Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Children and Adolescents with Neuropsychiatric Disorders: Emotional/Behavioral Symptoms and Parental Stress

The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the emotional and behavioral symptoms in minors with neuropsychiatric disorders and on parental stress through a standardized neuropsychological assessment, comparing the data collected before the pandemic with those collected during the lock-down. Another goal of our study was to analyze the relationship between parental stress and behavioral/emotional symptoms in children. Our study was conducted on 383 families of patients who had already been referred at the Child Neuropsychiatry Unit of the University Hospital of Salerno for different neuropsychiatric conditions. All the parents completed two neuropsychological standardized questionnaires for the assessment of parental stress (PSI—Parenting Stress Index-Short Form) and the emotional/behavioral problems of their children (Child Behaviour CheckList). The data collected during the pandemic were compared with those collected from questionnaires administered during the six months preceding the pandemic, as is our usual clinical practice. The comparison between the mean scores of PSI and CBCL before and after the pandemic showed a statistically significant increase in all subscales analyzed in the total sample. The correlation analysis showed significant positive relationship between the subscale Total Stress of PSI and the subscales Total Problems and Internalizing Problems of CBCL. Our study suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding measures adopted led to an increase in internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children and adolescents with neuropsychiatric disorder. Similarly, parental stress increased during COVID-19 and ahigher level of stress in parents can be related to the internalizing symptoms of their children

First prenatal diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia by a molecular biology technic

The first prenatal diagnosis for exclusion of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia by using the so called technique of Restriction Polymorphism Fragment Length (RFLP's) on chorial villus DNA, was performed. The test was used when the mother of a seven-year-old child with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, became pregnant. Previous examination of DNA of both parents and of one hypercholesterolemic child, showed a mutation of the gene encoding for the synthesis of LDL-receptor. The comparison between first degree relatives RFLP's and the chorial villus RFLP's, showed the absence of a previously recognized mutation in the foetus. After a normal pregnancy, the child was born and his plasma cholesterol was within the "normal" range

La LDL-aferesi:stato attuale. LDL-apheresis: current status

PURPOSE: State of the art of LDL-apheresis and treatment of severe familiar hypercholesterolemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical experience of treatment with LDL-apheresis of pediatric and adult patients with familial hypercholesterolemia using the following techniques: D.A.L.I., H.E.L.P., D.S.C. RESULTS: The outcome of treatment with LDL-apheresis in young patients, using the most recently introduced techniques, is reported. We have submitted to LDL-apheresis 11 pediatric patients. The youngest is aged 3.5. LDL-apheresis is able at improving the metabolic impairment and halting the natural evolution of atherosclerotic disease and atherosclerotic complications. CONCLUSIONS: At present, LDL-apheresis is the most effective and safe therapeutic approach to the treatment of homozygous, heterozygous and double heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

Diet only and diet plus simvastatin in the treatment of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia in childhood

This study was a I-year clinical study on 16 (7 males and 9 females) pediatric patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia treated with hypocholesterolemic diet only or with diet plus drug (simvastatin 10 mg/day). According to the study protocol, the children were submitted to a 3-month washout (free diet). Then they were given a diet (American Heart Association, step 2) for 6 months. After 6 months they were divided into two groups matched for sex, age and body mass index (BMI). Diet only was given to group A (n=8); simvastatin (10 mg/daily) was given to group B, for 1 year. All patients were examined at baseline, and monitored for safety during the study by pediatricians. All patients were submitted to noninvasive cardiovascular examinations (exercise electrocardiogram, echocardiography). After 12 months of treatment with simvastatin, total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) showed a statistically significant reduction (group B). The decrease of TC and LDLC in patients on diet only was 4% and 3% (ali) and 17% and 4% (group A) after 6 and 12 months, respectively