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Biomedical subjects

G Canino

Publications and source records attributed to G Canino.

66 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Use of the Mini-mental State Examination in a probability sample of a Hispanic population.

The Spanish DIS was applied to a community probability sample in an island-wide survey of the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Puerto Rico. The prevalence of "severe cognitive impairment" as measured by the DIS Mini-mental State Examination (DIS/MMSE) is significantly higher than that reported in similar studies in US communities. The total sample (N = 1532) was used to study the impact of demographic variables and other psychiatric diagnoses on DIS/MMSE scores. Educational level was by far the strongest predictor of total scores as well as of scores on individual items. Issues are discussed and recommendations are made related to the use of this test in Hispanic populations of low educational level.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Culturally syntonic family therapy for migrant Puerto Ricans.

Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics have traditionally used the nuclear and extended family as vital support systems to deal with stress. Some Puerto Rican migrant families living in the United States have been suspected of being at high risk for mental health problems precisely because they lack extended family supports. Working together as bilingual co-therapists, the authors found that a systems-oriented family therapy approach is effective and syntonic with the culture of Hispanic migrants. They provide a clinical vignette and warn therapists about the potential problems in differentiating dysfunctional family patterns from culturally sanctioned behaviors.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1982

The Puerto Rican family: cultural factors and family intervention strategies.

We have presented what are considered to be the salient features characteristic of the Puerto Rican family. The composition of the family, the important role of the extended family, the impact of machismo, the authoritarian pattern of child rearing, and the religious practices of the Puerto Rican family have been documented through the findings reported by other researchers. It was noted that the high rate of back-and-forth migration between Puerto Rico and the Mainland as well as the colonial status of the society, creates a situation of accelerated change and shifting cultural patterns. We have felt it important to point out the normative patterns on the island. Quite often a well-intentioned clinician, when confronted with issues such as exaggerated machismo or certain responses to stress, may tend to dismiss them as purely cultural and not address the real issues leading to dysfunction or utilize the most appropriate treatment modality. Structural family therapy as a particularly useful treatment modality has been discussed at length, and its applicability and the justification for its utilization in families under stress were elaborated. Treatment strategies and their relationship to Puerto Rican family structure have been delineated.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder in the NIMH MECA study: parent versus child identification of cases. Methods for the Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders.

Abstract-Because as many as 50% of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) cases have had onset by age 15, interest in its detection in childhood is strong. Clinical experience indicates that children often try to keep their OCD secret and that parental report may give marked underestimates. The authors examined the prevalence of childhood OCD in the NIMH Methods for the Epidemiology of Child and Adolescent Mental Disorders (MECA) Study, a four-site community survey which allowed comparison of both parent and child report of the child's OCD and related symptoms and disorders. OCD cases, based on structured interviews (DISC-2.3 with DSM-III-R criteria) with 1,285 caretaker-child pairs, were identified separately for parent and child (aged 9 through 17) informants from the MECA database. Cases were then examined for demographic characteristics, for obsessive-compulsive symptoms and other diagnoses reported in cases "missed" by one reporter, and for comorbid disorders. Of a total of 35 (2.7%) identified cases, four (0.3%) were identified by the parent and 32 (2.5%) were identified by the child, with only one overlapping case. In general, when OCD cases were "missed" by one reporter, that reporter did not substitute another disorder. These findings support clinical data that children with OCD often hide their illness and underscore the importance of child interviews for its detection.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Heterogeneity of the erythropoietic defect in two cases of Aase-Smith syndrome.

Here we report two children with Aase-Smith syndrome (triphalangeal thumbs and congenital red cell plasia). In vitro growth of erythroid colonies was normal in the first patient and totally absent in the other. In both patients, treatment with glucocorticoids induced remission of anemia. Our results suggest that the different growth patterns of erythroid colonies observed in the two patients could reflect the defect of erythroid differentiation occurring at discrete maturational levels.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of interferon-alpha therapy in a patient with common variable immunodeficiency and chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection.

We report an 18-year-old boy with common variable immunodeficiency who presented with splenomegaly as well as left axillary and lateral cervical lymphadenopathy. Main laboratory investigations showed severe thrombocytopenia. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA was detected in the patient's throat-washing specimens and lymph node biopsy. Lymphocytes from the lymph node biopsy were also positive for EBV nuclear antigen. Serology for EBV and cytomegalovirus was negative. A therapeutic attempt with acyclovir did not influence the course of infection. Six months' treatment with human lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha (IFN alfa) brought about the normalization of clinical and hematologic conditions. Detection on throat-washing specimens carried out 1 year after therapy was negative. Our preliminary experience suggests that human lymphoblastoid IFN-alpha is a valid alternative in therapy of immunodeficient EB virus-infected patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interferon alfa therapy in an infant with juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia.

We describe an infant with juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia (JCML), the diagnosis of which was made by the characteristic clinical and hematologic findings. The absence of a related HLA-compatible donor for bone marrow transplantation coupled with the awareness that chemotherapy is usually ineffective prompted our decision to treat the patient with lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha [alpha(Ly)-IFN]. During the 26-month course of treatment with alpha(Ly)-IFN an incomplete regression of hematologic and clinical findings was achieved. The above results, along with the easy administration and absence of considerable side effects, suggest that alpha(Ly)-IFN may be a useful therapeutic tool in patients affected by JCML awaiting bone marrow transplantation.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Variable response to the diepoxybutane test in two dizygotic twins with Fanconi's anemia and flow cytometry for diagnosis confirmation.

Fanconi's anemia (FA) is a rare, genetically heterogeneous, autosomal recessive disorder characterized by bone marrow failure, congenital abnormalities, chromosome instability, and increased susceptibility to neoplasia. Congenital abnormalities vary in location and in severity and not all patients are affected. Although the primary defect of FA is unknown, hypersensitivity to the clastogenic effect of agents that introduce cross-links in the DNA, such as diepoxybutane (DEB), is a marker of the FA phenotype in patients suffering from aplastic anemia without the physical characteristics of the syndrome and, conversely, in cases with abnormalities in the preanemic phase. We report the case of two dizygotic twins suffering from FA with discordant hematologic data. The DEB test repeated several times in various laboratories yielded conflicting results, whereas cell cycle studies by flow cytometry revealed a pattern typical of FA patients. Moreover, the flow cytometric pattern was correlated with the clinical severity of the disease.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The impact of managed care on the use of outpatient mental health and substance abuse services in Puerto Rico.

This paper estimates the impact of managed care on use of mental health services by residents of low-income areas in Puerto Rico. A quasi-experimental design evaluates the impact of a low capitation rate on a minority population using three waves of data from a random community sample. Results indicate that two years after introducing managed care, privatization of mental health services had minimal impact on use. Advocates had hoped health care reform would increase access in comparison to access seen within the public system, while opponents feared profit motives would lead to decreased access. Neither forecast turned out to be correct. The question remains as to how to improve access for the poor with low capitation rates.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence and correlates of DSM-IV substance use disorders in Puerto Rico.

We report the basic findings of a survey aimed at estimating rates of substance disorders in a probability sample of 4,709 household residents aged 15 to 64 years old. Lifetime use of alcohol was reported by 77.2%, and 10.7% reported ever using illicit drugs. Overall, 14.7% of the sample met criteria for a lifetime substance disorder, and 4.9% for a past year disorder. The rates of lifetime disorders were 13.1% for alcohol and 4.1% for illicit drug. Past year abuse/dependence was 4.3% for alcohol and 1.3% for illicit drugs. Alcohol use disorders were associated with male gender, higher family annual income, being employed, and being married. Illicit drug use disorders were associated with male gender and younger age. Only 13.0% of respondents with a past year disorder reported using services for their disorder. A program of continuous monitoring of substance using disorders is critical to establishing and monitoring effective policies.

Adolescent↗