Dados do Trabalho

Title

LONGITUDINAL EVALUATION OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH CHILDHOOD-ONSET SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Background

Among the neuropsychiatric manifestations of Childhood-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus , cognitive losses are frequent. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the fluctuation of executive functions these patients in treatment at a tertiary hospital rheumatology outpatient clinic.

Materials and methods

This is a longitudinal study with application of validated instruments: Coding subtest, Picture Arrangement , Block Design, Vocabulary and Picture Completion in patients with confirmed diagnosis of Childhood-onset SLE . In this study 24 patients were included, with a mean of 16.83 years, of whom 23 were women and 1 were man. The subjects were evaluated in two different periods with mean separation time of 9.5 months.

Results

The Coding subtest showed the largest difference between the scoring means, with the first being 58.83 ± 15.18 (mean ± SD) and the second 55.20 ± 20.63, followed by the arrangement of figures, with 22.87 ± 12.69 and 20.5 ± 8.88, and Block Design with 42.37 ± 13.73 and 41.62 ± 13.66. On the other hand, when analyzing the substandard Vocabulary and Picture Completion, there is an increase in the mean between evaluations, the first one being from 26 ± 3.21 to 26.41 ± 6.48, and the second from 22.79 ± 3.28 to 23.95 ± 9.03. When performed the T-test for paired samples, with a 95% confidence interval, it was not possible to prove the statistical significance when comparing the data obtained in the two evaluations. The Block Design subtest was closest to significance, with a result of 0.328, followed by Coding with 0.524.

Conclusions

Although the data analyzed do not have statistical significance it's possible to realize a tendency in the decrease of the ability to perform tasks. In this way, the study provides an indication of impairment in spatial visualization capabilities, selective and focused attention, and mental flexibility and perceptual and visual organization. Further studies are needed to better evaluate the long-term impairment of executive functions on patients with Childhood-onset SLE

Área

Pediatrics