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Common Syndrome (common + syndrome)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	75%

Selected Abstracts

Apathy in Alzheimer's Disease

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 12 2001
Allan M. Landes MA
Apathy, or loss of motivation, is arguably the most common change in behavior in Alzheimer's disease (AD) but is underrecognized. Apathy represents a form of executive cognitive dysfunction. Patients with apathy suffer from decreased daily function and specific cognitive deficits and rely on families to provide more care, which results in increased stress for families. Apathy is one of the primary syndromes associated with frontal and subcortical pathology, and apathy in AD appears to have multiple neuroanatomical correlates that implicate components of frontal subcortical networks. Despite the profound effects of this common syndrome, only a few instruments have been designed to specifically assess apathy, and these instruments have not been directly compared. Assessment of apathy in AD requires clinicians to distinguish loss of motivation from loss of ability due to cognitive decline. Although apathy may be misdiagnosed as depression because of an overlap in symptoms, current research has shown apathy to be a discrete syndrome. Distinguishing apathy from depression has important treatment implications, because these disorders respond to different interventions. Further research is required to clarify the specific neuroanatomical and neuropsychological correlates of apathy and to determine how correct diagnosis and treatment of apathy may improve patient functioning and ease caregiver burden. [source]

Population differences in behaviour are explained by shared within-population trait correlations

JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
JONATHAN N. PRUITT
Abstract Correlations in behavioural traits across time, situation and ecological context (i.e. ,behavioural syndromes' or ,personality') have been documented for a variety of behaviours, and in diverse taxa. Perhaps the most controversial inference from the behavioural syndromes literature is that correlated behaviour may act as an evolutionary constraint and evolutionary change in one's behaviour may necessarily involve shifts in others. We test the two predictions of this hypothesis using comparative data from eighteen populations of the socially polymorphic spider, Anelosimus studiosus (Araneae, Theriidae). First, we ask whether geographically distant populations share a common syndrome. Second, we test whether population differences in behaviour are correlated similarly to within-population trait correlations. Our results reveal that populations separated by as much as 36° latitude shared similar syndromes. Furthermore, population differences in behaviour were correlated in the same manner as within-population trait correlations. That is, population divergence tended to be along the same axes as within-population covariance. Together, these results suggest a lack of evolutionary independence in the syndrome's constituent traits. [source]

The Effects Of Tizanidine HCL (Zanaflex®) In Patients With Fibromyalgia

PAIN MEDICINE, Issue 2 2000
Article first published online: 25 DEC 200
David McLain, MD, Brookwood Medical Center, Birmingham, AL This open-label, single-center, dose-finding study of Zanaflex (tizanidine hydrochloride) in 43 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia showed some effectiveness in reducing pain and other symptoms of this syndrome. Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome characterized by chronic musculoskeletal pain in all 4 quadrants and pain in 18 identified tender points. Effects on fatigue, pain, sleep, and tender points were assessed before and during treatment. Starting doses of 2 mg/day were increased to 4 mg/day after 5 days and increased further as tolerated. Most patients stayed at 4 mg/day or 8 mg/day, and the highest dosage achieved was 12 mg/day. After the initial visit, 6 patients discontinued Zanaflex because of side effects (headaches in 3, hallucinations in 1, hypotension in 1, asthenia in 1), and 11 did not return for a follow-up visit. Results are presented for the remaining 26 patients (25 females; average age 50 years (range, 36,64 years); 25 Caucasian, 1 African-American; 9 on disability or applying for it; all stable on one or more of the following concomitant medications: narcotic analgesics 15%, antidepressants 65%, NSAIDs 46%). On average, at the first follow-up visit (average time 7.8 weeks), patients showed reduction in tender points and improvement on global assessment (GA) scores, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) results, and visual assessment (VAS) scores for fatigue, pain, and sleep. The results for patients still working or retired were better than those for patients on disability or applying for it. Of the 26 patients in this ongoing study, 14 have had second follow-up visits (average time 13.3 weeks). Of these, 2 discontinued the drug at the second follow-up visit. Six of these patients responded especially well to long-term treatment (average age 51 years; range 46,60 years; 5 females; 1 on disability or applying for it) and showed the following averaged results: global assessment improved by 47%, FIQ by 35%, VAS-fatigue by 48%, VAS-pain by 40%, VAS-sleep by 37%, and tender points by 18%. Zanaflex appears to be effective in improving overall functioning, reducing pain and fatigue, improving sleep, and reducing the number of painful tender points in some patients with fibromyalgia, especially in those who are not on disability or applying for it. [source]

Geriatric Emergency Medicine Educational Module: Abdominal Pain in the Older Adult

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2009
Lowell Gerson
The Society for Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Geriatrics Task Force has created an instructional tool to address the complaint of abdominal pain in older adults presenting to the emergency department (ED). This is the first module in a comprehensive, web-based geriatric emergency medicine curriculum that will address common syndromes in older adults presenting to the ED. There is no formal, residency-based curriculum in geriatric emergency medicine and there is a paucity of geriatric Continuing Medical Education (CME) opportunities for practicing emergency physicians. The amount, quality, and convenience of geriatrics training available to emergency physicians is insufficient. This educational gap is particularly concerning given the ever-growing volume of older adult emergency patients. The Task Force chose to focus first on geriatric abdominal pain because a survey of emergency physicians in the mid 1990s found that it is one of the most difficult complaints to evaluate and manage. The module comprises of six clinical cases with a pre- and post-test. Together, these cases encompass the broad differential diagnosis for geriatric abdominal pain and the core medical knowledge pertaining to the subject. The modules will expose the learner, through either content or modeling, to the six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies and to the Principles of Geriatric Emergency Medicine including rapid evaluation of functional status, communication skills, and consideration of the effect of polypharmacy and co-morbidity on the presenting complaint. This module will be available to residency programs as an "asynchronous educational session" via the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD) website as well as to practicing emergency physicians via the SAEM and American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) websites. [source]