Measuring personality functioning with the 12-item version of the OPD-Structure Questionnaire (OPD-SQS): reliability, factor structure, validity, and measurement invariance in the general population

BackgroundThe assessment of personality functioning is at the core of current dimensional models of personality disorders. A variety of measures from different clinical and research traditions aim to assess basic psychological capacities regarding the self and others. While some instruments have shown reliability and validity in clinical or other selected samples, much less is known about their performance in the general population.MethodsIn three samples representative of the German adult population with a total of 7,256 participants, levels of personality functioning were measured with the short 12-item version of the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis – Structure Questionnaire (OPD-SQS). We addressed questions of factor structure, reliability, validity, factorial invariance, and provide norm values.ResultsConfirmatory factor analysis indicated a satisfactory to good model fit. OPD-SQS models were mostly unaffected by variables such as gender, age, or measurement time. As expected, personality functioning was associated with general psychopathology as well as indices of occupational functioning.ConclusionThe OPD-SQS is a viable measure to assess personality functioning in the general population

Allergen sensitization linked to climate and age, not to intermittent-persistent rhinitis in a cross-sectional cohort study in the (sub)tropics

Background: Allergen exposure leads to allergen sensitization in susceptible individuals and this might influence allergic rhinitis (AR) phenotype expression. We investigated whether sensitization patterns vary in a country with subtropical and tropical regions and if sensitization patterns relate to AR phenotypes or age. Methods: In a national, cross-sectional study AR patients (2-70 y) seen by allergists underwent blinded skin prick testing with a panel of 18 allergens and completed a validated questionnaire on AR phenotypes. Results: 628 patients were recruited. The major sensitizing allergen was house dust mite (HDM) (56%), followed by Bermuda grass (26%), ash (24%), oak (23%) and mesquite (21%) pollen, cat (22%) and cockroach (21%). Patients living in the tropical region were almost exclusively sensitized to HDM (87%). In the central agricultural zones sensitization is primarily to grass and tree pollen. Nationwide, most study subjects had perennial (82.2%), intermittent (56.5%) and moderate-severe (84.7%) AR. Sensitization was not related to the intermittent-persistent AR classification or to AR severity; seasonal AR was associated with tree (p < 0.05) and grass pollen sensitization (p < 0.01). HDM sensitization was more frequent in children (0-11 y) and adolescents (12-17 y) (subtropical region: p < 0.0005; tropical region p < 0.05), but pollen sensitization becomes more important in the adult patients visiting allergists (Adults vs children + adolescents for tree pollen: p < 0.0001, weeds: p < 0.0005). Conclusions: In a country with (sub)tropical climate zones SPT sensitization patterns varied according to climatological zones; they were different from those found in Europe, HDM sensitization far outweighing pollen allergies and Bermuda grass and Ash pollen being the main grass and tree allergens, respectively. Pollen sensitization was related to SAR, but no relation between sensitization and intermittent-persistent AR or AR severity could be detected. Sensitization patterns vary with age (child HDM, adult pollen). Clinical implications of our findings are dual: only a few allergens –some region specific- cover the majority of sensitizations in (sub)tropical climate zones. This is of major importance for allergen manufacturers and immunotherapy planning. Secondly, patient selection in clinical trials should be based on the intermittent-persistent and severity classifications, rather than on the seasonal-perennial AR subtypes, especially when conducted in (sub)tropical countries

Infektionsepidemiologie lebensmittelbedingter Campylobacter-Infektionen

Es wird über einen Gastroenteritisausbruch in Sachsen-Anhalt mit 186 Erkrankungen in 6 Kindergärten einer Kreisstadt berichtet, der durch Campylobacter (C.) jejuni verursacht wurde. Die Erkrankten hatten an der Gemeinschaftsverpflegung aus einer Großküche teilgenommen. Die Untersuchung zwecks Ursachenermittlung erfolgte einerseits durch Befragungen von Essenteilnehmern und statistische Auswertung im Rahmen einer retrospektiven Kohortenstudie sowie durch lebensmittelhygienische und -technologische Ermittlungen im Bereich der Speisenherstellung. Zum anderen wurden Stuhlproben von Erkrankten, Rückstellproben der Speisen, verwendete tierische Lebensmittel und Proben direkt aus der Tierhaltung mikrobiologisch untersucht. Die vergleichende Subtypisierung der gewonnenen Isolate mittels molekularbiologischer Methoden zeigte eine klonale Identität der C. jejuni-Stämme vom Rind, aus Rohmilch und von den Erkrankten. Offensichtlich unzureichend in der Küche erhitzte kontaminierte Rohmilch als Zusatz zu einer Quarkspeise wurde dadurch als Infektionsquelle ermittelt. Die aus dem gleichfalls verdächtigten Geflügelfleisch isolierten C. jejuni-Stämme zeigten gegenüber den Patientenstämmen deutlich unterscheidbare Feintypisiermuster, so daß das Geflügelfleisch als Infektionsquelle ausgeschlossen werden konnte. Die Untersuchungen unterstreichen die Nützlichkeit interdisziplinären Zusammenwirkens von humanmedizinischen und lebensmittelhygienischen Ermittlungen durch Sachverständige der Human- und Veterinärmedizin und die Aussagefähigkeit spezialisierter infektions-epidemiologischer Laboruntersuchungen bei der Ursachenermittlung lebensmittelbedingter Erkrankungen.A report is presented on an outbreak of acute gastrointestinal infections caused by Campylobacter (C.) jejuni. It occurred in Saxony-Anhalt, with a total of 186 cases in 6 kindergartens of a single township. All cases had eaten food from a common source (catering establishment). An investigation into the causes was conducted which involved specific interviews among those who had consumed the meals provided, a statistical evaluation as part of a cohort study and investigations into the conditions of food hygiene and food technology at the level of food preparation. In addition, stool specimens from cases, obligatory samples of the prepared foods, samples of the foods of animal origin used and from animals at the farm of origin were subjected to microbiological examination. Comparative subtyping of the isolates by means of molecular-biological methods demonstrated a clonal identity of the C. jejuni strains from cattle, raw milk and cases. Obviously, contaminated raw milk that had been insufficiently heated in the kitchen and added to a quark dish was found to be the source of infection. The C. jejuni strains isolated from poultry meat that has also been incriminated exhibited fine typing patterns that were clearly distinguishable from those of the patient strains, so that poultry meat could be excluded as source of infection. These investigations have underlined the expediency of interdisciplinary cooperation between the investigational activities of experts in medicine and the value of the evidence provided by specialized laboratory studies when having to establish the causes of food-borne illnesses

In the (sub)tropics Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma classification of allergic rhinitis is more useful than perennial-seasonal classification

Background: Two different allergic rhinitis (AR) symptom phenotype classifications exist. Treatment recommendations are based on intermittent-persistent (INT-PER) cataloging, but clinical trials still use the former seasonal AR-perennial AR (SAR-PAR) classification. This study was designed to describe how INT-PER, mild-moderate/severe and SAR-PAR of patients seen by allergists are distributed over the different climate zones in a (sub) tropical country and how these phenotypes relate to allergen sensitization patterns. Methods: Six climate zones throughout Mexico were determined, based on National Geographic Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia) data. Subsequent AR patients (2-68 years old) underwent a blinded, standardized skin-prick test and filled out a validated questionnaire phenotyping AR. Results: Five hundred twenty-nine subjects participated in this study. In the tropical zone with 87% house-dust mite sensitization, INT (80.9%; p < 0.001) and PAR (91%; p = 0.04) were more frequent than in the subtropics. In the central high-pollen areas, there was less moderate/severe AR (65.5%; p < 0.005). Frequency of comorbid asthma showed a clear north-south gradient, from 25% in the dry north to 59% in the tropics (p < 0.005). No differences exist in AR cataloging among patients with different sensitization patterns, with two minor exceptions (more PER in tree sensitized and more PAR in mold positives; p < 0.05). Conclusion: In a (sub) tropical country the SAR-PAR classification seems of limited value and bears poor relation with the INT-PER classification. INT is more frequent in the tropical zone. Because PER has been shown to relate to AR severity, clinical trials should select patients based on INT-PER combined with the severity cataloging because these make for a better treatment guide than SAR-PAR

In the (Sub)Tropics Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma Classification of Allergic Rhinitis is More Useful than Perennial–Seasonal Classification

Background: Two different allergic rhinitis (AR) symptom phenotype classifications exist. Treatment recommendations are based on intermittent-persistent (INT-PER) cataloging, but clinical trials still use the former seasonal AR-perennial AR (SAR-PAR) classification. This study was designed to describe how INT-PER, mild-moderate/severe and SAR-PAR of patients seen by allergists are distributed over the different climate zones in a (sub) tropical country and how these phenotypes relate to allergen sensitization patterns. Methods: Six climate zones throughout Mexico were determined, based on National Geographic Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografia) data. Subsequent AR patients (2-68 years old) underwent a blinded, standardized skin-prick test and filled out a validated questionnaire phenotyping AR. Results: Five hundred twenty-nine subjects participated in this study. In the tropical zone with 87% house-dust mite sensitization, INT (80.9%; p < 0.001) and PAR (91%; p = 0.04) were more frequent than in the subtropics. In the central high-pollen areas, there was less moderate/severe AR (65.5%; p < 0.005). Frequency of comorbid asthma showed a clear north-south gradient, from 25% in the dry north to 59% in the tropics (p < 0.005). No differences exist in AR cataloging among patients with different sensitization patterns, with two minor exceptions (more PER in tree sensitized and more PAR in mold positives; p < 0.05). Conclusion: In a (sub) tropical country the SAR-PAR classification seems of limited value and bears poor relation with the INT-PER classification. INT is more frequent in the tropical zone. Because PER has been shown to relate to AR severity, clinical trials should select patients based on INT-PER combined with the severity cataloging because these make for a better treatment guide than SAR-PAR