Quality of life in patients with vitiligo: A cross-sectional study based on Vitiligo Quality of Life index (VitiQoL)

Background: Vitiligo is a multi-factorial pigmentary skin disorder. Recently, the importance of emotional and psychological issues is proposed in incidence, progression, relapse and remission of vitiligo. There are limited studies conducted in developing countries, which assess life quality of patients with vitiligo. The aim of this study was the application and evaluation of a disease-specific quality of life index in Iranian patients, for the first time. Methods: This cross-sectional biphasic study was conducted on 25 patients as a pilot and another 173 patients as the main study group, in Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran, 2013-2014. Persian version of Vitiligo Quality of Life index (VitiQoL) was developed with backward-forward method. Based on the pilot study, the validity and reliability were assessed. The Vitiligo Area and Score Index (VASI), VitiQoL, and their relationship, demographic and clinical characteristic of patients were measured. Results: The Mean and standard deviation of the VitiQoL score was 30.5 ± 14.5 (range 0-60 in Persian version). There was a significant relationship between VASI score and VitiQoL (p = 0.015, r = 0.187). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed three important factors within VitiQoL: participation limitation, stigma, and behavior. In subscale analysis based on behavior factor, female patients had poorer quality of life (p = 0.02). Concomitant psychiatric problems, e.g. anxiety and depression, were not associated with QOL; however, they were near to being meaningful (p = 0.06, r = 0.14). Conclusion: VitiQoL is a valid index in estimating life quality of vitiligo patients and has proper relation to disease severity. Focusing on patient's life quality is an important entity in the management of vitiligo patients; relevant supportive group-based consultations and therapies are also important arms when approaching vitiligo. © 2016 The Author(s)

Rift Valley Fever – epidemiological update and risk of introduction into Europe

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a vector-borne disease transmitted by a broad spectrum of mosquito species, especially Aedes and Culex genus, to animals (domestic and wild ruminants and camels) and humans. Rift Valley fever is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula, with periodic epidemics characterised by 5–15 years of inter-epizootic periods. In the last two decades, RVF was notified in new African regions (e.g. Sahel), RVF epidemics occurred more frequently and low-level enzootic virus circulation has been demonstrated in livestock in various areas. Recent outbreaks in a French overseas department and some seropositive cases detected in Turkey, Tunisia and Libya raised the attention of the EU for a possible incursion into neighbouring countries. The movement of live animals is the most important pathway for RVF spread from the African endemic areas to North Africa and the Middle East. The movement of infected animals and infected vectors when shipped by flights, containers or road transport is considered as other plausible pathways of introduction into Europe. The overall risk of introduction of RVF into EU through the movement of infected animals is very low in all the EU regions and in all MSs (less than one epidemic every 500 years), given the strict EU animal import policy. The same level of risk of introduction in all the EU regions was estimated also considering the movement of infected vectors, with the highest level for Belgium, Greece, Malta, the Netherlands (one epidemic every 228–700 years), mainly linked to the number of connections by air and sea transports with African RVF infected countries. Although the EU territory does not seem to be directly exposed to an imminent risk of RVFV introduction, the risk of further spread into countries neighbouring the EU and the risks of possible introduction of infected vectors, suggest that EU authorities need to strengthen their surveillance and response capacities, as well as the collaboration with North African and Middle Eastern countries.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Supportive and cognitive behavioral group interventions on Bam earthquake related PTSD symptoms in adolescents

Background: Psychological debriefing has been widely advocated for routine use following major traumatic events. Cognitive Behavioral Interventions, art supportive therapies, and sport and recreational support activities are other interventions for reducing posttraumatic stress disorder. We assessed the effects of theses methods individually and in combination on reduction posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in adolescents who had experienced Bam earthquake. Methods: In a field trial, we evaluated the efficacy of psychological debriefing, group cognitive-behavioral therapy, art and sport supportive interventions in 200 adolescents with PTSD symptoms who survived of Bam earthquake and compare it with a control group. Patients were randomly assigned to one of intervention programs including: group cognitive-behavioral therapy; group CBT plus art and sport interventions; art and sport interventions without group CBT; and control group. Results: Thirty one individuals were excluded because of migration. A statistically significant reduction in overall PTSD symptoms as well as in avoidance symptoms was observed after group cognitive-behavioral therapy. There was no significant difference in reduction of overall PTSD and avoidance symptoms between the other groups. Conclusion: Psychological interventions in form of group cognitive behavioral therapy can reduce the symptoms of PTSD symptoms but we couldn't find the art and sport supportive therapy alone or in combination with group CBT to be useful in this regard

Behavioral group therapy effect on Bam earthquake related PTSD symptoms in children: A randomized clinical trial

Background: In children and adolescents physical and psychological integrity threatening occur after disasters, whereby post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be the first reaction. Psychological debriefing is a way for prevention and reducing PTSD symptoms. Many studies have shown the efficacy of behavioral therapy in treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Few evidence is available for using these techniques in combination for prevention and treatment of PTSD symptoms. This study compared the efficacy of psychological debriefing and cognitive behavioral group therapy combination on Bam earthquake related PTSD symptoms in children with a control group. Methods: In a control trial, we evaluated the efficacy of one session psychological debriefing and three sessions of group behavioral therapy in Bam earthquake adolescent survivors with PTSD symptoms and compared it with a control group. The mean age of participants was 9.07 (SD=1.7) years and no one had sever PTSD or other psychiatric disorder that needed pharmacological interventions. Before and after interventions we evaluated PTSD symptoms by use of K-SADS questionnaire and compared them with the control group. Results: The study included 100 persons, of whom 20 persons were excluded during intervention because of migration. The mean values of total PTSD symptoms and the symptoms of re-experience and avoidance were reduced after interventions. This reduction was statistically significant only for symptoms of re-experience. In control group the mean values of PTSD symptoms increased during study which was statistically significant. The two groups showed statistically significant differences of symptom reduction in total PTSD symptoms, re-experience and avoidance. No difference was detected for hyper arousal. Conclusion: Psychological debriefing and group behavioral therapy may have preventive effect on PTSD symptoms and may reduce symptoms of re-experience

The effect of psychosocial supportive interventions on PTSD symptoms after Bam earthquake

Background: Many studies have shown the efficacy of cognitive – behavioral therapy and psychological debriefing in treatment of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a few evidences are available for using these techniques in large scale disasters. This study aimed to asses the effect of some psychological interventions in reducing PTSD symptoms after Bam earthquake in different age groups. Methods: In a before-after quasi experimental clinical trial, we compared the efficacy of one session of psychological debriefing and three sessions of group cognitive-behavioral therapy in bam earthquake PTSD symptoms in different age groups. We evaluated PTSD symptoms before and immediately and three months after interventions by CASP scaling system and analyzed data. Results: one hundred and thirty persons entered in the study and 51 persons excluded during interventions because of migration. Interventions were showed to be effective only in short term period. The means of PTSD symptoms frequency and severity of avoidance symptoms were reduced during three months period of study which were statistically significant P<0.05. Interventions showed no efficacy for recall symptoms in long term and hyper arousal symptoms in short term and long term periods. There was no statistically significant difference among age groups. Conclusion: Psychosocial supportive interventions may be effective on some of the PTSD symptoms but there is no difference in different age groups

Examining memory performance in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD): A comparison study with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

The aim of this study is comparing directly the BDD and OCD disorders in terms of similarities and differences in memory function for the first time. 19 BDD patients, 15 OCD patients and 26 individuals in a healthy control group were recruited from three hospitals in Tehran. They were administered the following subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale: logical memory (immediate and delayed), verbal paired association (immediate and delayed), digit span and spatial span as well as the Rey�Osterrieth complex figure test (RCFT). The results showed that BDD and OCD groups had lower performance in comparison to the control group across all measures, except for the immediate memory of the verbal paired associate task, which was similar across the three groups. Both the BDD and OCD groups showed poor performance on the auditory-verbal memory tasks. However, only the BDD group showed poor performance in the visual domain (i.e. spatial span and RCFT). This suggest that memory deficits are similar between BDD and OCD patients in the verbal domain. Furthermore, BDD patients demonstrated poorer visual working memory. The findings of this study reveal that BDD and OCD patients have more similarities than differences regarding neuropsychological features, in other words, the idea of the incorporation of BDD within the obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs) spectrum in DSM-5 is supported, at least through the viewpoint of neuropsychology. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Examining memory performance in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD): A comparison study with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

The aim of this study is comparing directly the BDD and OCD disorders in terms of similarities and differences in memory function for the first time. 19 BDD patients, 15 OCD patients and 26 individuals in a healthy control group were recruited from three hospitals in Tehran. They were administered the following subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale: logical memory (immediate and delayed), verbal paired association (immediate and delayed), digit span and spatial span as well as the Rey�Osterrieth complex figure test (RCFT). The results showed that BDD and OCD groups had lower performance in comparison to the control group across all measures, except for the immediate memory of the verbal paired associate task, which was similar across the three groups. Both the BDD and OCD groups showed poor performance on the auditory-verbal memory tasks. However, only the BDD group showed poor performance in the visual domain (i.e. spatial span and RCFT). This suggest that memory deficits are similar between BDD and OCD patients in the verbal domain. Furthermore, BDD patients demonstrated poorer visual working memory. The findings of this study reveal that BDD and OCD patients have more similarities than differences regarding neuropsychological features, in other words, the idea of the incorporation of BDD within the obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs) spectrum in DSM-5 is supported, at least through the viewpoint of neuropsychology. © 2020 Elsevier B.V