Clinical Profiles and Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Adults with Specific Learning Disorder in Northern Greece

The manifestation of Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) during adulthood is one of the least examined research areas among the relevant literature. Therefore, the adult population with SLD is considered a “rare” and “unique” population of major scientific interest. The aim of the current study was to investigate, describe, and analyze the clinical, academic, and socio-demographic characteristics, and other everyday functioning life-skills of adults with SLD, in an attempt to shed more light on this limited field of research. The overall sample consisted of 318 adults, who were assessed for possible SLD. The diagnostic procedure included self-report records (clinical interview), psychometric/cognitive, and learning assessments. The main finding of the study was that SLD, even during adulthood, continues to affect the individuals’ well-being and functionality in all of their life domains. There is an ongoing struggle of this population to obtain academic qualifications in order to gain vocational rehabilitation, as well as a difficulty to create a family, possibly resulting from their unstable occupational status, their financial insecurity, and the emotional/self-esteem issues they usually encounter, due to their ongoing learning problems. Moreover, the various interpersonal characteristics, the comorbidity issues, and the different developmental backgrounds observed in the clinical, academic, personal, social, and occupational profiles of the participants, highlight the enormous heterogeneity and the continuum that characterizes SLD during adulthood. We conclude that there is an imperative need for further research and the construction of more sufficient tools for the assessment and diagnosis of SLD during adulthood, which will take into account the developmental challenges and milestones in a series of domains, in order to assist this “vulnerable” population with their life struggles

Cardioprotective Role of Remote Ischemic Periconditioning in Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Enhancement by Opioid Action

ObjectivesWe sought to determine the potential of remote ischemic periconditioning (RIPC), and its combination with morphine, to reduce reperfusion injury in primary percutaneous coronary interventions.BackgroundRemote ischemic post-conditioning is implemented by applying cycles of ischemia and reperfusion on a remote organ, which result in release of circulating factors inducing the effects of post-conditioning on the myocardium.MethodsA total of 96 patients (59 men) were enrolled. The patients were randomized to groups as follows: 33 to each treatment group (Group A: RIPC; Group B: RIPC and morphine) and 30 to the control group (Group C). Measures of efficacy were achievement of full ST-segment resolution (primary), and reduction of ST-segment deviation score and peak troponin I during hospitalization.ResultsA higher proportion of patients in Groups A (73%) and B (82%) achieved full ST-segment resolution after percutaneous coronary intervention, compared with control patients (53%) (p = 0.045). Peak troponin I was lowest in Group B, 103.3 ± 13.3 ng/ml, in comparison to peak levels in Group A, 166.0 ± 28.0 ng/ml, and the control group, 255.5 ± 35.5 ng/ml (p = 0.0006). ST-segment deviation resolution was 87.3 ± 2.7% in Group B, compared with 69.9 ± 5.1% in Group A and 53.2 ± 6.4% in the control group (p = 0.00002). In paired comparisons between groups, Group B did better than the control group in terms of both ST-segment reduction (p = 0.0001) and peak troponin I (p = 0.004), whereas Group A differences from the control group did not achieve statistical significance (p = 0.054 and p = 0.062, respectively).ConclusionsThese findings demonstrate a cardioprotective effect of RIPC and morphine during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for the prevention of reperfusion injury. This is in agreement with observations that the beneficial effect of RIPC is inhibited by the opioid receptor blocker naloxone