Signs Of Depression Research Articles

Automatic Depression Detection in Social Networks Using Multiple User Characterizations

Depression is rapidly becoming one of the most common illnesses worldwide, currently affecting a significant number of people. These people may show different signs of depression depending on a number of characteristics (e.g., age, sex, personality, mood, etc.). Experts often use these signs to diagnose and monitor depression. However, due to the difficulty of obtaining this information through traditional methods, the use of social networks to characterize users has proven to be a valuable resource. In this paper, we study the potential of various user characterizations for the task of automatic depression detection. We consider two social networks and a variety of models for fusing the characterizations. In particular, we propose the use of a range of networks that learn to weight the contribution of each characterization from the data. We show that, using this model, the depression detection performance outperforms the state-of-the-art results on the two data sets considered. In addition, we present interesting findings on the correlation of the characterizations considered in the information fusion network.

Assessment of mental health and psychosocial factors in French merchant officer cadets.

Several studies have demonstrated the existence of psychological pathologies and psychosocial risks among seafarers, particularly merchant navy officers. To date, there is no study of merchant navy officer cadets. First aims are to assess anxiety and depression disorders, framework, work strain and social support in this population. A questionnaire including demographic and sailing data to which we added the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) and Karasek questionnaire was developed. All students were approached and completed the questionnaire anonymously by electronic means. One hundred and seventy questionnaires could be included. The population was predominantly male (76.4%), and the average age of the students was 21.7 years. The means of the HAD anxiety and HAD depression were 6.9 and 5.37, respectively. According to Karasek classification, we noted that the "active" class was the most represented with 29.4% of students, followed by the "high strain" and "low strain" classes with 27.6%. The "passive" class was the least represented with 15.3%. We found a predominance of anxiety disorders but few signs of depression. Signs of "high strain" according to Karasek were found in 27.6% of the population of these young officers. Job demand was linked to mean of anxiety and depression disorders declared in HAD questionnaire. Being a woman was associated with anxiety but not depression symptoms. Prevention programme to decrease the level of job demand and increase decision latitude and social support seems relevant for mental health disorders in merchant officers.

Leveraging multi-class sentiment analysis on social media text for detecting signs of depression

Depression is a major disorder that causes an insistent feeling of sadness which affects the thinking and behaviour of the person that leads to variety of emotional and physical problems. Early detection of depression is most important since it is associated with sui-cide and it is also the main cause for somatic diseases. In recent days, people are freely conveying what they think directly through any of the social media. In the proposed re-search work, machine learning, deep learning and hybrid learning approaches are utilized to perform sentiment analysis in order to determine a person's indicators of sadness from their social media postings. All of the aforementioned models use English language social media postings from the shared task introduced by ACL 2022 and categories depression signs into three groups such as not depressed, moderately depressed and severely de-pressed. The experimental results show that among all the machine learning, deep learning and hybrid learning techniques, CNN-LSTM model obtained highest precision of 0.93 for moderate depressed and severe depression categories.

Health-related quality of life among transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy patients.

Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR CM) is a progressive and severe heart disease with physical and psychological implications. The Nordic PROACT study was conducted to investigate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in ATTR CM patients. The Nordic PROACT study was a cross-sectional non-interventional study conducted in 12 cardiology hospital clinics across Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Men and women aged ≥18years diagnosed with symptomatic ATTR CM were included. The investigator provided information on medical history, biomarkers, current treatment, co-morbidities and disease severity according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and the National Amyloidosis Centre (NAC) staging. Patients completed the HRQoL questionnaires in the form of the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ), the EQ-5D-5L index with Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Major Depression Inventory (MDI). A total of 169 patients (mean ± SD age 77.7±6.2years) were included. Ninety-two per cent were men. Seventy-six per cent had wildtype ATTR CM (ATTRwt CM) and 15% had a hereditary form of ATTR CM (ATTRv CM) while 9% were genetically unclassified. Most patients were in NYHA class II (54%) and NAC stage 1 (53%). Participation in randomized clinical trials (RCT) was noted in 58% of the patients. The 169 ATTR CM patients had a mean±SD KCCQ score of 64.3±23.1 for total symptom score, 64.8±20.9 for overall summary score (OSS) and 65.1±21.5 for clinical summary score. The EQ-5D-5L total utility score was 0.8±0.2 and the EQ-5D-5L VAS score was 62.9±20.6. The vast majority (89%) did not report any signs of depression. Patients with ATTRv CM had a higher KCCQ OSS as compared with ATTRwt CM, while EQ-5D-5L utility score, EQ-5D-5L VAS and MDI were similar. Non-RCT participants had a poorer HRQoL as compared with RCT participants as reflected in lower KCCQ OSS and EQ-5D-5L VAS scores and a higher MDI score. Patients with higher NYHA classes and NAC disease stages had a poorer HRQoL as demonstrated by lower KCCQ and EQ-5D-5L scores and higher MDI scores. Correlation between KCCQ, EQ-5D-5L and MDI and the covariate NYHA class remained significant (P<0.05) after adjusting for multiple testing. KCCQ scores were lower than previously reported for patients with other heart diseases of non-ATTR CM origin. The HRQoL measures correlated well to NYHA class and NAC disease stage. The prevalence of depression appeared to be low.

Comparative evaluation of the efficacy of different marbofloxacin-based products in pigs at the nursery, growth and finish phases with clinical signs of respiratory disease

Marbofloxacin is one of the antibiotics of choice for the treatment of pigs with clinical manifestations of respiratory disease. Some commercial products on the market contain this active ingredient, and the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 3 available marbofloxacin-based products based on the SISAAB (single injection and short-term antibiotic) concept with regard to the performance and health parameters of pigs in the nursery, growth and termination phases with clinical manifestations of respiratory disease (RD). A total of 78 animals with clinical manifestations of RD from a total of 1726 pigs were used. The animals that had RD symptoms were weighed, identified and randomly subjected to 3 treatments: T1 - Forcyl® (n = 27); T2 - Marbox® (n = 25); T3 - Resolutor® (n = 26). All treatments corresponded to a single intramuscular dose of 8 mg of marbofloxacin per kg of live weight. After treatment, clinical signs of cough and depression, water consumption, rectal temperature, performance parameters, lung lesions and the pneumonia index of the animals were evaluated. The animals that received T1 and T3 maintained a mean rectal temperature of 39.38 °C 2 days after administration. In contrast, animals in the group that received T2 had significantly higher temperatures (p = 0.068) in this period (39.53 °C). There was a greater decrease in temperature (p = 0.042) in the 24 hours after drug administration in animals that received T1 (-0.573 °C). Regarding the other performance parameters, clinical signs of cough and depression, water consumption, lung injury and the pneumonia index, no differences were observed between the marbofloxacin-based products evaluated (p &gt; 0.05). All marbofloxacin-based products were effective in reducing the clinical signs of RD and promoting animal performance and health. However, T1 was more effective in reducing the rectal temperature of the animals.

Comparative analysis of pain levels, preoperative anxiety, depression and laboratory parameters during uterine surgery

Introduction. Studies show a low efficiency of postoperative pain relief, especially in gynecological patients. The psychogenic component is of no small importance in the formation of postoperative pain syndrome. Purpose of the study was to determine the factors influencing the development of uncontrolled pain syndrome in patients who underwent uterine surgery. Materials and methods. We examined 30 patients who underwent elective surgery for hysterectomy, conservative myomectomy by laparoscopic or laparotomy access or in combination with perineal plastic surgery. Patients of the study subgroups did not differ in age, BMI, and somatic status. Epidural analgesia with 0.2 % ropivacaine solution was performed. We studied preoperative anxiety and depression scores (HADS scale), the dynamics of C-reactive protein level, glucose, lactate, acid-base status, hemostasis, and pain level initially and in the postoperative period, postoperative recovery rate of the patients and satisfaction with anesthesia. Results. The greatest number of reliable differences in the subgroups was obtained when dividing by the level of preoperative anxiety. Patients with an elevated level of preoperative anxiety were less active in the postoperative period and had three times higher levels of C-reactive protein on the day of discharge. Patients with depression had significantly higher glucose levels compared to the subgroup without signs of preoperative depression on the third postoperative day, and C-reactive protein levels on the second day. The data of regression analysis show the relationship between the level of preoperative anxiety and uncontrolled pain in the postoperative period in gynecological patients. Discussion. The dynamics of the laboratory indices testify in favor of adequate anesthesia and pain control in the study group. The protocol of pain control during uterine surgery that we use allows us to reduce the level of postoperative pain to acceptable values and increase patients' satisfaction with the recommended analgesia. The impact of anxiety and depression on the severity of pain and the course of the postoperative period among gynecological patients necessitates the use of the HADS scale in the preoperative period. Patients with symptoms of clinically pronounced preoperative anxiety should be prescribed counseling by a psychotherapist and anxiolytics at the preoperative examination stage. Conclusions. Prehospital anxiety level is a significant factor influencing the development of uncontrolled pain syndrome. The HADS scale identifies a "high risk" group for the development of uncontrolled pain in the postoperative period in patients awaiting uterine surgery and is a screening test.

Neuropsychiatric adverse drug reactions and associated factors in a cohort of individuals starting dolutegravir-based or efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Objective To measure the incidence of neuropsychiatric adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in individuals living with HIV who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) with first-line regimens containing dolutegravir (DTG) or efavirenz (EFV) and associated factors. Methods Prospective cohort study with individuals living with HIV who started ART with DTG or EFV associated with tenofovir disoproxil and lamivudine in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected from September/2015 to October/2018 in three specialized HIV care services through interviews, clinical records, and computerized systems. We analyzed the frequency of neuropsychiatric ADRs recorded in clinical records 12 months after starting antiretroviral use, and the associated factors were investigated using binary logistic regression. Results A total of 152 (35.1%) of the 433 individuals included had neuropsychiatric ADRs. The incidence density was 35.3/100 person-years. The subjects mainly had sleep disorders and disturbances (21.3%), neurological disorders (13.9%), headaches (8.1%), and anxiety disorders and symptoms (3.0%), more frequently in individuals using EFV. A lower likelihood of neuropsychiatric ADRs was associated with using a DTG-based antiretroviral regimen (OR = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.14-0.40) and anxiety or depression signs and symptoms at the onset of treatment (OR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.37-0.89). Conclusion The incidence of neuropsychiatric ADRs was high in individuals starting ART with a lower likelihood of using a DTG-based regimen. The DTG-based regimen had a better safety profile for neuropsychiatric ADRs than the EFV-based regimen.

Depression and PrEP uptake, interruption, and adherence among young women in Uganda

ABSTRACT Depression is a common cause of morbidity globally and can impact adherence to medications, posing challenges to medication-based HIV prevention. The objectives of this work are to describe the frequency of depression symptoms in a cohort of 499 young women in Kampala, Uganda and to determine the association of depression symptoms with use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Mild or greater depression, assessed by the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), was experienced by 34% of participants at enrollment. Participants with mild depression symptoms tended to uptake PrEP, request PrEP refills, and adhere to PrEP with similar frequency to women with no/minimal signs of depression. These findings highlight opportunities to leverage existing HIV prevention programs to identify women who may benefit from mental health services and may not otherwise be screened. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03464266..

Assessment of the psycho-emotional state of patients after COVID-19-associated pneumonia in relationship with laboratory indicators

The aim. To study peculiarities and association of psychological and laboratory indicators in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) who underwent COVID-19 to clarify the factors affecting the possibility of developing delayed psychological and cardiovascular adverse events.Methods. The study enrolled 350 patients with COVID-19. Group 1 consisted of 92 patients without CVD, Group 2 – of 258 patients with CVD. Indicators of laboratory and psychological parameters were assessed according to the data of psychological questionnaire using GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7), PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), PSS (Perceived Stress Scale) screening scales and SF-36. Parameters of complete blood count and biochemical blood tests were measured during hospitalization and three months after discharge from the monohospital.Results. After three months, in the general group of patients, signs of anxiety and depression were detected in more than 30 % of the examined patients, signs of stress – in 10.4 %. In the group with CVD, psycho-emotional disorders were identified in 1/4 of the patients, and severe stress – in 8 % of those included in the study. In addition, it was registered that the indicators of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fibrinogen, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine and IL-6 remained at a higher level in the second group.Correlation analysis showed that the psychological component of health is interconnected with the level of neutrophils (p = 0.044) and fibrinogen (p = 0.050); the physical component of health is correlated with the level of erythrocytes (p = 0.030), hemoglobin (p = 0.015), CRP (p = 0.002), creatine phosphokinase (p = 0.036) and glucose (p = 0.017). Regression analysis revealed that in patients with CVD three months after hospitalization, an increased glucose index contributes to deterioration, and increased hematocrit and mean hemoglobin concentration improve the quality of life of patients.Conclusion. Laboratory markers that maintain the duration of a prolonged vascular reaction, violation of the rheological and metabolic properties of blood, determine the nature of the development of both psychological and cardiovascular complications.

Pain intensity and psychological distress show different associations with interference and lack of life control: A clinical registry-based cohort study of >40,000 chronic pain patients from SQRP.

Both chronic pain and depressive and/or anxiety symptoms are associated with negative impacts on daily living, including interference and lack of life control. However, little is known about how pain and psychological distress affect these impacts. The first aim was to assess how pain intensity, psychological distress, and social support interact with interference and lack of life control. A second aim was to investigate whether the strength of these relationships is moderated by the presence or absence of depression and/or anxiety. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), which are available in the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation (SQRP), were retrieved for patients with chronic pain (N = 40,184). A theoretical model with the constructs/latent variables pain intensity, psychological distress, interference, lack of life control, and social support was proposed and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Indicators for these constructs were identified from the PROMs of the SQRP. Two models of the total cohort, which differed with respect to the causal relationship between pain intensity and psychological distress, were investigated. The moderating effects of anxiety and/or depression were also analyzed. Relatively low correlation and explanatory power (R 2 = 0.16) were found for the pain intensity-psychological distress relationship. Pain intensity had a stronger effect on interference than on lack of life control. The reverse was found for psychological distress - i.e., psychological distress seemed to have a higher negative influence on function than on interference. The underlying assumption of the causal relationship between pain intensity and psychological distress determined how strong pain intensity and psychological distress influenced interference and lack of life control. Social support showed very similar absolute significant correlations with interference and lack of life control. Interference and lack of life control showed relatively weak associations. The psychological distress level was a moderating factor for several of the paths investigated. A clinical treatment consequence of the low correlation between pain intensity and psychological distress may be that clinically treating one may not reduce the effect of the other. The relative importance of pain intensity and psychological distress on interference and lack of life control depends on the underlying assumption concerning the pain intensity-psychological distress relationship. Interference and lack of life control showed relatively weak associations, underscoring the need to clinically assess them separately. Social support influenced both impact constructs investigated. The cohort display heterogeneity and thus presence of definite signs of anxiety and/or depression or not was a moderating factor for several of the associations (paths) investigated. The results are important both for the assessments and the design of treatments for patients with chronic pain.

Asessing anxity among patients who survived after infection with COVID 19

IntroductionThe actual pandemic of COVID 19 is a very unusual yet real situation we are facing. It has affected people in both physical and psychological way. In fact,in such particular circumstances, so many people experience stress, anxiety and depression.ObjectiveObjectivesThe goal of our study is to emphasize theanxiety among patients who were tested positive with COVID 19 , using the HAD scale.MethodsIt is a retrospective study single-centerstudyPatients are collected from a database of the Sahloul emergency COVID unit. We include patients whose age is greater than or equal to 18 years old who has been infected with SARS-COV-2 according to the results of the PCR test. All patients lost to follow-up, refusing to participate in this study, having a psychiatric illness or having taken a psychotropic medication before randomization or non-cooperating (unable to respond to the evaluation test) were excluded. At 30 days follow up, anxiety was evaluated by HAD scale.Results200 patients were included in this study.In our study, 98 patients had symptoms of anxiety (49%) after one month of their consultation in the emergency room; i.e. 39% have a doubtful symptomatology of anxiety and 10% have a certain symptomatology. Half (51%) of the patients had no signs of anxiety depression. The average age of the patients in whom the presence of definite anxiety symptoms was noted was 56.2 years; 63.7% of these patients were female. No difference was noted in relation to the pathological history. Patients in whom the symptoms of anxiety were certain presented a persistence of clinical signs for 10.7 days in average as opposed to 7.1 days in patients without anxious symptoms (p&lt;0.001).ConclusionsAnxiety is so common among COVID 19 patients and it has a huge influence on the evolution of their health state . This is why all health workers have to fight against COVID and its effects on both physical and mental health . Highlighting the fact that a psychological assistance is highly recommended in the management ofCOVID19 patients in order to improve their prognosisDisclosure of InterestNone Declared

Effect of MHC and inbreeding on disassortative reproduction: A data revisit, extension and inclusion of fertilization in sand lizards

The harmful effects of close inbreeding have been recognized for centuries and, with the rise of Mendelian genetics, was realized to be an effect of homozygosis. This historical background led to great interest in ways to quantify inbreeding, its depression effects on the phenotype and flow-on effects on mate choice and other aspects of behavioral ecology. The mechanisms and cues used to avoid inbreeding are varied and include major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and the peptides they transport as predictors of the degree of genetic relatedness. Here, we revisit and complement data from a Swedish population of sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) showing signs of inbreeding depression to assess the effects of genetic relatedness on pair formation in the wild. Parental pairs were less similar at the MHC than expected under random mating but mated at random with respect to microsatellite relatedness. MHC clustered in groups of RFLP bands but no partner preference was observed with respect to partner MHC cluster genotype. Male MHC band patterns were unrelated to their fertilization success in clutches selected for analysis on the basis of showing mixed paternity. Thus, our data suggest that MHC plays a role in pre-copulatory, but not post-copulatory partner association, suggesting that MHC is not the driver of fertilization bias and gamete recognition in sand lizards.

Mental health evaluation in senior year medical students

IntroductionMedical studies are known for being difficult and hard. They require a lot of dedication and hard work from students. This takes a toll on their mental health over the years.ObjectivesDetect signs of anxiety, depression, and stress levels in 5th-year medical students.MethodsThis study was cross-sectional through a self-administered pre-established questionnaire for medical students during September and October 2022. We used the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10). The satisfaction level with the choice of the medical field as a career was assessed on a scale ranging from 1 to 10.ResultsOur population consisted of 54 5th-year medical students. The average age was 22.94±0.78 and 64.8% were female. All our population were singles. Active smokers represented 9.3% and alcohol consumption was reported by 9.3% of the participants. More than half of the population (51.9%) had a regular leisure activity. Most of the students had no medical history (72.2%) or psychiatric history (94.4%). The mean satisfaction level from choosing the medical field was 7.43±1.84. The mean GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were respectively 3.50±3.80 and 4.70±4.42. The PSS-10 score had a mean of 14.07±5.29. Five students (7.4%) presented self-harm thoughts. Students who were less satisfied with their choice of the medical field as a career had significantly higher scores of PHQ-9 (p&lt;0.001), GAD-7 (p=0.004) and PSS-10 (p=.042).ConclusionsMedical studies are the first step for these young doctors in their professional careers, which presents further psychological stressors. More attention towards the mental health of this population is needed to properly prepare them for their future.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Chronic diseases among paramedics and their impact on mental health

IntroductionWorking in a care setting is characterised by an increased mental and physical load. During their professional life, personnel in this sector can develop essentially degenerative pathologies, which could influence their professional career as well as their psychological balance.ObjectivesWe aimed to evaluate the impact of chronic pathologies on the prevalence of anxiety and depression among this group.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study in hospitals in Sfax using a self-administered questionnaire. This questionnaire evaluated socio-demographic, professional, and clinical characteristics as well as an evaluation of the degree of anxiety and depression by the HAD questionnaire.ResultsOur population consisted of 120 participants. The average age was 37 years, with a female predominance (a sex ratio of 0.69). The chronic pathologies found in the participants were mainly diabetes (18%), high blood pressure (4%), and rheumatic disease (6.7%). The average anxiety score was 8.18± 3.5 and that of depression was 9.02± 3.5. Certain depressive and anxious signs were found in 28.4% and 23.6% of participants, respectively. Although the average scores for anxiety and depression were higher in the subgroup of personnel with chronic pathologies (respectively, 9.8 versus 9.04 and 9.3 versus 8.46), these differences were not statistically significant (p &gt; 0.05).ConclusionsPhysical and mental health are both important to ensure a balanced life. Having good control of somatic illness can improve mental health.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Predicting Depression Severity from Spontaneous Speech as Prompted by a Virtual Agent

IntroductionOne of the major challenges in clinical psychiatry remains the absence of well established objective measures of symptoms’ severity. Clinical insights are mainly provided through keen behavioral observation and subjective questionnaires and scales.ObjectivesThe aim of this paper is to predict depression severity through speech using the features extracted from the speech as provided by participants during a semi-structured dialogue with a virtual avatar.MethodsWe use data from a subset of the DAICWOZ dataset consisting in 142 dialogues between participants and a virtual avatar during which the avatar uses several prompts to maintain a conversation with the participant. The avatar uses prompts involving the topics of travel, dream jobs, and memorable experiences. From the speech generated from the dialogue, we extract participant utterances separated by prompt and extract features from the three sets of transcripts. We extract content features from the transcript and acoustic features from the excerpt corresponding to the speech from the participant for the prompt in question.We perform regression experiments on the PHQ8 items using the features extracted from each set of transcripts. Furthermore, we combine the features extracted from each set of transcripts and compute partial spearman correlations between them and the PHQ8 items using gender as a covariate.ResultsWith our best regression model we obtain an R2 of 0.1, explaining 10% of the variance in the PHQ total score. Additionally, we obtain a mean absolute error of 1.25, suggesting that the regressor can detect with more or less precision clinically meaningful differences in depression severity between participants. Partial correlations between the total score and the features show significant correlations between features dependent on the amount of speech generated by each participant, along with the complexity of syntactic structures used.ConclusionsAutomatic analysis of spontaneous speech could help with the detection and monitoring of signs of depression. By combining the use of this technology with timely intervention strategies for instance provided by a virtual agent it could contribute to timely prevention.Disclosure of InterestA. König: None Declared, M. Mina Employee of: ki:elements GmbH, S. Schäfer Employee of: ki:elements GmbH, N. Linz Shareolder of: ki:elements GmbH, Employee of: ki:elements GmbH, J. Tröger Shareolder of: ki:elements GmbH, Employee of: ki:elements GmbH

Efficiency of a psychiatric support for PTSD on a cohort of relatives of patients hospitalized in intensive care unit during the French lockdown – the OLAF (Opération Liaison et Aide aux Familles in French) dispositive

IntroductionHaving a family member admitted in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) can cause a severe psychological stress, and various psychological disorders gathered into the notion of Post intensive care syndrome-family (PICS-F). In this way, Family-centered care in ICU represents the aim of international accepted recommendations focusing on a partnership approach to health care decision-making between the family and health care provider to prevent PICS-F. During the first SARS-CoV-2 linked lockdown, social restrictions impaired the right application of these recommendations, increasing risk of PICS-F, particularly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).ObjectivesThe main objective was to compare the PTSD prevalence at 6 months in a group of relatives including during OLAF implementation with a control group in a cohort of ICU-patient relatives.MethodsConsidering this, the psychiatric team and the ICU team of the Toulouse University, France, proposed the creation of a temporary device called OLAF (Opération de Liaison et d’Aide aux Familles in French), aiming to bring a psychological phone support to ICU-patient relatives. Besides this operational approach we designed a research approach that aimed to investigate the impact of OLAF device on PICS-F.ResultsWe noted that 12 participants (11.5 %) presented a PTSD at 6 months without statistically significant differences between the groups (p=0.8). Considering that OLAF group presented higher PDI (Peritraumatric Distress Inventory) score at screening we also considered a mediation model suggesting that OLAF could have played a role to diminish the PCL-5 score as a covariable. In the multinomial logistic regression analysis, we found that the only factor associated with the PTSD diagnosis was the level of Anxiety and Depression Signs measured with HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) at screening (OR= 1.2, p&lt;0.001).ConclusionsWe found no difference in PTSD prevalence according to OLAF intervention. Nevertheless, our result suggested that the intervention could have play a role in reducing PTSD by acting on anxiety and peri traumatic distress in a mediated model. We found that anxiety score could serve as a risk marker to predict PTSD and should probably be precociously screened and treated in this population.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Психологічні проблеми та основні напрямки збереження психічного здоров’я здобувачів вищої освіти в умовах дистанційного навчання

The purpose of the study was to consider the features of the adverse psychological consequences of distance learning for students of higher medical education. Materials and methods. An anonymous online questionnaire and psychodiagnostic examination of 195 students majoring in “Medicine”, “Dentistry” and “Medical Psychology” were conducted, using the Beck Depression Inventory and H. Eysenck's scale of self-assessment of mental states. Results and discussion. It has been established that psychological problems related to distance learning are more common among senior students, and are most common among students majoring in “Medical Psychology”, less common among students majoring in “Medicine” and the least – among students studying dentistry. It was found that the most relevant negative psychological consequences of distance learning are an increase in anxiety: in 21.9% of junior students and in 46.6% of senior students studying in the specialty “Medical Psychology”, in 25.7% and 38.2 % – in the specialty “Medicine”, in 18.2% and 22.6% – in the specialty “Dentistry”; mood deterioration: respectively in 62.65% and 60.0%, in 17.2% and 29.4%, in 9.1% and 22.6%; irritability: 68.8% and 53.3%, 22.9% and 35.3%, 15.1% and 22.6%, respectively; deterioration of communication with others: 46.9% and 46.7%, 22.9% and 17.7%, 21.2% and 25.9%, respectively. Higher levels of depression were found in students majoring in “Medical Psychology”: 7.94 ± 4.40 points and 8.80 ± 4.99 points against 3.77 ± 3.08 points and 4.38 ± 3.06 points for students studying medicine, and 2.70 ± 2.42 points and 3.35 ± 2.42 points for students studying dentistry; anxiety: 6.72 ± 6.59 points and 11.23 ± 4.70 points, 7.37 ± 5.31 points and 9.09 ± 4.83 points, respectively; 6.21 ± 4.87 points and 7.61 ± 4.94 points; frustrations: 8.38 ± 5.17 points and 10.67 ± 5.94 points, respectively; 2.86 ± 3.65 points and 4.59 ± 5.10 points; 1.82 ± 2.49 points and 2.74 ± 3.12 points; and rigidity: 7.53 ± 3.61 points and 8.07 ± 4.24 points, respectively; 4.86 ± 4.56 points and 6.53 ± 4.63 points; 6.55 ± 4.80 points and 6.58 ± 4.33 points. The highest levels of aggressiveness were found in students studying dentistry: 9.36 ± 2.73 points and 8.90 ± 4.07 points against 8.74 ± 3.86 points and 7.97 ± 3.55 points for students studying in the specialty “Medicine” and 5.03 ± 3.86 points and 4.80 ± 3.49 points in the specialty “Medical Psychology”. Among students studying medicine and dentistry, the vast majority showed no signs of depression, while among medical psychology students, 6.3% of examined juniors and 13.3% of seniors showed signs of moderate depression. Signs of severe anxiety were found in 5.9% of senior students majoring in Medicine, in 9.4% of junior students and in 16.7% of senior students of “Medical Psychology”, signs of severe frustration were found in 8.8% of senior students majoring in “Medicine” and 12.5% and 20.2% of students majoring in “Medical Psychology”, respectively. Conclusion. The system of supporting the psychological health of applicants in the conditions of distance education should be comprehensive and should include a rational organization of the educational process, a combination of online and offline forms of education, as well as available psychological assistance

Removal of lower urinary tract stones by percutaneous cystolithotomy in domestic male ferrets (Mustela putorius furo): four cases (2017–2020)

BackgroundUrinary tract stones are a common cause of clinical signs and urinary tract obstruction in male ferrets (Mustela putorius furo). Traditionally, stone removal is accomplished by cystotomy in ferrets while minimally invasive approaches, considered standard of care in human and small animal medicine, are not described. MethodsFour male ferrets presented with obstructive urethral stones. Percutaneous cystolithotomy (PCCL) successfully relieved the obstruction in all 4 ferrets. In one ferret, the technique was used following an unsuccessful surgical cystotomy. ResultsThe ferrets presented depression, dehydration, and lower urinary tract signs including dysuria, stranguria, pollakiuria or complete urethral obstruction, and bladder distention. Clinicopathologic findings were compatible with urinary obstruction and radiographs confirmed bladder or urethral stones in all ferrets. Among the 4 cases, 3 underwent the procedure without any intraprocedural complications. Postoperative radiographs confirmed the removal of all lower urinary tract stones and the ferrets were discharged within 24 hours after surgery. The remaining ferret, unfortunately, died during anesthetic recovery. All uroliths were found to be composed of 100% cystine. Conclusions and clinical relevanceThe success of PCCL in these 4 cases suggests that this approach is easily adapted to the ferret's smaller urinary tract anatomy. It provides excellent visualization of the urethra and bladder with minimal soft tissue trauma and rapid recovery. In some cases, it may be useful as an adjunct to cystotomy. Additional studies evaluating the efficacy and the safety of PCCL in a larger number of ferrets are warranted.

The burden of alopecia areata: A scoping review focusing on quality of life, mental health and work productivity.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common inflammatory autoimmune disease of the hair which can have a significant negative impact on quality of life (QoL), mental health and productivity. The aim of this scoping review is to elucidate the burden of AA focusing on these three realms. Inclusion criteria included all original manuscripts with no restriction on study type or statistical method written in English (or having an English abstract). For QoL 40 articles were included, 85 for psychiatric comorbidities, and 9 for work/school absenteeism/presenteeism mostly consisting of cross-sectional and observational cohort studies. QoL impairment was detected in over 75% of patients and up to one-third reported extremely severe QoL impairments. Specific QoL dimensions with the greatest impact were embarrassment, social functioning, as well as shopping and/or housework. Cross-sectional studies assessing the psychological burden of adult patients with AA found that the presence of signs of anxiety and/or depression ranged from 30% to 68% and affected all age groups. Rates of work absenteeism and unemployment were significantly higher in AA patients compared to healthy controls. Up to 62% reported making major life decisions including relationships, education and career based on their AA. Additionally, the extensive camouflage techniques and time lost from work led to a strong financial burden for patients and the numerous physician visits added to the healthcare costs. The overall impact of AA stretches much further than simply being an aesthetic concern and can negatively impact every part of an individual's life. An individualized approach and effective treatments will help reduce the psychosocial consequences and distress and return patients to their normal state of health.

Disease burden of and expectations from surgery in patients prior to total knee arthroplasty: Results of the prospective FInGK study

BackgroundDisease burden in patients prior to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) varies widely between studies and countries. We aimed to characterize individuals undergoing TKA and examine their expectations from the surgery, focusing on variations in disease burden. MethodsConsecutive patients undergoing primary TKA in a German university hospital were recruited. A questionnaire including information on disease burden, preoperative expectations from surgery, health care utilization, demography, and socioeconomics was collected one day prior to surgery and linked to data from medical records. Patients were categorized into disease burden quartiles using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index’ (WOMAC) total score. Subsequently, study population’s characteristics and expectations from surgery were analyzed stratified by disease burden. ResultsA total of 196 patients were included (41 % male; mean age: 68.2 years). The median WOMAC was 52.0 (IQR: 41.0–58.0). Patients in Q1 were more often males (Q1: 63 % vs Q4: 29 %) and had a shorter duration of complaints with the impaired knee. They were also less restricted in social participation, reported less often signs of depression, and were less often treated with physiotherapy (Q1: 27 % vs Q4: 54 %). Furthermore, expectations from surgery were highest in patients with a low disease burden. ConclusionWe found large variations in disease burden with a considerable number of patients undergoing TKA whose functional capacity is still maintained and for which guideline-recommended conservative treatment options are not fully exhausted. Further research on this subgroup as well as establishing an international consensus on specific thresholds for TKA indication are needed.