The Career Aspirations of Adolescents With Eating Disorders: An Exploratory Study and Suggested Links to Adolescent Self-Concept Development.

The career aspirations of adolescents with eating disorders: an exploratory study and suggested links to adolescent self-concept development.

Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2013 Apr 20; 1-8
Tsitsika AK, Tzavela EC, Apostolidou E, Antonogeorgos G, Sakou II, Bakoula C

Abstract The health effects of eating disorders (EDs) in adolescence have been widely studied, but their impact on present adolescent psychosocial adjustment and development have been overseen. This study aimed to investigate the association between EDs and career aspirations in middle adolescence. The participants were 147 adolescents diagnosed with EDs. Participants reported on their future career aspirations, and these were coded according to the International Standard Classification of Education of 1997. Of the participants, 83 adolescents were followed up longitudinally, and their aspirations were reassessed and compared for stability across the two assessments. Moreover, participants’ career aspirations were compared to those of healthy (non-ED) best-friend controls. Health-related and social-behavioral science careers were chosen significantly more by adolescents with an ED as compared to their non-ED counterparts. For adolescents with an ED, career choices were consistent across reassessments. These findings suggest that adolescents with an ED gravitate toward careers associated with their pathology, namely, both facets of their mind-body pathology. This finding may indicate restricted identity development for adolescents with an ED. Suggestions for treatments protocols to include identity exploration are discussed. HubMed – eating

 

[Treatment of eating disorders during hospitalization: presentation of a hospital intensive care program in pediatric age.]

Minerva Pediatr. 2013 Apr; 65(2): 199-206
D’Argenio L, Zaccagnino M, Donati C, Perini A, Fazzi E

Aim: The aim of this study was to present a hospital intensive care program for patients affected by a severe eating disorders, with a significant loss of weight (BMI<15 and weight less than 25° centile), severe medical complications (orthostatic hypotension, bradycardia <40 bpm or tachycardia >110 bpm or inability to sustain core body temperature), abnormal laboratory data, especially electrolyte imbalance and refusal to take food and fluids. Methods: In our study we reported 2 year follow-up of 16 patients treated with the hospital intensive care program between 2007 and 2008 in our department. Result: The proposed program was proved an efficient method in a critical phase of the alimentary behavior disorders. It was possible for all the patients to avoid alternative feeding techniques (enteral or parenteral) and to obtain a correct alimentation with a satisfactory improvement of clinical conditions. Eight patients (50%) fully recovered. 5 patients (31.25%) had a significant improvement reaching a BMI>18.5 and one of them had a regular menstrual cycle, too. However in this group of patients a strict modality to alimentation and concern about weight and physical appearance remain. In 3 patients (18.5%) the BMI is still low and amenorrhea persists. Conclusions: The hospital intensive care program, inspired by the cognitive-behavioral model, through a food rehabilitation and a psychotherapeutic and psychoeducational help, lets the patients and their family understand and modify the dysfunctional patterns, experimenting a right modality to approach alimentation, with a satisfactory improvement in clinical conditions. HubMed – eating

 

Past smoking and current dopamine agonist use show an independent and dose-dependent association with impulse control disorders in Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2013 Apr 20;
Valença GT, Glass PG, Negreiros NN, Duarte MB, Ventura LM, Mueller M, Oliveira-Filho J

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have described the association between dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson’s disease and impulse control disorders. METHODS: A case-control study was performed to establish the prevalence of four of these behaviors in Brazilian patients with Parkinson’s disease on stable dopamine replacement therapy and the possible associated risk factors. We investigated 152 patients and 212 healthy controls for pathological gambling, compulsive sexual behavior and compulsive buying and eating. RESULTS: Overall, patients had more impulsive control disorders than controls (18.4% vs. 4.2%, P < 0.001). Impulse control disorders were more common in younger patients (P = 0.008) and in those taking dopamine agonist (P < 0.001) and levodopa (P = 0.02). Higher Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score (P = 0.03) and past smoking (P = 0.02) were also associated in the univariate analysis. Variables independently associated with impulse control disorders were history of smoking (odds ratio = 1.059 for each year of smoking, P = 0.010) and current use of pramipexole (odds ratio = 2.551 for each increase in 1 mg, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Dopaminergic stimulation and previous exposure to smoking are independently associated with impulse control disorders in a dose-dependent manner. HubMed – eating

 

Protein energy wasting and transplantation.

J Ren Nutr. 2013 May; 23(3): 246-9
Ter Wee PM

In patients with advanced renal failure or those undergoing dialysis, protein energy wasting (PEW) is a frequently occurring complication that is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Fewer data are available for patients after transplantation. In this article, the available data on nutritional status after kidney transplantation is reviewed. It was also found that signs of PEW and microinflammation in patients undergoing kidney transplantation are associated with both impaired transplantation outcomes and decreased patient survival. Data are lacking on nutritional support and outcomes after transplantation. Only 1 study revealed a possible relationship between healthier eating habits and better outcomes in patients who have undergone transplantation. More data support the notion that sufficient physical exercise improves graft survival and patient outcome after kidney transplantation. Future studies on nutritional support in patients with signs of PEW and microinflammation immediately after transplantation could reveal whether such a strategy improves renal and patient outcomes. HubMed – eating