Analysis of time to stabilization in the treatment of depression: biological and clinical correlates.

The discovery of clinical and biological variables which correlate with the rate of treatment response is an important aim of outcome research. In this report, such items were assessed in a large group of patients with recurrent depression to determine what variables contribute to stabilization during treatment. Relatively few items were strongly related to time to stabilization aside from age, clinical severity of illness, and number of previous episodes. One biological variable, cortisol nadir, was positively related to the time of stabilization. Similar assessments of non-responders did not yield any specific predictors.

[Nutrition and mortality from some diet-related diseases]. / Zywienie a umieralnosc z powodu chorób dietozaleznych.

Authors analysed changes in consumption of selected food groups (cereals, fruit, vegetables, meat, fat, sweets) as well as mortality indexes (CVD, intestinal cancers, diabetes) among four European countries (the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden) during 1970-1992. It was shown that consumption of fruit and vegetables (except the Netherlands) significantly increased. The growing tendency of meat consumption was decelerated, whereas no changes were observed in case of cereals, total fats and sweets. However (except Sweden) fats of animal origin decreased in favour of vegetable ones. As far as mortality from CVD and stomach cancer is concerned some decrease was observed in all countries. In addition mortality from intestine and colon cancer was lower in Sweden as well as UK. Although changes in dietary pattern are playing the crucial role observed mortality rates, other factors related to style of life incl. smoking or physical activity should not be overlooked.