A preliminary study of Patient Dignity Inventory validation among patients hospitalized in an acute psychiatric ward

Purpose: To investigate the perception of dignity among patients hospitalized in a psychiatric setting using the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI), which had been first validated in oncologic field among terminally ill patients. Patients and methods: After having modified two items, we administered the Italian version of PDI to all patients hospitalized in a public psychiatric ward (Service of Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment of a northern Italian town), who provided their consent and completed it at discharge, from October 21, 2015 to May 31, 2016. We excluded minors and patients with moderate/severe dementia, with poor knowledge of Italian language, who completed PDI in previous hospitalizations and/or were hospitalized for ,72 hours. We collected the demographic and clinical variables of our sample (n=135). We statistically analyzed PDI scores, performing Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and principal factor analysis, followed by orthogonal and oblique rotation. We concomitantly administered to our sample other scales (Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression and Anxiety, Global Assessment of Functioning and Health of the Nation Outcome Scales) to analyze the PDI concurrent validity. Results: With a response rate of 93%, we obtained a mean PDI score of 48.27 (±19.59 SD) with excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient =0.93). The factorial analysis showed the following three factors with eigenvalue .1 (Kaiser’s criterion), which explained .80% of total variance with good internal consistency: 1) “Loss of self-identity and social role”, 2) “Anxiety and uncertainty for future” and 3) “Loss of personal autonomy”. The PDI and the three-factor scores were statistically significantly positively correlated with the Hamilton Scales for Depression and Anxiety but not with other scale scores. Conclusion: Our preliminary research suggests that PDI can be a reliable tool to assess patients’ dignity perception in a psychiatric setting, until now little investigated, helping professionals to improve quality of care and patients to accept treatments

Cardiovascular risk factors, anxiety symptoms and inflammation markers: Evidence of association from a cross-sectional study

Introduction Anxiety disorders and Cardiovascular (CV) diseases, among the most common disorders in Western World, are often comorbid. A chronic systemic inflammatory state might be a shared underlining pathophysiological mechanism. Aims To investigate the association between anxiety symptoms, CV risks factors and inflammatory markers in an outpatient sample. Methods Cross-sectional study. Inclusion criteria: outpatients aged ≥40 years, attending colonoscopy after positive faecal occult blood test, negative medical history for cancer. Collected data: blood pressure, glycaemia, lipid profile, waist circumference, BMI, PCR (C Reactive Protein), LPS (bacterial Lipopolysaccharide). Psychometric tests: HADS, TCI, IMSA, SF36. Statistical analysis performed with STATA13. Results Fifty four patients enrolled (27 males, 27 females). Sixteen patients (30.19%) were positive for anxiety symptoms. Thirty-three patients (61.11%) had hypertension, 14 (25.93%) hyperglycaemia and 64.81% were overweight, with frank obesity (BMI≥ 30) in 11 subjects (20.37%). Anxiety symptoms were associated with low hematic HDL values (OR = 0.01; P = 0.01) and high concentration of triglycerides (OR = 0.023; P = 0.02) at the multiple regression model. At the univariate logistic analysis, anxiety was associated with LPS (OR = 1.06; P = 0.04). Conclusions Further evidence over the epidemiological link between common mental disorders and CV diseases was collected, with possible hints on pathophysiology and causative mechanisms related to inflammation. The importance of screening for anxiety and depression in medical populations is confirmed. Suggestions on future availability of screening tools based on inflammatory-related indicators should be the focus of future research

How are personality traits and physical activity involved in colorectal carcinogenesis? A cross-sectional study on patients undergoing colonoscopy

Introduction Inflammatory state of the large bowel is a key factor for the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). It has multifactorial aetiology, including psychological determinants. Physical activity may have a protective function against CRC via anti-inflammatory properties; on the contrary, personality traits correlate with an unhealthy and dangerous lifestyle. Objective To measure the association between personality traits, lifestyle and colonoscopy outcome. Methods Cross sectional study. Patients undergoing colonoscopy aged 40 or more, with a negative history for cancer or inflammatory bowel disease, were enrolled. Data collected: colonoscopy outcome, smoke, alcohol, physical activity, presence/absence of Metabolic Syndrome, personality traits assessed by the Temperament & Character Inventory (TCI). Results In a sample of 53 subjects (females = 24, 45.3%), the mean age was 60.66 ± 9.08. At least one adenoma was found to 23 patients (43.3%). Twenty patients were smokers (37.74%), 36 (67.92%) drank alcohol at least weekly; approximately 60% reported regular physical activity. At the multivariate regression, the outcome was associated to: TCI Self Transcendence domain (ST) (OR = 1.36, P = 0.04) and physical activity (OR = 0.14, P = 0.03). Conclusion People with ST's characteristic personality traits and sedentary life style are more likely to have precancerous colorectal lesions. This confirms the protective role of physical activity, and suggests to further explore the role of personality in cancerogenesis

Retrospective Analysis of Factors Associated with Long-Stay Hospitalizations in an Acute Psychiatric Ward.

Purpose To evaluate the longest hospitalizations in an acute psychiatric ward [Service of Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment (SPDT)] and the related demographic, clinical and organizational variables to understand the factors that contribute to long-stay (LOS) phenomenon. The term "long stay" indicates clinical, social and organizational problems responsible for delayed discharges. In psychiatry, clinical severity, social dysfunction and/or health-care system organization appear relevant factors in prolonging stays. Patients and Methods We divided all the SPDT hospitalizations from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2015 into two groups based on the 97.5th percentile of duration: ≤36 day (n=3254) and >36 day (n=81) stays, in order to compare the two groups for the selected variables. Comparisons were made using Pearson's chi-square for categorical data and t-test for continuous variables, the correlation between the LOS, as a dependent variable, and the selected variables was analyzed in stepwise multiple linear regression and in multiple logistic regression models. Results The longest hospitalizations were significantly related to the diagnosis of "schizophrenia and other psychosis" (Pearson Chi2=17.24; p=0.045), the presence of moderate and severe aggressiveness (Pearson chi2=29; p=0.000), compulsory treatment (Pearson Chi2=8.05; p=0.005), parenteral or other route administration of psycho-pharmacotherapy (Pearson Chi2=12.91; p=0.007), poli-therapy (Pearson Chi2=6.40; p=0.041), complex psychiatric activities (Pearson Chi2=12.26; p=0.002) and rehabilitative programs (Pearson Chi2=37.05; p=0.000) during the hospitalization and at discharge (Pearson Chi2=29.89; p=0.000). Many demographic and clinical variables were statistically significantly correlated to the LOS at our multiple linear and logistic regression model. Conclusion In our sample, clinical illness severity and need for complex therapeutic and rehabilitative treatments were associated with prolonged psychiatric hospitalizations. Understanding this phenomenon can have not only economic but also clinical, ethical and social relevance

Human amniotic epithelial cells as a reliable source for diabetes stem-cell therapy

Objectives: Human placenta is available as a discarded tissue, which provides a rich population of multipotent stem cells. Amongst them, HAECs represent a promising resource for regenerative medicine. In the present study we cultured HAECs in serum-free and defined media preserving their phenotypic and genetic traits. Then we verified the mesodermic differentiation capacity of HAECs and finally evaluated their pancreatic differentiative potential. We hypothesize that HAECs, cultured in such conditions, may show the same or better differentiation rate of HAECs cultured in standardized serum-rich media when induced into insulin producing cells. Methods: Placenta samples were collected, HAECs were isolated and cultured in standard serum-rich medium and serum-free optimized media. We used RT-PCR to assess stem cell markers. Mesodermic osteogenic induction was performed for each media using the same induction cocktail. Differentiation was evaluated through Alizarin red staining and qPCR for osteogenic gene expression. To study HAECs’ pancreatic differentiation ability, Nicotinamide was added to each medium. Pancreatic markers expression and immune-phenotype profile were assessed respectively with qPCR, fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis or immune-fluorescence. Results: Serum-free media sustained HAECs’ growth and stem cell potential (OCT4, NANOG, SOX2). Alizarin red assay showed mineralization in all the culture conditions, confirmed by qPCR for key osteogenic markers such as OCN, RUNX2 and COL1A1. Preliminary pancreatic induction revealed expression of stemness marker NESTIN, typical of pancreatic progenitor cells, and pancreatic markers INSULIN and PDX1. Conclusion: These data indicate that serum is not essential for HAECs culture and differentiation. Serum-free culture conditions could simplify the transition from laboratory to clinical practice. For this reason HAECs might be a reliable, ethical-free source of insulin producing cells in clinical applications

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy vs cryoultrasound therapy in the treatment of chronic lateral epicondylitis. One year follow up study

BACKGROUND: the purpose of this study is to compare the therapeutic effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) to those of cryoultrasound (Cryo-US) therapy in chronic lateral epicondylitis during a 12-month period. METHODS: single-blinded, randomized, controlled study of 80 participants treated for chronic LE with 3 ESWT sessions at 48/72-hours intervals (n=40) or 12 Cryo-US therapy sessions (4 sessions per week) (n=40). VAS and satisfactory results, considered as the sum of excellent and good scores in the Roles and Maudsley score, were used as outcome measures at baseline and 3, 6 and 12 months post-treatment. RESULTS: the results show statistically significant differences in VAS between the two groups at 6 (p<0.001) and 12 months (p<0.001) in favour of the ESWT Group. At 12 months, a difference of more than 2 points in the VAS between the two groups is demonstrated in favour of the ESWT Group. Considering satisfactory results, significant differences between the two groups are observed at 6 (p=0.003) and 12 months (p <0.001) in favour of the ESWT Group where patients achieve a satisfactory rate over 50%. CONCLUSIONS: ESWT has better clinical therapeutic results at 6- and 12-month follow-up as compared to Cryo-US therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1B