Emotional distress and quality of life in allergic diseases.

Emotional disorders accompany many somatic diseases, especially ones with severe or chronic course, and such are allergic diseases. Long-term course of the disease, the need for chronic treatment and repeated exacerbations as well as symptoms of depression or anxiety have a significant impact on the quality of life of patients, constituting a serious burden both from the point of view of the individual and the society. The data evaluating emotional disturbances and their impact on the quality of life in three atopic diseases: bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis and seasonal rhinitis were analysed. Mood disorders as well as mental and behavioral disorders due to alcohol abuse are the most common psychiatric disorders observed in patients with bronchial asthma. There are data indicating a relationship between the occurrence of allergic rhinitis and mood disorders, anxiety disorders and suicidal tendencies. Atopic dermatitis is associated with an increased risk of depressive and anxiety disorders and sleep disorders, and in children with more prevalence of behavioral disorders. Most studies highlighted the relationship between emotional disorders and quality of life in the above-mentioned patient groups. In addition to physical ailments, patients suffering from allergic diseases also report emotional problems that can adversely affect the course of the disease, the treatment process, and reduce quality of life. Therefore, these patients require a holistic approach with a more accurate assessment of emotional disorders.

Thermal Studies of Fractionated Lignite and Brown Coal Fly Ashes.

Coal fly ash (CFA), a by-product of coal combustion, is a valuable raw material for various applications. However, the heterogeneous nature of the composition and properties of CFA provides challenges to its effective usage and utilisation. This study investigates the thermal behaviour of the fly ashes of lignite (FA1) and brown coal (FA2) and their fractions obtained by dry aerodynamic separation. Thermal analysis techniques, including thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and evolved gas analysis (EGA), were used to characterise the behaviour of the fly ash fractions while heating up to 1250 °C. The results reveal distinct differences in the thermal behaviour between ash types and among their different size fractions. For the FA1 ashes, the concentration of calcium-rich compounds and the level of recrystallisation at 950 °C increased with the decrease in particle size. The most abundant detected newly formed minerals were anhydrite, gehlenite, and anorthite, while coarser fractions were rich in quartz and mullite. For the FA2 ashes, the temperature of the onset of melting and agglomeration decreased with decreasing particle size and was already observed at 995 °C. Coarser fractions mostly remain unchanged, with a slight increase in quartz, mullite, and hematite content. Recrystallisation takes place in less extension compared to the FA1 ashes. The findings demonstrate that the aerodynamic separation of fly ashes into different size fractions can produce materials with varied thermal properties and reactivity, which can be used for specific applications. This study highlights the importance of thermal analysis in characterising fly ash properties and understanding their potential for utilisation in various applications involving thermal treatment or exposure to high-temperature conditions. Further research on advanced separation techniques and the in-depth characterisation of fly ash fractions is necessary to obtain materials with desired thermal properties and identify their most beneficial applications.

Efficacy and safety of aripiprazole in the treatment of delirium. / Skutecznosc i bezpieczenstwo arypiprazolu w leczeniu majaczenia.

Delirium is a psychosis with disorder of consciousness and it's caused by acute brain disfunction in the course of e.g. severe somatic condition, intoxication or withdrawal syndrome. Delirium management is based on the treatment of the state that caused disturbance in central nervous system. Severe delirium syndromes such as agitation, disorganized behavior or hallucinations require additional pharmacological treatment with antypsychotics. Aripiprazole is one of second generation antypsychotics (SGA), that is used in treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and Tourette syndrome, but also off-label in delirium. A systematic review of databases was carried out and results were limited to case reports, clinical trials and randomized controlled trials. The results of literature review suggest that aripiprazole can be useful in treatment of delirium symptomes. There is evidence, aripirazole has efficacy comparable to haloperidol and other SGA. Aripirazole can be a better option in particular groups of patients due to it's safer cardiological and metabolic profile and better tolerance of treatment. However, data from clinical findings are still insufficient to recommend a routine use of aripirazole in the treatment of delirium. Therefore, further investigations are necessary to work out new strategy of managing delirium syndrome.

Health-Promoting Factors and Their Relationships with the Severity of Symptoms in Patients with Anxiety Disorders during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental disorders in the modern world. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the onset of many mental disorders in people who did not have them before. It can be suspected that in people who already had anxiety disorders before the pandemic, their quality of life has significantly deteriorated. AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the relationships between life satisfaction, acceptance of illness, the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms and health behaviors in a group of patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in the period from March 2020 to March 2022. There were 70 people among the respondents, including 44 women aged 44.06 ± 14.89 years and 26 men aged 40.84 ± 16.72 years. All persons were diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. Patients with other co-occurring disorders were excluded, i.e., depression and signs of organic damage to the central nervous system, as were those with cognitive disorders that prevented the completion of the questionnaires. The following scales were used in the study: the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), Health Behavior Inventory (HBI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and the Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: In the Satisfaction in Life questionnaire, the respondents obtained an average score of 17.59 ± 5.74 points. In the AIS scale, the mean score obtained by the patients was 27.10 ± 9.65 points. In the overall Health Behavior Inventory (HBI), the average score was 79.52 ± 15.24 points. In the HADS questionnaire, probants obtained an average of 8.17 ± 4.37 points in the depression subscale and 11.55 ± 4.46 points in the anxiety subscale. In addition, there were significant negative correlations between life satisfaction (SWLS) and the severity of anxiety and depression (HADS). The lower the perceived quality of life, the significantly higher the anxiety and depressive disorders. The result obtained in the Health Behavior Inventory (HBI) as well as in the subscale of Prohealth Activities (PHA) was negatively associated with the severity of anxiety symptoms. Prohealth activities should therefore be developed to prevent anxiety disorders, as well as to promote positive mental attitudes. In the study, the average result obtained in the subscale of positive mental attitudes correlated negatively with both anxiety and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Life during the pandemic was assessed by patients as unsatisfactory. Health-promoting behaviors, and especially positive mental attitudes, may play a protective role in relation to anxiety and depressive symptoms in a situation of increased stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic in a group of patients with anxiety disorders.

Schizophrenia treatment with a combination of two LAI antipsychotics: A case report.

Preventing the relapse of a psychotic episode is a challenge for the treatment of schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia suffer from a few to a dozen relapses in their lifetime. The use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia is associated with less frequent recurrences of psychotic symptoms, better compliance, and better quality of life. The aim of the report is to present the findings of the successful management of treatment-resistant schizophrenia in a patient with persistent non-compliance using a combination of typical and atypical LAI antipsychotics. Since there was a history of non-adherence (irregular controls in outpatient clinics) by the patient, clozapine was not considered a therapeutic option. At the start of the treatment, olanzapine LAI was administered to the patient at a dosage of 300 mg fortnightly because of the good response and tolerance reported in the previous treatment. The treatment was continued for several weeks, and because of the persistence of constant delusions, labile affect, and aggressive behavioral tendencies, a second antipsychotic, zuclopenthyxole, was added, which was initially administered orally. After 4 weeks of combined treatment, the patient's mental state improved. There was no report of delusions, and his mood was much more stable. Zuclopenthyxole was switched to the LAI antipsychotic form due to the patient's history of persistent non-compliance, lack of insight into the disease, and the risk of aggressiveness toward others. Then, 200 mg of zuclopenthyxole decanoate was administered fortnightly. The patient was discharged from the hospital without any symptoms of delusions or hallucinations. The patient's clinical state presented negative symptoms, of which avolition and diminished social activity were dominant. The patient tolerated the treatment well, and sedation and extrapyramidal symptoms were not observed. The patient continued the injections alternately (one injection per week) to obtain regular visits to the outpatient clinic.