86,561 research outputs found
Tako tsubo and treatment of comorbid depression: A reflection is needed - Author's reply
No full textThe relevance of the research on the psychosocial dimensions of aging is really the same in europe and USA?
No full textThe paper by Kirilov and Coll." Active aging and elderly’s quality of life: Comparing the impact on literature of projects funded by the European Union and USA" has the merit of focusing on a strongly critical general theme: the weight given to the results of literature in Europe and the USA. The subject matter is everywhere relevant, but somewhat more critical in Europe, would mean an imbalance of interest between the two countries. However, the results of the research reassure us: apparently, the projects financed with public money in Europe and in the US have the same impact in the literature
The use of antidepressants in the long-term treatment should not improve the impact of fibromyalgia on quality of life
No full textBackground: Antidepressant (AD) drugs are effective in the short term treatment of fibromyalgia (FM). It may be useful to study the long-term impact of AD on patients with FM. Methods: One-year follow-up study on 23 females with FM divided into groups on AD (ADg-N=7), and not taking AD (NADg-N=11). Evaluation at t1 and at the end (t2) with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ); at t2 with: SCIDIV; Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ); Short Form-12; Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D); Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) Results: After a year the AD group showed a worst impact of the disease by FIQ (p=0.017), worsened quality of life by SF-12 (p<0.01), and disability linked to bipolar symptoms by FAST (p=0.05). About 40% of the sample was screened positive at MDQ without difference in the two groups. The patients who recovered from a depressive episode did not differ between ADg and NADg (20% vs 33.3%), and were fewer than expected from the literature (40-60%). The HAM-D score at the end of the trial was worse in the ADg (p<0.03). Limitations: Observational research on few patients, not specifically designed to test the hypothesis. The results have a heuristic value only. Discussion: The results should be read in the light of the high prevalence of patients screened positive for Bipolar Disorders and of the well-known poor response of the mood symptoms to antidepressants in Bipolar Depression. The deterioration in the long-term management of FM patients following AD treatments suggests the need for new and robust studies
Alexithymia affects pre-hospital delay of patients with acute myocardial infarction: meta-analysis of existing studies
No full textBackground: The time between the onset of symptoms and reperfusion is a critical determinant of the clinical course of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Any delay in seeking help will affect patient's outcome. Alexithymia can influence the information processing but also the skills to detect the signal of an ongoing AMI. Method: Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating the role of alexithymia in pre-hospital delay after AMI. Pubmed/Medline and PsychINFO/Ovid search from 1990 until 2012. Results: Out of 29 studies investigating the role of psychological factors in pre-hospital delay after AMI, 3 studies specifically assessed alexithymia, involving 258 patients. All studies used the Toronto Alexithymia Scale to group patients into clusters by time to presentation after AMI. Meta-analysis of data showed that the patients with higher emotional awareness (i.e., low alexithymia) had shorter time to presentation after AMI. Conclusions: Preliminary evidence indicates that alexithymia may have a role in seeking help delay after AMI. Further studies are necessary to better appreciate how alexithymia influence help-seeking in patients with an evolving AMI and in what extent their ineffective behavior can be changed
Alexithyrnia and panic disorder trends while attending self-help groups: A longitudinal study on 21 subjects.
No full textAn Overview of the International Literature on Health-Related Quality of Life, Mental Health and Psychosocial Issues in People with Cancer
No full textBackground: Cancer is one of the most important leading causes of death worldwide. Early detection, screening and diagnosis have been demonstrated to significantly improve patients’ survival rates and increase awareness of the benefit of prompt therapies and healthy lifestyles. In this context, Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and several psychosocial difficulties are of relevance as prognostic factors for the trajectory of the diseases of people living with cancer. Methods: This Special Issue aims to present a set of systematic reviews and research studies focusing on several psychosocial aspects in people suffering from hematologic and solid cancer. Results: Three systematic reviews regard HRQoL, the quality of patient-physician communication, depression and other stress-related difficulties, respectively. One review pointed out the difficulties in diagnosing depression in the elderly with solid cancer; another one regards the risk of cancer in severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and severe depressive disorders. One additional review regards HRQoL in people with cancer in the present era of COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, some research studies pointed out the usefulness of a validated instrument to assess satisfaction with care in the oncology field, as well as of the self-reinforcing feedback loop to improve fatigue, insomnia and depression in people with cancer. Other two research studies evaluate, respectively, the attributable burden in worsening HRQoL in people suffering both from cancer and depression and the Type D personality as a risk factor for stress-related difficulties in women with breast cancer. Conclusion: This Special Issue is a contribution to enhance future research mainly about such interventions useful to assess and improve HRQoL and overall well-being in people with cancer
Alexithymia and sense of coherence: Does their impact on fibromyalgia suggest new targets for therapy?
No full textThe specific aim of this study was to verify whether high alexithymia and low sense of coherence are associated with severe impact of the illness, severe pain and poor quality of life (QoL) in women with FM. A case-control pilot study was conducted on 50 consecutive women with FM aged 50.5 ± 10.8, who were evaluated by the Rheumatologic Service of the University Hospital of Cagliari, Italy. This report is the first study in the literature exploring the link between high alexithymia and low sense of coherence with severe pain perception, poor QoL and worse impact of the illness in women with FM have traditionally been considered to be stable
Why is it Important to Assess and Treat Alexithymia in the Cardiologic Field? An Overview of the Literature
No full textBackground: Alexithymia has been found to be associated with several somatic illnesses, such as cardiovascular, indicating that it might be a risk factor for early death in the long-term course of post-myocardial infarction. From the cardiology perspective, the aim was to collect current evidence about the relationship between alexithymia and somatic illness. Methods: The literature was synthesized and summarized in a narrative format. The literature search was carried out in PubMed. Pertinent studies published in the last 50 years written in English were included and organized by three main topics (“The relation between alexithymia and somatic illness from the cardiology perspective”; “How do assess alexithymia?”; “Treating alexithymia”) to be discussed. Results: High alexithymia is a dimensional trait that affects around 10% of the general population and up to 55% of people with essential hypertension. Also, the link between alexithymia and cardiovascular activity has been pointed out. There are several validated tools to assess alexithymia, as well as treatment options. Conclusion: Knowledge about the main features of alexithymia, as well as its assessment and treatment, can promote a multifactorial approach to the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of cardiac diseases
Variations on the Author
No full text“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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