Optimizing smartphone psychotherapy for depressive symptoms in patients with cancer: Multiphase optimization strategy using a decentralized multicenter randomized clinical trial (J-SUPPORT 2001 Study).

AIM: Patients with cancer experience various forms of psychological distress, including depressive symptoms, which can impact quality of life, elevate morbidity risk, and increase medical costs. Psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy are effective for reducing depressive symptoms among patients with cancer, but most patients prefer psychotherapy. This study aimed to develop an efficient and effective smartphone psychotherapy component to address depressive symptom. METHODS: This was a decentralized, parallel-group, multicenter, open, individually randomized, fully factorial trial. Patients aged ≥20 years with cancer were randomized by the presence/absence of three cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) skills (behavioral activation [BA], assertiveness training [AT], and problem-solving [PS]) on a smartphone app. All participants received psychoeducation (PE). The primary outcome was change in the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) total score between baseline and week 8. Secondary outcomes included anxiety. RESULTS: In total, 359 participants were randomized. Primary outcome data at week 8 were obtained for 355 participants (99%). The week 8 PHQ-9 total score was significantly reduced from baseline for all participants by -1.41 points (95% confidence interval [CI] -1.89, -0.92), but between-group differences in change scores were not significant (BA: -0.04, 95% CI -0.75, 0.67; AT: -0.16, 95% CI -0.87, 0.55; PS: -0.19, 95% CI -0.90, 0.52). CONCLUSION: As the presence of any of the three intervention components did not contribute to a significant additive reduction of depressive symptoms, we cannot make evidence-based recommendations regarding the use of specific smartphone psychotherapy.

Imiquimod for Cervical and Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the treatment efficacy and the risk of adverse events of imiquimod for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN), compared with placebo or no intervention. DATA SOURCES: We searched Cochrane, PubMed, ISRCTN registry, ClinicalTrials.gov , and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform up to November 23, 2022. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: We included randomized controlled trials and prospective nonrandomized studies with control arms that investigated the efficacy of imiquimod for histologically confirmed CIN or VAIN. The primary outcomes were histologic regression of the disease (primary efficacy outcome) and treatment discontinuation due to side effects (primary safety outcome). We estimated pooled odds ratios (ORs) of imiquimod, compared with placebo or no intervention. We also conducted a meta-analysis of the proportions of patients with adverse events in the imiquimod arms. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Four studies contributed to the pooled OR for the primary efficacy outcome. An additional four studies were available for meta-analyses of proportions in the imiquimod arm. Imiquimod was associated with increased probability of regression (pooled OR 4.05, 95% CI 2.08-7.89). Pooled OR for CIN in the three studies was 4.27 (95% CI 2.11-8.66); results of one study were available for VAIN (OR, 2.67, 95% CI 0.36-19.71). Pooled probability for primary safety outcome in the imiquimod arm was 0.07 (95% CI 0.03-0.14). The pooled probabilities (95% CI) of secondary outcomes were 0.51 (0.20-0.81) for fever, 0.53 (0.31-0.73) for arthralgia or myalgia, 0.31 (0.18-0.47) for abdominal pain, 0.28 (0.09-0.61) for abnormal vaginal discharge or genital bleeding, 0.48 (0.16-0.82) for vulvovaginal pain, and 0.02 (0.01-0.06) for vaginal ulceration. CONCLUSION: Imiquimod was found to be effective for CIN, whereas data on VAIN were limited. Although local and systemic complications are common, treatment discontinuation is infrequent. Thus, imiquimod is potentially an alternative therapy to surgery for CIN. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, CRD42022377982.

Optimization of smartphone psychotherapy for depression and anxiety among patients with cancer using the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) framework and decentralized clinical trial system (SMartphone Intervention to LEssen depression/Anxiety and GAIN resilience: SMILE AGAIN project): a protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients experience various forms of psychological distress. Their distress, mainly in the form of depression and anxiety, leads to poor quality of life, increased medical spending due to frequent visits, and decrease in treatment adherence. It is estimated that 30-50% among them would require support from mental health professionals: in reality, much less actually receive such support partly due to a shortage of qualified professionals and also due to psychological barriers in seeking such help. The purpose of the present study is to develop the easily accessible and the most efficient and effective smartphone psychotherapy package to alleviate depression and anxiety in cancer patients. METHODS: Based on the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) framework, the SMartphone Intervention to LEssen depression/Anxiety and GAIN resilience project (SMILE-AGAIN project) is a parallel-group, multicenter, open, stratified block randomized, fully factorial trial with four experimental components: psychosocial education (PE), behavioral activation (BA), assertion training (AT), and problem-solving therapy (PS). The allocation sequences are maintained centrally. All participants receive PE and then are randomized to the presence/absence of the remaining three components. The primary outcome of this study is the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) total score, which will be administered as an electronic patient-reported outcome on the patients' smartphones after 8 weeks. The protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Nagoya City University on July 15, 2020 (ID: 46-20-0005). The randomized trial, which commenced in March 2021, is currently enrolling participants. The estimated end date for this study is March 2023. DISCUSSION: The highly efficient experimental design will allow for the identification of the most effective components and the most efficient combinations among the four components of the smartphone psychotherapy package for cancer patients. Given that many cancer patients face significant psychological hurdles in seeing mental health professionals, easily accessible therapeutic interventions without hospital visits may offer benefits. If an effective combination of psychotherapy is determined in this study, it can be provided using smartphones to patients who cannot easily access hospitals or clinics. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN000041536, CTR. Registered on 1 November 2020  https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000047301 .

Identification of malignant early repolarization pattern by late QRS activity in high-resolution magnetocardiography.

BACKGROUND: The early repolarization pattern (ERP) in electrocardiography (ECG) has been considered as a risk for ventricular fibrillation (VF), but effective methods for identification of malignant ERP are still required. We investigated whether high spatiotemporal resolution 64-channel magnetocardiography (MCG) would enable distinction between benign and malignant ERPs. METHODS: Among all 2,636 subjects who received MCG in our facility, we identified 116 subjects (43 ± 18 years old, 54% male) with inferior and/or lateral ERP in ECG and without structural heart disease, including 13 survivors of VF (ERP-VF(+)) and 103 with no history of VF (ERP-VF(-)). We measured the following MCG parameters in a time-domain waveform of relative current magnitude: (a) QRS duration (MCG-QRSD), (b) root-mean-square of the last 40 ms (MCG-RMS40), and (c) low amplitude (<10% of maximal) signal duration (MCG-LAS). RESULTS: Compared to ERP-VF(-), ERP-VF(+) subjects presented a significantly longer MCG-QRS (108 ± 24 vs. 91 ± 23 ms, p = .02) and lower MCG-RMS40 (0.10 ± 0.08 vs. 0.25 ± 0.20, p = .01) but no difference in MCG-LAS (38 ± 22 vs. 29 ± 23 ms, p = .17). MCG-QRSD and MCG-RMS40 showed significantly larger area under the ROC curve compared to J-peak amplitude in ECG (0.72 and 0.71 vs. 0.50; p = .04 and 0.03). The sensitivity, specificity, and odds ratio for identifying VF(+) based on MCG-QRSD ≥ 100 ms and MCG-RMS40 ≤ 0.24 were 69%, 74%, and 6.33 (95% CI, 1.80-22.3), and 92%, 48%, and 10.9 (95% CI, 1.37-86.8), respectively. CONCLUSION: Magnetocardiography is an effective tool to distinguish malignant and benign ERPs.

Adipokines in anorexia nervosa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The association between adipokine dysregulation and weight loss of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) has been long investigated, in search of a causal relationship. We sought to: a) synthesize the available evidence on potential differences between AN patients and controls with regards to adipokine measurements (namely, leptin, adiponectin, resistin, soluble leptin receptor, visfatin, vaspin and omentin), b) estimate the potential differences between constitutionally thin (CT) subjects and AN patients, and c) present the available evidence with regards to biomarker efficacy of adipokines in AN. METHODS: A structured literature search, last updated in 2/2019, was conducted in the following databases: MEDLINE, clinicaltrials.gov, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX and WHO Registry Network. The primary outcome was the standardized mean difference of each adipokine between AN patients and controls of normal BMI. Secondary outcomes included the correlation of leptin with BMI and bone mineral density among AN patients. The study protocol is published in PROSPERO (CRD42018116767). RESULTS: In a total of 622 screened studies, after exclusion of non-relevant articles and duplicates, 84 reports on leptin, 31 reports on adiponectin, 12 on resistin, 10 on soluble leptin receptor, 5 on visfatin, 3 on vaspin and omentin were finally included in the meta-analysis. Publication bias assessment underlined the possibility of non-significant studies being underrepresented; still, significant heterogeneity renders this statement inconclusive. Leptin [ELISA: SMD (95% CI): -3.03 (-4, -2.06)], radioimmunoassay [RIA: -3.84 (-4.71, -2.98)] and resistin [-1.67 (-2.85, -0.48)] were significantly lower in patients with AN compared with controls, whereas visfatin decrease did not reach significance (-2.03 (-4.38, 0.3). Mean adiponectin, vaspin and soluble leptin receptor levels were significantly higher. In subgroup analysis, a significantly attenuated SMD was reported in ELISA studies compared with RIA studies. Leptin was significantly lower in AN patients compared to CT subjects and BMI marginally did not appear to confound the result. In all analyses, except for the correlation of leptin with BMI in AN patients, high heterogeneity was present. Meta-regression analysis indicated a potential confounding action of controls' BMI and age on leptin SMD and between-assay differences. Publication bias assessment underlined the possibility of nonsignificant studies being underrepresented; still, further investigation did not corroborate this and significant heterogeneity renders this statement inconclusive. CONCLUSION: A distinct profile of adipokine dysregulation is apparent in AN patients, following the anticipated pattern of low BMI. A precise estimation of the magnitude is hindered by heterogeneity, partly caused by varying assays and methodologies. Interestingly, while mean leptin levels are lower in AN subjects compared with constitutionally thin women, there is an overlap in individual levels between the two groups and therefore, they cannot be used to differentiate between these states.

Distribution of item responses and total item scores for the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D): Data from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that item responses and total scores on depression screening scales follow characteristic distribution patterns in the United States and Japanese general populations. However, the degree to which these findings, especially in terms of item responses, can be generalized to a European population is unknown. Thus, we analyzed the item responses and total score distribution for the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in a representative Irish cohort from a large, recent study-the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). METHODS: We used CES-D data from the 2009-2011 TILDA (8504 individuals). Responses for the 16 depressive symptoms included "rarely," "some of the time," "occasionally," and "all of the time." Item response patterns and total score distribution across these 16 depressive symptom items were examined using graphical analyses and exponential regression modeling. RESULTS: Lines for item responses followed the same pattern across the 16 items. These lines were characterized by intersections in the vicinity of a single point between "rarely" and "some of the time" and parallel patterns from "some of the time" to "all of the time" on a log-normal scale. Total scores for the 16 items exhibited an exponential pattern, except for at the lower end of the distribution. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that item responses and total scores on depression screening scales among the general population follow the same characteristic patterns across populations from multiple nations.

Distributional patterns of item responses and total scores on the PHQ-9 in the general population: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Recently, item responses and total scores on depression screening scales have been reported to have characteristic distributions in the general population. The distributional pattern of responses to the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) in the general population has not been well studied. Thus, we carried out a pattern analysis of the PHQ-9 item responses and total scores in US adults. METHODS: Data (5372 individuals) were drawn from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States. The item responses and total score distributions of the PHQ-9 data were investigated with graphical analysis and exponential regression model. RESULTS: Lines of item responses showed the same pattern among the nine items, characterized by crossing at a single point between "not at all" and "several days" and a parallel pattern from "several days" to "nearly every day" on a log-normal scale. The total score distribution of the PHQ-9 exhibited an exponential pattern, except for at the lower end of the distribution. CONCLUSIONS: The present results support that the item responses and total scores on the PHQ-9 in the general population show the same characteristic patterns, consistent with the previous studies using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6).

Prognostic value of malnutrition assessed by Controlling Nutritional Status score for long-term mortality in patients with acute heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of nutritional status is poorly understood and evidence-based nutritional assessment indices are required in acute heart failure (AHF). We investigated the prognostic value of malnutrition assessed by the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score (range 0-12, higher=worse, consisting of serum albumin, cholesterol and lymphocytes) in AHF patients. METHODS: The CONUT score was measured on admission in 635 consecutive AHF patients. The primary outcome was all-cause death. RESULTS: Median CONUT score was 3 (interquartile range 2 to 5). During the median follow-up of 324days, CONUT score was independently associated with death (HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11-1.42, P<0.001) after adjustment for confounders in a multivariate Cox model. The CONUT score demonstrated the best C-statistic for predicting death (0.71) among other common nutritional markers in HF. Furthermore, addition of the CONUT score to an established risk prediction model from the Organized Program to Initiate Lifesaving Treatment in Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure study significantly increased the C-statistic from 0.75 to 0.77 (P=0.02). The net reclassification improvement afforded by CONUT score was 21% for all-cause death, 27% for survival and 49% overall (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Malnutrition assessed by the CONUT score on admission was an independent determinant of long-term death in AHF, and its prognostic value outweighed that of other nutritional indices. Moreover, addition of the score to the existing risk prediction model significantly increased the predictive ability for death, indicating beneficial clinical application of the CONUT score in AHF patients.

Psychotropic prescription patterns among patients diagnosed with depressive disorder based on claims database in Japan.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Clinical guidelines recommend monotherapy with antidepressants for the treatment of major depression. This study examined prescription patterns with regard to both duration and type of treatment used among patients with newly diagnosed non-psychotic major depression based on a claims database from health insurance societies between 2008 and 2011 in Japan. METHODS: A retrospective cohort (N = 600,000) followed up for 4 years was used to identify patients (age ≥18 years) with newly diagnosed non-psychotic major depression. The prescription patterns and polypharmacy were examined. Four different types of pharmaceutical drugs were defined as possible psychotropic agents for major depression: (1) first- and/or second-generation antidepressants; (2) benzodiazepines; (3) sulpiride; and (4) antipsychotics. The data were analyzed by an intent-to-treat approach at months 0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 from the date of diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 7,338 patients (3,684 males and 3,654 females, mean age 36.8 ± 10.9 years) with newly diagnosed non-psychotic major depression were identified. The median duration of treatment was 122 days. The proportion of patients in the cohort prescribed at least one type of defined psychotropic agents was 75.6 % (month 0), 47.3 % (month 1), 36.0 % (month 3), 26.8 % (month 6), and 17.4 % (month 12). The proportion of patients in the cohort prescribed at least one first- and/or second-generation antidepressant was 50.2 % (month 0), 34.9 % (month 1), 27.5 % (month 3), 20.3 % (month 6), and 12.5 % (month 12). The proportion of patients receiving at least one benzodiazepine was 58.0 % (month 0), 36.7 % (month 1), 27.1 % (month 3), 20.0 % (month 6), and 12.0 % (month 12). The proportion of patients receiving an antidepressant as monotherapy was only 12.0 % (month 0), 7.8 % (month 1), 6.5 % (month 3), 4.8 % (month 6), and 2.9 % (month 12), whereas the proportion of patients treated with a benzodiazepine alone was 13.5 % (month 0), 6.9 % (month 1), 4.6 % (month 3), 3.5 % (month 6), and 2.7 % (month 12). Various combinations of polypharmacy were observed. The most common was a combination of at least one antidepressant and benzodiazepine, which was prescribed to 36.7 % (month 0), 25.8 % (month 1), 19.9 % (month 3), 14.9 % (month 6), and 9.2 % (month 12) of the cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Based on analysis of prescription patterns and type of treatment used for treating non-psychotic major depression, a majority of patients were not treated according to the recommended guidelines in Japan. Various patterns of prescription and use of polypharmacy were observed over time. The median duration of treatment was shorter than the recommendation (6 months) in the guidelines.

Oncologists' recognition of supportive care needs and symptoms of their patients in a breast cancer outpatient consultation.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of oncologists' recognition of their patients' supportive care needs and symptoms in breast cancer outpatient consultation in Japan. METHODS: The participants included a sample of randomly selected outpatients with breast cancer and two oncologists. The patients responded to validated self-administered questionnaires to assess their supportive care needs and symptoms. The oncologists responded to a questionnaire in which they indicated their perception of level of the same set of needs or symptoms following consultation. The two data sets were compared statistically. RESULTS: Complete data sets were available for 408 patients. Low negative predictive values for the psychological (30%) and information domain (30%) indicated that the patients often have psychological and information needs that the oncologists do not appropriately recognize. The sensitivity and specificity of the physicians' assessment for all physical symptoms except pain were <40 and >85%, respectively, indicating that the physicians could not detect, but could rule out the possibility of a patient experiencing physical symptoms. Borderline/clinical depression and anxiety were the only two symptoms that the oncologists reported more frequently than the patients did. As a result, the specificity of the physicians' assessment for the detection of borderline/clinical depression and anxiety was relatively low (74 and 27%). CONCLUSIONS: Oncologists' recognition may not accurately reflect their patients' supportive care needs and symptoms in usual care. Incorporation of a standard assessment system for supportive care needs and symptoms in clinical practice must heighten the oncologists' awareness of their patients' these problems.

Social anxiety disorder as a hidden psychiatric comorbidity among cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: Social anxiety disorder is one of the most popular psychiatric disorders in the general population and is also well known as a very common comorbid psychiatric disorder among patients with major depression. On the other hand, social anxiety disorder has been termed "the neglected anxiety disorder" because its diagnosis is often missed. Furthermore, the potential impact of social anxiety disorder on the psychological distress of cancer patients has not been reported. METHOD: We encountered two cancer patients with refractory depression after cancer diagnosis, in whom comorbid social anxiety disorder was unexpectedly detected during a subsequent follow-up. RESULTS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to discuss the potential impact of social anxiety disorder on cancer patients' distress. These two cases may help to improve our understanding of the complicated mental health problems of cancer patients and the potential influence of social anxiety disorder on patients' follow-up medical treatment. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Comorbid social anxiety disorder should be considered when a cancer patient's depression is resistant to treatment and the existence of communication problems between the patient and the medical staff is suspected.

Patients' supportive care needs and psychological distress in advanced breast cancer patients in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have investigated the prevalence of the unmet needs among advanced or recurrent breast cancer patients in Asian countries and little is known about the relation between their unmet needs and psychological distress/quality of life. METHODS: The participants (n = 87) comprised randomly selected ambulatory female patients with advanced or recurrent breast cancer attending the Outpatient Department of Oncology, Immunology and Surgery of Nagoya City University Hospital. The patients were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires assessing the level of their physical and psychological symptoms, supportive care needs and socio-demographic and biomedical factors. The association between the patients' perceived needs and psychological distress/quality of life was then analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The patients had a mean ± standard deviation of 11 ± 7.7 and a median of 10 unmet needs. The prevalence of the 17 most frequent unmet needs was over 50%, and almost all of these unmet need items belonged to the Psychological or the Health system and information domain. The total Short-form Supportive Care Needs Survey Questionnaire with cancer score was significantly associated with the indices of psychological distress and quality of life. Most of the Short-form Supportive Care Needs Survey Questionnaire with cancer domains except Sexuality domain were also significantly associated with all the indices of psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial needs were strongly associated with psychological distress and quality of life. Quality of life and psychological distress may be improved if interventions for unmet needs, especially psychological and information needs, are made.

Patient's perceived need and psychological distress and/or quality of life in ambulatory breast cancer patients in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: A needs assessment can be used as a direct index of what patients perceive they need help with. The purposes of this study were to investigate the association between patients' perceived needs and psychological distress and/or quality of life (QOL) and to clarify the characteristics of patients with a high degree of unmet needs. METHODS: Randomly selected ambulatory female patients with breast cancer participated in this study. The patients were asked to complete the Short-form Supportive Care Needs Survey questionnaire, which covers five domains of need (health system and information, psychological, physical, care and support, and sexuality needs); the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C 30. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 408 patients. The patients' needs were significantly associated with both psychological distress (r=0.63, p<0.001) and QOL (r=-0.52, p<0.001). A multiple regression analysis revealed that employment status (without full-time /part-time job), duration since diagnosis (less than 6 months), advanced stage, and a lower performance status were significantly associated with higher total needs. Only sexuality needs were significantly associated with a younger age, while the other domains were significantly associated with duration since diagnosis, advanced stage, and a lower performance status. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate to strong associations exist between patients' needs and psychological distress and/or QOL. The characteristics associated with patients' needs are multi-factorial, and interventions to respond to patients' needs may be one possible strategy for ameliorating psychological distress and enhancing QOL.

Anticipatory nausea among ambulatory cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: prevalence, associated factors, and impact on quality of life.

The purposes of this study were to investigate the prevalence of anticipatory nausea (AN), its associated factors, and its impact on quality of life (QOL) among ambulatory cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Patients were randomly selected to participate in this study, and were asked to complete the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Short-form Supportive Care Needs Survey questionnaire, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Complete data were available for 214 patients. A total of 10.3% of the patients experienced very mild to severe AN. The presence of AN was significantly associated with most domains of the investigated patients' outcome, including psychological distress and perceived needs, with the exception of the health system and information domain of patients' needs, and the physical functioning domain of QOL. Anticipatory nausea was also associated with QOL even after adjustments for age, sex, performance status, and psychological distress. The prevalence of AN in ambulatory cancer patients who receive chemotherapy may not be as high as previously reported. However, given its potentially significant impact on relevant outcome, including QOL, AN should not be neglected in current clinical oncology practice. (Cancer Sci 2010; 101: 2596-2660).

Self-perceived burden in terminally ill cancer patients: a categorization of care strategies based on bereaved family members' perspectives.

CONTEXT: Terminally ill cancer patients often experience a self-perceived burden that affects their quality of life; however, no standard care strategy for coping with this form of suffering has ever been established. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this present study were 1) to investigate the prevalence of self-perceived burden among terminally ill cancer patients based on a survey of family members, 2) to assess the level of family perceived usefulness of expert-recommended care strategies, and 3) to categorize the care strategies. METHODS: The subjects were bereaved family members of patients who had died in certified palliative care units throughout Japan. The Good Death Inventory was used to evaluate patients' self-perceived burden based on the proxy ratings of family members. The perceived usefulness of care was assessed using a 27-item questionnaire developed by a focus group of palliative experts and a systematic review. RESULTS: A total of 429 responses (64%) received from a member of each of 666 bereaved families was analyzed. In their responses, 25% of the bereaved family members reported that the patient had experienced a mild self-perceived burden, whereas 25% reported that the patient had experienced a moderate to severe self-perceived burden. The family members recommended the following as particularly effective care strategies: "Eliminate pain and other symptoms that restrict patient activity (53%);" "Quickly dispose of urine and stools so that they are out of sight (52%);" and "Support patients' efforts to care for themselves (45%)." A factor analysis showed that the expert-recommended care strategies could be categorized into seven different components. CONCLUSION: Many terminally ill cancer patients suffer from a self-perceived burden. Family members recommended a variety of care strategies to alleviate patient-perceived burden. Palliative care specialists should have adequate knowledge of promising care strategies for alleviating patient-perceived burden.

A case with Hodgkin lymphoma and fronto-temporal lobular degeneration (FTLD)-like dementia facilitated by chemotherapy.

We report a case of a 39-year-old man with Hodgkin lymphoma who developed depressive symptoms after starting adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine chemotherapy and later exhibited sexual disinhibition in addition to cognitive dysfunction (mainly executive dysfunction). Seven months after the start of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine chemotherapy, he was finally diagnosed as having fronto-temporal lobular degeneration-like dementia facilitated by adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine chemotherapy. At the time of writing, the patient's condition has persisted for more than 6 months after the discontinuation of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine chemotherapy, and the changes in brain function brought on by the adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine chemotherapy may now be irreversible. This case points to the importance of being attentive to the appearance of neuropsychiatric symptoms and evaluating brain functions properly when performing anti-cancer chemotherapy.

Gender differences in factors associated with suicidal ideation in major depression among cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: Major depression is a well-documented risk factor for suicide, and several gender differences in risk factors for suicide exist in cancer patients as well as in the general population. However, no data is available regarding gender differences in risk factors for suicide among cancer patients with major depression. METHODS: We investigated the background differences between cancer patients suffering from major depression with or without suicidal ideation according to gender by analyzing the consultation data obtained for patients referred to the Psychiatry Division. RESULTS: Among the 5431 referred patients, 329 males and 399 females were diagnosed as having major depression; among these patients with major depression, 136 (41%) males and 157 (39%) females also had suicidal ideation. A preliminary analysis showed that physical functioning and an advanced stage were potential factors that interacted significantly with gender differences regarding suicidal ideation. A final logistic regression analysis indicated that poor physical functioning and an advanced stage were significant risk factors among male patients. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings suggest that gender differences in important indicators of suicidal ideation exist among cancer patients with major depression; these findings may be useful for developing strategies to prevent suicide among cancer patients.

Psychosocial factors, disease status, and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the interrelationships between the psychosocial and illness factors that determine the disease status of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to identify how each factor is associated with quality of life (QOL). METHODS: The study group comprised 120 RA outpatients who completed a series of health examinations and questionnaires. Disease severity, functional disability, counts of swollen and/or tender joints, duration of RA, frequency of arthritis surgery, and C-reactive protein level were assessed by rheumatologists. Self-report inventories completed by the patients were used to assess perceived degree of pain, fatigue (visual analogue scales), depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II), anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and social support (Social Support Questionnaire). Mental and physical components of health-related QOL were evaluated using the Short-Form 36 Health Survey. RESULTS: After z-transformation of the data, a principal axis factor analysis was conducted. A four-factor structure was identified in which the components reflected psychosocial factors, disease activity, current symptoms, and physical functional status, respectively. There was no significant association between psychosocial factors and disease activity, while the other components were moderately correlated with each other. Multiple regression analysis revealed that physical QOL was determined by current symptoms and physical functions. Mental QOL was determined by psychosocial factors, current symptoms, and physical functions. CONCLUSION: Disease activity was independent from psychosocial factors and failed to reflect the perceived physical and mental QOL of RA patients. Clinicians should therefore evaluate psychosocial factors, as well as subjective disease status, to improve the QOL of patients with RA.