Body dysmorphic disorder in patients with acne: treatment challenges

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is defined as a constant preoccupation with one or more non-existent or slight defects or flaws in the physical appearance, often resulting in repetitive behaviours like mirror checking and camouflaging. The prevalence is around 2% in the general population with up to 10% in dermatology patients. The prevalence of BDD in patients with acne ranges between 9% and 15%. BDD is associated with considerable psychosocial deterioration, poor quality of life, and development of comorbid mental health disorders, including obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, social anxiety and alcohol or illicit drug use. Such patients suffer tremendously and are at high risk of suicide. The rate of suicidal ideation reaches 79.5%. Of this number, nearly 27.6% make failed suicidal attempts each year and 0.3% of these attempts are successful..

Underrecognized comorbidities of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Joanna Miłkowska-Dymanowska,1,2 Adam J Białas,1,2 Anna Zalewska-Janowska,3 Pawel Górski,1,2 Wojciech J Piotrowski1,21Department of Pneumology and Allergy, 1st Chair of Internal Medicine, 2Healthy Aging Research Centre (HARC), 3Unit of Psychodermatology, Chair of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Medical University of Lodz, Lódz, PolandAbstract: COPD is associated with different comorbid diseases, and their frequency increases with age. Comorbidities severely impact costs of health care, intensity of symptoms, quality of life and, most importantly, may contribute to life span shortening. Some comorbidities are well acknowledged and established in doctors’ awareness. However, both everyday practice and literature searches provide evidence of other, less recognized diseases, which are frequently associated with COPD. We call them underrecognized comorbidities, and the reason why this is so may be related to their relatively low clinical significance, inefficient literature data, or data ambiguity. In this review, we describe rhinosinusitis, skin abnormalities, eye diseases, different endocrinological disorders, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Possible links to COPD pathogenesis have been discussed, if the data were available.Keywords: COPD, comorbidities, rhinosinusitis, endocrinological disorders, GER

Adaptation and initial results of the Polish version of the GA2LEN Chronic Urticaria Quality Of Life Questionnaire (CU-Q2oL)

Background: Strong negative influence upon the quality of life in chronic urticaria is well proved. Before the GA2LEN Chronic Urticaria Quality of Life Questionnaire (CU-Q2oL) was introduced, the quality of life in chronic urticaria had been measured with general or dermatology specific questionnaires. CU-Q2oL was initially developed in Italy and consisted of 23 items divided into 6 quality of life dimensions. Objective: The aim of our study was to adapt the Polish version of CU-Q2oL and to provide initial results from the Polish sample. Methods: To prepare the Polish version forward and back translation was prepared. After cognitive debriefing, we collected a group of 126 chronic urticaria patients who completed Polish CU-Q2oL, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Skindex-29 questionnaire. Disease severity was assessed with Urticaria Activity Score (UAS). We performed the factorial analysis to identify CU-Q2oL subscales in our study, internal consistency and convergent validity assessment as well as factors driving the results. Moreover, we analysed tool's reproducibility and responsiveness. Results: The factor analysis resulted in six subscales of Polish CU-Q2oL version with satisfying face validity: Itching, Swelling/Mental status, Functioning, Sleep, Eating/Limits, Embarrassment. All subscales presented recommended internal consistency and convergent validity. Disease severity was the only factor predicting results of all the subscales. Polish CU-Q2oL version was reproducible and sensitive to change. We noticed the highest quality of life impairment in Itching and Embarrassment subscales whereas Eating/Limits was the least affected. Conclusions: Our study supports reliability, responsiveness and validity of the Polish version of CU-Q2oL - easy in use, non time-consuming instrument to be used in research, clinical management and treatment outcome assessment and is one more step to confirm quality of life impairment in chronic urticaria. © 2011 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology

State length, spline function and lactate minimus swimming speed

Le test de lactate minimum est devenu une méthode populaire d'évaluation en course à pied. Cependant la vitesse à lactate minimum peut être affectée par différentes manipulations de protocole. Dans le cadre d'une étude sur 12 nageurs brésiliens de niveau national, les auteurs examinent l'influence de sessions de longueur différente (200 ou 300m) et de méthodes de détermination (mathématique ou non) sur la vitesse à lactate minimum ainsi que la validité du test de lactate minimum sur l'évaluation de l'état stable maximal de lactatémie en natation. Il en résulte que la vitesse à lactate minimum n'est pas affectée par la longueur des sessions ni la méthode de détermination mais que le test de 300m semble fournir une prévision plus précise de l'état stable maximal