Beck Depression Inventory Questionnaire Research Articles

The Effect of Spiritual Care Development to Reduce the Level of Depression in the Families of Intensive Care Patients

Depression is a mental condition that affects a person's physical, psychological and social functioning. Depression occurs when problems in life arise, such as feeling disappointed, lost, depression is also a form of feeling sad, which can cause unhappiness and hopelessness. This study aimed was to analyze the effect of spiritual care development to reduce the level of depression in the families of intensive care patients. This research design uses Quasy experiment pre and posttest. The population is all families of patients in the Intensive Care ward at RSUD Haji Surabaya, totaling 108 respondents. The sample size was 85 respondents who met the inclusion criteria. The independent variable from the research is spiritual care with the intervention medium being a spiritual kit and the dependent variable is the level of depression in the family who keeps the patient in the intensive care room. Data was collected using the Beck's Depression Inventory questionnaire and then analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed rank test. The Z score value for the pre-post variable for the incidence of depression is -5.940 with a p value of Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) of .000 < 0.05, it can be seen that there is a significant influence between the results of the level of depression before and after the spiritual therapy kit. Developing spiritual care using the spiritual kit method can reduce the level of depression in the families of intensive care patients.

Strain-specific effects of probiotics on depression and anxiety: a meta-analysis

IntroductionDepression and anxiety are pervasive mental health disorders with substantial global burdens. Probiotics, live microorganisms known for their health benefits, have emerged as a potential therapeutic intervention for these conditions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the strain-specific effects of probiotics on relieving depressive and anxiety symptoms while elucidating underlying mechanisms.MethodsEMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL and PubMed/Medline were systematically queried to identify studies released until May 15, 2024. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) that employed standardized assessment tools for depression and anxiety namely Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), or Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were included.Results12 RCTs involving 707 participants were included. Seven RCTs utilizing the BDI questionnaire demonstrated a significant decrease in depressive symptoms favoring probiotics containing strains such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus salivarius, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium breve, and Bifidobacterium longum (MD: -2.69, CI95%: -4.22/-1.16, p value: 0.00). Conversely, RCTs using HAMD showed a non-significant reduction in depressive symptoms (MD: -1.40, CI95%: -3.29/0.48, p value: 0.14). RCTs employing DASS and MADRS scales also showed no significant differences.ConclusionThis meta-analysis offers valuable insights into the strain-specific effects of probiotics containing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species on depressive and anxiety symptoms. While our findings suggest a significant reduction in depressive symptoms based on the BDI scale favoring probiotics, the lack of significant effects observed on the HAMD, DASS, and MADRS scales underscores the complexity inherent in these conditions. It is imperative to acknowledge the mixed results across different measurement scales, indicating the need for cautious interpretation. Therefore, we advocate for a nuanced understanding of probiotics’ impacts on various dimensions of mood, emphasizing the necessity for further research.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LONG TIME ON HEMODIALISIS AND THE LEVEL OF DEPRESSION IN CHRONIC KIDNEY FAILURE PATIENTS IN THE HEMODIALISIS ROOM SANTOSA HOSPITAL BANDUNG CENTRAL (SHBC)

Introduction. The prevalence of depression cases in the world is around 17% of all mental disorders in society. This figure is the largest compared to other mental disorders. This condition will increase under certain conditions, for example in patients with certain medical conditions who experience chronic illnesses such as stroke, diabetes, cancer and chronic kidney failure. Patients with chronic kidney failure who are required to undergo hemodialysis will increase the risk of depression, this is caused by stressors that arise such as dependence on hemodialysis machines for life, changes in lifestyle patterns related to long periods of undergoing hemodialysis, restrictions on food and drink patterns and adaptation to disease condition. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the length of time undergoing hemodialysis and the level of depression in chronic kidney failure patients in the SHBC hemodialysis room. Method. This research is a quantitative correlation research with a cross sectional approach or also called a point time approach . The sampling technique used in this research was Accidental Sampling of 92 respondents using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire. Result & Analysis. Based on the results of statistical tests, the p-value = 0.038 (p <0.05). Discussion. In this study, it can be concluded that there is a relationship between the length of time undergoing hemodialysis and the level of depression in chronic kidney failure patients in the SHBC hemodialysis room in 2022. Patients with chronic kidney failure have many stressors that arise while undergoing hemodialysis, for this reason families and nurses can provide motivation to patients with chronic kidney failure so that they can reduce the level of depression.

Depressive Symptoms among Psychiatric Nurses in a Hospital: An Analytical Research.

Psychiatric nurses are vulnerable to the menace of negative emotions due to the nature of their work and the closed environment in which they work. In this study, we aimed to investigate the incidence and influencing factors of depression among psychiatric nurses. A cross-sectional survey method was adopted to investigate 64 nurses working in the psychiatric department of a hospital from June 2022 to June 2023. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire was administered to all included respondents, who were divided into depressed group (>4 points) and non-depressed group (≤4 points) according to the BDI scores. General sociological and disease-related characteristics of these two groups were measured, and items with significant differences were analyzed by logistic regression to derive factors that have an impact on the occurrence of depression among psychiatric nurses. Twelve psychiatric nurses in the surveyed hospital exhibited signs of depressive symptoms, with a rate of 18.75%. The univariate analysis unveiled differences between the depressed group and the non-depressed group in terms of daily sleep time, weekly working hours, professional title, working pressure, physical exercise, length of service, and physical condition. Further analysis through logistic regression revealed that daily sleep time, weekly working hours, and physical condition were factors affecting the occurrence of depression among psychiatric nurses. The vulnerability of psychiatric nurses to depression, which are potentially influenced by daily sleep hours, weekly working hours, and physical condition, deserves clinical attention so that countermeasures can be developed for early intervention.

Neuroserpin, IL-33 and IL-17A as potential markers of mild symptoms of depressive syndrome in Toxoplasma gondii-infected pregnant women.

Depressive syndrome (DS) is a common complication during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and is triggered by multiple organic/genetic and environmental factors. Clinical and biochemical follow-up is essential for the early diagnosis and prognosis of DS. The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii causes infectious damage to the fetus during parasite primary-infection. However, in long-term infections, pregnant women develop immune protection to protect the fetus, although they remain susceptible to pathological or inflammatory effects induced by T. gondii. This study aimed to investigate plasma inflammatory biomarkers in pregnant women seropositive and seronegative for T. gondii, with diagnoses of minor and moderate/severe DS. Pregnant women (n=45; age=18-39 years) were recruited during prenatal care at health centers in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Participants were asked to complete a socio-demographic questionnaire to be submitted to well-standardized DS scale calculators (Beck Depression Inventory Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and Major Depressive Episode Module). Additionally, 4 mL of blood was collected for plasma neuroserpin, CCL2, IL-17A, and IL-33 analysis. Pregnant volunteers with chronic T. gondii contact were all IgG+ (44%; n=21) and exhibited increased plasma IL-33, IL-17A, and neuroserpin levels, but not CCL2, compared to uninfected pregnant women. Using Beck's depression inventory, we observed an increase in plasma IL-17A and IL-33 in women with T. gondii infeCction diagnosed with mild DS, whereas neuroserpin was associated with minor and moderate/severe DS. Our data suggest a close relationship between DS in pregnant women with chronic T. gondii infection and neurological conditions, which may be partially mediated by plasma neuroserpin, IL-33, and IL-17A levels.

Assessment of Quality of Life of Parents of Children with Cerebral Palsy

Background: Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a broad spectrum of motor disability which is non progressive and is caused by damage to the brain at or around birth. Care of a child with cerebral palsy is a source of tension and struggle for parents and causes many problems in meeting the child’s needs. Understanding the quality of life of this category of parents , will contribute entire and sufficient physiotherapeutic interventions by various techniques and examine what structural changes could be made to increase parent satisfaction. Study Design: This study is a cross sectional study approach to assess the quality of life of these parents in Pune. A sample of 30 parents of children of cerebral palsy age 3-17 years was selected through convenient sampling. Data were collected using WHO-QOL BREF, Parental stress index, Beck depression inventory questionnaire, focusing on quality of life, stress and depression of parents. Method: 30 Participants were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Convenient sampling was done. Informed consent was obtained before data collection. Demographic details were recorded, and participants responded to the questionnaire, focusing on physical health, psychological health, social relationship and environmental barriers, stress and depression level. Descriptive statistics analyses were conducted to analyze the data. Results: The result showed as compare to father mother experienced lower quality of life, average depression level and increased stress level. This finding emphasizes the quality of life is severely affected suggesting the need to have family- centered approach for the management of children with cerebral palsy and evaluate unique challenges and experiences of parents to improve communication and support. Conclusion: This study concludes that the Quality of Life in Mothers is lower than that of Fathers of Cerebral Palsy child.

Factors associated with depressive symptoms among returnee migrants and non-migrants working adults in Madi municipality in Nepal: a community-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundMental health is a growing concern worldwide. It is not well understood whether international labour migrants from Nepal who return to Nepal are at higher risk of developing mental health problems. The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of and examine the associated factors for depressive symptoms among returnee migrants and non-migrant working male adults in Nepal.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of a probability-based sample of 725 participants was conducted in February 2020. The sample was comprised of two groups based on migration status: returning migrants and non-migrants. The 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21) questionnaire was used to assess depressive symptoms. Logistic regression was applied to investigate factors associated with symptoms of depression.ResultsThe overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 10.1%. However, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was lower (7%) among returnee migrants compared to non-migrants (13.7%). Men in the lower income group had a higher chance of having depressive (AOR = 5.88, 95% CI: 2.17–15.96) than those in the higher income group. Similarly, Buddhists and Christians were more likely to be depressed (AOR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.03–4.68) than Hindus. Participants with more than two children had a higher chance of having of depressive symptoms (AOR = 4.80, 95% CI: 1.15–20.05) compared with those without children. Unmarried men were more likely to be depressed (AOR = 4.07, 95%, CI:1.11–14.92) than those who were married.ConclusionThe working Nepali adult male population in Nepal, including returning migrants, is at risk of depressive symptoms, but this association was lower in those in the higher income group, returnee migrants, those who were married, Hindus and those with no children. Our results highlight the need to monitor and develop national policies to ensure the mental health of the Nepali male adult population, including returnee migrants.

Validity and Reliability of the Greek Version of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain Patients.

The purpose of this study was to investigate psychometric properties of the Greek translation of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (GR-PSQI) in a Greek chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) sample, thus, providing insight on its clarity and acceptability as a widely used sleep assessment tool in clinical practice. Asymptomatic volunteers (n = 73) and CNSLBP volunteers (n = 47), participated in the study. For the assessment of construct validity, the known-groups method was used. Thus, all the participants (asymptomatic and CNSLBP) completed the GR-PSQI. For the assessment of concurrent validity, the CNSLBP participants additionally completed the following validated questionnaires for depression, insomnia and sleep quality: Beck Depression Inventory Questionnaire (BDI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Sleep Quality Numeric Rating Scale (SQNRS). For the assessment of test-retest reliability, the CNSLBP participants completed the GR-PSQI a second time, one week after the first time. The results showed excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.969, SEM = 0.90, SDD = 2.49%) and internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.985), moderate to good concurrent validity (from r = 0.556 to r = 0.860) among PSQI, BDI, SQNRS, and ISI, as well as excellent construct validity (p = 0.000) between the two groups. The Greek translation of PSQI could be a valuable tool for Greek healthcare professionals in both clinical and research environments.

Effectiveness of Prenatal Gentle Yoga on Improvement Level of Depression in Pregnant Women Age <20 and >35 Years

This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of prenatal gentle yoga on depression problems in pregnant women aged <20 and >35 years. This research was carried out at the Bara Baraya Health Center, Antang Health Center, Kapasa Health Center, and Mamajang Health Center. The research design used in this research is Quasi Experiment with a Nonequivalent Control Group Design approach. Sampling used a purposive sampling technique. The instrument used was the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire. The sample in this study consisted of 24 respondents, 12 intervention groups and 12 control groups. Criteria in this research: pregnant women <20 years and >35 years, pregnant women in the II-III trimester with gestational age >=20 to <31 weeks, pregnant women without complications in pregnancy. Results: The mean ranks value for the intervention group was 6.50 in the pre test-mid test and mid test-post test respectively. Meanwhile in the control group the mean ranks value was 5.61 in the pre test-mid test, and the mean ranks value was 4.50 in the mid test-post test. This shows that the intervention group experienced a significant decrease in the level of depression in the BDI – II (Beck Depression Inventory-II) score compared to the control group. And a comparison of post test data from the intervention group and the control group obtained a p-value of 0.005 (<α 0.05) . Conclusion: There was a difference in BDI-II (Beck Depression Inventory -II) scores in the intervention group and the control group after being given Prenatal Gentle Yoga treatment

The association between lifelines diet score (LLDS) with depression and quality of life in Iranian adolescent girls

BackgroundIt has been proposed that a greater degree of adherence to a healthy dietary pattern is associated with a lower risk of depression and a poor quality of life (QoL). The Lifelines diet score (LLDS) is a new, evidence-base scoring system to define the quality of diet. We designed a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between LLDS with depression and QoL in Iranian adolescent girls.MethodsA total of 733 female adolescents were recruited from Mashhad and Sabzevar cities, Iran. Depression and QoL were assessed utilizing the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and SF-12v2 questionnaires, respectively. The LLDS was defined by dividing intakes of 12 food groups with negative or positive health effects into quintiles ranging 12 to 60 points. To explore the association between LLDS with QoL and depression, logistic regression was used in crude and adjusted models.ResultsThe prevalence of depression and poor QoL was 24% and 49%, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, adolescent girls in the highest quartile of LLDS compared with the participants in the lowest quartile had a 42% lower probability of reporting depressive symptoms (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.35–0.97, P = 0.03). In addition, the participants in the highest quartile of LLDS had lower odds of poor QoL compared with the subjects in the lowest quartile (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.42–0.92, P = 0.04).ConclusionsThere is an inverse relationship between LLDS with risk of depression and poor QoL. Prospective and interventional investigations are needed to reach a clear vision.

Depression Levels and Coping Strategies Among Adolescent Drug Users at Rumah Orbit Surabaya, Indonesia: A Mini Report

This brief investigation checks into how depression levels and ways of dealing with problems are related among teenage drug users who are getting help at Rumah Orbit Surabaya, a drug rehab centre in Indonesia. The study used a correlational analytic approach and looked at 32 teenage drug users: 10 were admitted for inpatient care and 22 were getting therapy outside of school. The requirements for inclusion are that the teens must be involved in rehabilitation and have good social skills. Teenagers who are already drug-free are not eligible. The Beck Depression Inventory questionnaire and the Ways of Coping Checklist were used to gather data. The results show a clear connection between the subjects' coping strategies and how depressed they were. Findings show that teens who use drugs are more likely to use unhealthy ways to deal with their problems when they are depressed. In particular, most of them showed signs of borderline sadness, and a big chunk of them used unhealthy ways to deal with their problems. On the other hand, people with moderate depression were more likely to use adaptive coping techniques. This study adds to our knowledge of how sadness affects how teenage drug users deal with stress in a rehabilitation setting. Recommendations include interventions that are targeted to the severity of sadness to help people in this vulnerable group get better at therapy and coping. In the future, researchers could look into longitudinal effects and intervention methods that are better suited to people with different levels of depression in similar situations.

DEPRESSION INFLUENCES POSTOPERATIVE PAIN AND DISABILITY IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING LUMBAR SPINAL FUSION: PRELIMINARY DATA OF A PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most common cause of disability worldwide, and lumbar spine fusion (LSF) is often chosen to treat pain caused by advanced degenerative disease when clinical treatment failed certain cases, the post-surgical outcomes are not what was expected. Several studies highlight how important are. In psychological variables during the postoperative spine surgery period. The aim of this study is to assess the role of preoperative depression on postoperative clinical outcomes. We included patients who underwent LSF since December 2021. Preoperative depression was assessed administering Beck Depression Inventory questionnaire (BDI). And pain and disability were evaluated at 1, 3, and 6 months, administering respectively Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). As statistical analysis Mann-Whitney test was performed. We included 46 patients, 20 female (43,5%) and 26 male (56,5%) with an average age of 64,2. The population was divided in two groups, fixing the BDI cut-off point at 10. Patients with BDI < 10 points (N=28) had normal mental health status, instead patients with BDI > 10 points (N=16) had depressive disorders. At 3 months patients with healthy mental status reported statistically significant reduction of pain (U = 372,5, p = .006) and improvement of disability but without statistical significancy (U = 318, p = 0,137). At 6 months patients without psychological disease reported statistically significant reduction of pain (U = 342, p = 0,039) and disability (U = 372,5, p = 0,006).This study demonstrates the correlation between pre-existing depressive state and poorer clinical outcomes after spine surgery. These results are consistent with the literature. Therefore, during the surgical decision making it is crucial to take psychological variables into account in order to predict the results after surgery and inform patients on the potential influence of mental status.

Health-related quality of life in severe hypersensitivity reactions: focus on severe allergic asthma and hymenoptera venom anaphylaxis-a cross-sectional study.

Growing evidence reveals the important role of clinical psychological factors in chronic-immune diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate Health-Related Quality of Life (HR-QoL), depression, anxiety, and alexithymia in patients with severe hypersensitivity reactions such as Severe Allergic Asthma (SAA) and Hymenoptera Venom Anaphylaxis (HVA). The Short-Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36), the Beck Depression Inventory Questionnaire (BDI-II), the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were used to assess HR-QoL and clinical psychological features of patients with SAA and HVA. Overall, 78 patients were recruited. Patients with SAA (n = 35) reported lower scores for physical functioning [65 (58-75) vs. 90 (85-95); p = <0.001], role limitations due to physical health [25 (0-50) vs. 62 (50-75); p = 0.004], bodily pain [47.5 (41.1-61.3) vs. 55.5 (55-96); p = 0.001], general health [40 (30-60) vs. 70 (50-80); p = 0.0003] and social functioning [50 (37.5-62.5) vs. 62.5 (54.9-75); p = 0.007] while higher scores for depressive symptoms [14 (11-15.4) vs. (9.5 (6-15.4); p = 0.05)] compared to HVA patients (n = 43). All the dimensions of SF-36 were negatively correlated with anxiety (r from -0.26 to -0.66; p all < 0.01) and depressive symptoms (r from -0.44 to -0.73; p all < 0.001). Alexithymia was negatively correlated with vitality (r = -0.28; p = 0.02) and mental health (r = -027; p = 0.03). Additionally, patients with alexithymia (38% of participants) showed higher levels of depressive symptoms [9.5 (10-19) vs. 14 (6-13.9); p = 0.005] and anxiety levels [31 (27.9-35) vs. 24 (16-33.9); p = 0.02]; they also showed less vitality [40 (39.9-50) vs. 55 (50-60) p = 0.01], social functioning [50 (37.5-62.5) vs. 62.5 (50 vs. 75); p = 0.01] and mental health [48 (44-60) vs. 68 (56-76); p = 0.004]. Clinical psychological features due to severe hypersensitive reactions may contribute to the patient's perceived HR-QoL. Focused clinical psychological interventions should be promoted to improve the clinical management of such conditions.

CONNECTION BETWEEN COMORBID PRIMARY HEADACHE, DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

SUMMARY. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of central nervous system that affects young people and progresses to physical disability. Among patient with MS risk of excessive anxiety and depression is quite common. One of the frequent comorbidities of MS is primary comorbid headache. Depression and anxiety might be more prominent on patients with pain comorbidity of MS. The aim – to show the prevalence and frequency of depression and anxiety in a population of patients with MS, with special attention to the group of patients with primary comorbid headache. Material and Methods. MS was confirmed according to the McDonald criteria 2017. Questionnaires Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for assessment of depression and The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory in Hanin`s interpretation (STAI), version for evaluation of reactive anxiety were used. Results. 130 patients with MS were examined with disease duration 8.63±7.49 years. 36.2 % of males (n=47) and 63.8 % of females (n=83) were included. Average score of patients with MS was 40.22±8.89 points that indicates moderate reactive anxiety. BDI score accounted for 14.15±7.58 points that interpretates as mild-to-moderate depression. Patients with MS and comorbid primary headache received the average points of the STAI in Hanin's interpretation – 42.41±7.49 (moderate anxiety); patients with MS without comorbid primary headache – 37.42±9.31 (low or moderate anxiety), but generally this difference did not show statistical significance (p=0.39). Among MS course scores of anxiety was similar between groups, depression score was the highest in group with primary progressive MS (PPMS). Conclusion. The average score of anxiety and depression showed moderate severity among patients with MS. There were not found significance between patients with primary headache comorbidity and without it, although scores between course disease subgroups showed higher points in patients with comorbid primary headache.

Differences in Functional Connectivity between Patients with Depression with and without Nonsuicidal Self-injury.

: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), which involves deliberate harm to body tissues without suicidal intent, represents an escalating clinical concern. We used electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate the differences in functional connectivity (FC) patterns in patients with depression with and without a history of NSSI. : Seventy-seven patients with mood disorders experiencing major depressive episodes were categorized into NSSI (Group A; n = 31) and non-NSSI (Group B; n = 46) groups on the basis of their NSSI history. EEG data were collected and FC was analyzed using coherence (Coh), imaginary coherence (iCoh), and phase-locking value (PLV) metrics. Network indices based on graph theory were calculated. Demographic and clinical characteristics and scale scores were compared between groups A and B. : While the two groups showed no significant differences in demographic characteristics such as age and diagnosis, the Beck Depression Inventory and Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ) scores were higher in Group A. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed associations of NSSI with sex and the SIQ score. We examined the connectivity of 1,326 pairs of signals across six frequency bands, yielding 7,956 signal pairs. The two groups showed no significant differences in the Coh, iCoh, corrected PLV, or network indices but showed significant differences in all the frequency bands when an uncorrected t test was used. : In this study, FC differences in depression with and without NSSI were not observed. Further well-controlled research is expected to clarify neurobiological underpinnings and guide future interventions.

Supervised multicomponent exercise as an adjuvant program for people with unilateral and/or bilateral chronic vestibular hypofunction: EXERVEST study protocol

BackgroundUnilateral and bilateral peripheral vestibular hypofunction (UVH and BVH) often complains of dizziness, gaze, and balance disturbances. There is a lack of evidence on exercise intervention in UVH and BVH patients. To investigate the effect of an eight-week supervised multicomponent exercise program in people suffering from UVH or BVH in comparison with a control group doing conventional vestibular rehabilitation at home. MethodsThis longitudinal, controlled, randomized, prospective, single-blinded, two-arm, parallel intervention study will include 66 adults (≥18 years old) with chronic UVH or BVH. Participants will be randomly assigned to an exercise intervention group or an attention control group. Participants will be assessed at baseline, after a two-month intervention period, and after a six-month follow-up. The primary variable will be the balance, measured by the dynamic posturography sensory organization test and the Modified Dynamic Gait Index test. Secondary outcome variables will include cardiorespiratory fitness (peak cardiopulmonary exercise test), body composition (bioimpedance and anthropometric variables), physical activity level and sleep quality (accelerometry), health-related quality of life (Dizziness Handicap Inventory questionnaire), emotional state (Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventory questionnaires), and blood pressure monitoring. DiscussionThis study will try to answer whether in people with UVH/BVH, an adjuvant program of multicomponent exercise will help the prognosis of this population. Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier [NCT05192564]. Verification date: April 2023.

The association between plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide concentration and metabolic disturbances in women with depressive symptoms

BackgroundThe relationship between brain natriuretic peptides and depression was studied in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), but the data in people without CVD are limited. Metabolic disturbances can be associated with natriuretic peptides’ levels. The study aimed to assess serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level in women with depressive symptoms and its relationship with metabolic disturbances. MethodsThe analysis included 347 women (20–60 years old) from Bialystok PLUS cohort study: 98 with depressive symptoms and 249 controls. Clinical examination, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and assessment of lipid, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and NT-proBNP concentrations in the blood were performed. The participants completed Beck Depression Inventory questionnaire. ResultsMetabolic syndrome was more frequent in the group of women with depressive symptoms compared to women without depressive symptoms. Women with depressive symptoms had lower NT-proBNP level than the control group - 45.88 (27.80–67.04) vs 56.49 (32.42–94.25) pg/mL, p = 0.027. Multiple linear regression analysis of all women showed that NT-proBNP level was reversely associated with the presence of depressive symptoms, waist circumference and heart rate and positively connected with age. In the group of women with depressive symptoms, we observed negative correlations between NT-proBNP level and insulin concentration at 60 min of OGTT, diastolic blood pressure and a positive correlation with SHBG. ConclusionsNT-proBNP level is decreased in women with depressive symptoms, which might be connected with metabolic disturbances in this group.

Psychological Factors Influencing Adherence to NIV in Neuromuscular Patients Dependent on Non Invasive Mechanical Ventilation: Preliminary Results.

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is associated with improvement of both morbility and mortality in patients affected by neuromuscular diseases with chronic respiratory failure. Several studies have also shown that long-term NIV positively impacts the patient's quality of life and perception of disease status. Its effectiveness is likely related to the adherence to NIV. Several factors, patient- and not patient-related, may compromise adherence to NIV, such as physical, behavioral, familiar, and social issues. Few data are currently available on the role of psychological factors in influencing NIV adherence. In this pilot study, we evaluated the adherence to NIV in a group of 15 adult patients with neuromuscular diseases (Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in relation to their grade of depression assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire. Other data were collected, such as clinical features (age and sex), use of anxiolytic drugs, the presence of a family or professional caregiver, the quality of patient-physician relationship, the beginning of psychological support after BDI screening, and the family acceptance of NIV. NIV adherence was definied as the use of NIV for at least 4 h per night on 70% of nights in a month. The overall rate of NIV adherence was 60%. Based on the BDI questionnaire, patients who were non-adherent to NIV had a higher rate of depression, mainly observed in the oldest patients. The acceptance of NIV by the family and positive physician-patient interaction seem to favor NIV adherence. Depression can interfere with NIV adherence in patients with neuromuscolar diseases.

Female Pattern Hair Loss and Negative Psychological Impact: Possible Role of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).

Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) is considered the most common type of hair loss in females. Women with FPHL may suffer from psychological distress and defective social functioning. Patients with psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders almost have a deficient brain and blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels (BDNF). This serum BDNF level may act as a diagnostic marker for negative psychological impact in FPHL patients. Evaluate the levels of serum BDNF in patients with FPHL and correlate its level to the severity of alopecia and the degree of psychological impact. Forty-six female patients with FPHL and 41 healthy age-matched female volunteers as a control were included in the study. Patients filled out a Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire. Both patients and controls filled Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaires. Serum levels of BDNF were measured for all the participants using the ELISA technique. Patients with FPHL had significantly lower levels of BDNF and significantly higher Beck depression inventory score and PSS questionnaire scores. There is a significant negative correlation between serum levels of BDNF and Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and PSS questionnaire scores. Patients with FPHL are at a high risk to develop chronic stress and depression. The serum level of BDNF is a good predictor for the assessment of chronic stress and depression in FPHL patients.

Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Patients With Cirrhosis: A Prospective Study Before and After Liver Transplantation

Timely identification of possible psychiatric symptoms and/or disorders, such as depression and anxiety, in liver cirrhosis and liver transplant patients is important. This study aimed to determine whether patients with both liver cirrhosis and liver transplantation have depression and anxiety symptoms and, if so, to determine the relationship of these symptoms with the stage of the liver disease and other conditions. Ninety patients with liver cirrhosis and 31 who underwent liver transplantation for liver cirrhosis were included in the study. Patients were divided into 4 groups. Patients with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis were group 1, patients with Child-Pugh B cirrhosis were group 2, patients with Child-Pugh C cirrhosis were group 3, and transplanted patients were group 4. All patient groups answered Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory questionnaires. Depression and anxiety scores were similar in patients who underwent liver transplantation and in the Child-Pugh A and Child-Pugh B groups. The lowest depression score was observed in the Child-Pugh A group. This was not statistically different from the patients in the liver transplantation group (3.19 ± 3.487, 7.13 ± 7.822, P > .05). Depression and anxiety scores were statistically higher in the Child-Pugh C group (25.55 ± 8.878, 21.66 ± 11.053, and 25.55 ± 8.878, respectively; P < .001), and depression and anxiety scores increased as the cirrhosis stage increased. In patients with Child-Pugh C liver cirrhosis, evaluation for symptoms of anxiety and depression is strongly recommended.