions (integrated cognitive- behavioral therapy and 12-step facilitation therapy). Life stress, self-efficacy, and substance use were assessed at treatment entry, 12 weeks (mid-treatment), and 24 weeks (end of treatment). Time to relapse was defined as the number of days from treatment initiation until first alcohol and/or drug use.

[Turner syndrome: overview of problems, present status, proposals for care and a protocol for monitoring in childhood, adolescence and adulthood].

Background: Girls and adolescents with Turner syndrome (TS) usually receive intensive medical care in a multidisciplinary team, coordinated by paediatric endocrinologist. Majority of them are discharged from specialist clinics following the induction of puberty and attainment of final height. Patients with Turner syndrome have a reduced life expectancy, they are known to have multi-system impairments in addition to the short stature and to the absence of sexual development.