Tag: 23/1/25

Categories : Mental Health Obstetrics & GynaecologyTags : Leave a comment

PTSD and Anxiety may Affect Reproductive Health in Female Firefighters

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Source: CC0

A new study led by University of Arizona researchers in collaboration with fire service partners and other researchers around the country through the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study showed that post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety are associated with lower levels of anti-Müllerian hormone, a marker of ovarian reserve, among women firefighters.

The ovarian reserve, a measure of fertility, is the number of healthy eggs in a woman’s ovaries that could potentially be fertilised.

“These findings highlight the negative effect that mental health conditions can have on health – specifically, reproductive health,” said first author Michelle Valenti, MPH, a doctoral student in epidemiology at the Zuckerman College of Public Health and program coordinator of the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study’s Women Firefighter Studies.

The paper was published in the Journal of Women’s Health.

Firefighters are exposed to high stress and traumatic situations in addition to chemical exposures and have a higher prevalence of PTSD compared with the general population. Previous research showed that women firefighters have lower levels of anti-Müllerian hormone compared with women who are not firefighters; however, the reason why was unknown.

The research team, which included personnel at the Zuckerman College of Public Health’s Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research, led this analysis to determine whether anxiety, depression or PTSD were associated with anti-Müllerian hormone levels. They found that clinical diagnoses of PTSD and anxiety among women firefighters were associated with reductions in anti-Müllerian hormone levels of 66% and 33%, respectively.

These findings highlight a potential mechanism through which adverse mental health conditions could lead to adverse reproductive outcomes. Further research is needed to identify potential areas for intervention.

“The work of this AMH study within the broader context of the FFCCS is imperative to taking care of all of our firefighters,” said Captain Caitlin St. Clair of the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority. “These findings provide scientific leverage to fire departments to implement programs to reduce stress and improve the lives of our firefighter women.”

The Women Firefighter Study, a subgroup of the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study, aims to identify causes of stress, cancer and adverse reproductive health effects in women firefighters that would inform effective interventions to mitigate these conditions.

“This study demonstrates the power of the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study’s Women Firefighter Study to evaluate exposures that lead to adverse gynaecologic conditions,” Valenti said. “The Women Firefighter Study would not be possible without our amazing fire service partners who have championed women firefighter research.”

Source: University of Arizona Health Sciences

Categories : Diseases, Syndromes and Conditions Obstetrics & GynaecologyTags : Leave a comment

Human Papillomavirus Infection Kinetics Revealed in New Longitudinal Study

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Improved understanding of why some infections persist could improve treatment, screening, and vaccination strategies for HPV infection

Non-persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are characterized by a sharp increase in viral load followed by a long plateau, according to a study published January 21st in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Samuel Alizon of the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France, and colleagues.

Chronic HPV infection is responsible for more than 600 000 new cancers each year, including nearly all cervical cancers. Infection among young women is common, impacting nearly 20% of women 25 years of age. Fortunately, the vast majority of these infections clear within two years without symptoms. Still, a better understanding of why some infections clear while others persist could improve treatment, screening, and vaccination strategies for HPV-associated diseases.

To monitor the dynamics of HPV infection, the PAPCLEAR cohort study in France followed 189 women aged 18 to 25 years for up to 24 months. Researchers followed participants every two months, collecting information on viral kinetics and immune markers.

By frequently monitoring participants, the researchers achieved unprecedented temporal resolution on viral and immune kinetics. They found that non-persistent infections are characterised by a plateau in HPV viral load that starts around 2 months after infection and lasts for 13 to 20 months before rapidly declining. Additionally, they found a strong correlation between a population of immune cells in between innate and adaptive immunity, namely TCRγδ cells, and the total amount of viruses produced.

The study is limited by the fact that many of the infection follow-ups were truncated, meaning that the participants were already infected when enrolled or were lost to follow-up before infection clearance. Furthermore, only 4 out of 76 infected participants were followed for 18 months or more. Therefore, differences between chronic and acute infections will have to wait for longer studies.

The authors add, “Asymptomatic genital infections by human papillomaviruses (HPVs) display striking dynamics at the frontier between acute and chronic infections. HPV infections appear to be associated with specific patterns of the innate and adaptative local immune response.”

Provided by PLOS

Categories : Mental HealthTags : Leave a comment

New Research Reveals Recent Trends in ADHD Diagnoses

On By ModernMedia
Source: Paul, et al. 2024, Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice

New research has identified differing trends in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses among adolescents and adults, including an increase among adults from 2020 to 2023. The study, published in the American Psychiatric Association Journal Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice, found a significant downward trends in ADHD incidence among adults from 2016 to 2020 and adolescents from 2016 to 2018. The ADHD incidence rate remained stable for adolescents in subsequent years.

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder involving inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity that interferes with a person’s functioning and ability to perform daily activities, including at school or work. ADHD is often viewed as a condition primarily impacting childhood and adolescence; however, it can also affect adults. Research on the prevalence of ADHD in adults remains limited, with findings varying considerably.

The large retrospective cohort study, conducted by researchers at Saint Louis University and SSM Health, involved more than 140 000 adolescents and adult patients who used services with a large healthcare system located in four states. New ADHD diagnoses were identified using patient charts. Regression analysis was used to determine incidence rates and trends in ADHD diagnoses by age group.

They found a significant downward trend in ADHD incidence among adults from 2016 to 2020 and an upward trend from 2020 to 2023. Among adolescents, a significant downward trend was observed between 2016 and 2018, and the incidence rate remained stable between 2018 and 2023.

“Fluctuations in incidence rates are likely due to a complex interplay of various factors,” the authors write. For example, increased awareness and destigmatisation of ADHD can lead to more diagnoses. Changes in diagnostic criteria, such as the expansion of ADHD criteria in the DSM-5 compared to previous editions, may have contributed to an increase in diagnoses. Variations in diagnostic practices and assessment methods can contribute to differences in incidence rates. In addition, there are some indications, the authors note, that the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to new ADHD diagnoses and worsening symptoms.

The authors suggest that this research can support future efforts to identify modifiable risk factors, ensure sufficient treatment resources, develop targeted interventions, and address diagnostic disparities.

Source: American Psychiatric Association

Categories : Cardiovascular DiseaseTags : Leave a comment

Divorce during Childhood Increases Odds of Stroke in Later Life

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Data on 13 205 adults suggests an increased risk of later life stroke among people who had experienced parental divorce in childhood

Photo by cottonbro studio

People whose parents divorced during their childhood may be at a greater risk of stroke later in life, according to a new study published January 22, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Esme Fuller-Thomson of University of Toronto, Canada, and colleagues. 

Each year, approximately 795 000 individuals in the U.S. have a stroke. Previous work has established many sociodemographic risk factors for stroke, as well as connections between adverse childhood events and stroke. In the new study, researchers looked specifically at the impact of childhood parental divorce among adults with no history of childhood abuse. They used data on 13 205 adults aged 65 and over from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

The study found that people who had experienced parental divorce before they were 18 years old had 1.61 times higher odds of having a stroke when compared to respondents who did not experience parental divorce (AOR=1.61, 95% CI=1.15-2.24). The association did not vary by sex, and remained even after controlling for known risk factors such as diabetes, depression, and small social support networks.

The current study was not designed to analyse the potential mechanism of this association, nor to prove causation. The conclusions may not be generalisable to younger generations, who have experienced overall higher rates of parental divorce. In addition, several potential confounding factors – including blood pressure, cholesterol, contraceptive use, age at parents’ divorce, and types of strokes – were not available in the data.

However, the authors say that their data supports an association between parental divorce during childhood and increased stroke risk, even in the absence of childhood abuse and other trauma. 

Senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson adds: “It is extremely concerning that older adults who grew up in divorced families had 60% higher odds of stroke, even after excluding those who had been physically or sexually abused as children. The magnitude of the association between parental divorce and stroke was comparable to well-established risk factors for stroke such as male gender and having diabetes.”

Provided by PLOS