Quality of life in stabilized patients with schizophrenia is mainly associated with resilience and self-esteem.

OBJECTIVE: Improving quality of life (QoL) is an important objective in the treatment of schizophrenia. The aim of the current study was to examine to what extent resilience, self-esteem, hopelessness, and psychopathology are correlated with QoL. METHOD: We recruited 52 out-patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV criteria and 77 healthy control subjects from the general community. In patients, psychopathology was quantified by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. The following scales were used in both patients and control subjects: the Berliner Lebensqualitätsprofil, the Resilience Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale to assess QoL, resilience, self-esteem, and hopelessness respectively. RESULTS: Patients with schizophrenia presented with significantly less QoL, resilience, self-esteem, and hope compared to healthy control subjects. In patients, QoL correlated moderately with resilience, self-esteem, and hopelessness and weakly with symptoms. With respect to the latter, particularly depression and positive symptoms were negatively correlated with QoL. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the complex nature of QoL in patients suffering from schizophrenia. They underscore that significant efforts are necessary to enhance resilience and self-esteem and to diminish hopelessness as well as affective and positive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

Dural ectasia in Loeys-Dietz syndrome: comprehensive study of 30 patients with a TGFBR1 or TGFBR2 mutation.

The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency, severity, and clinical associations of dural ectasia (DE) in Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS). Database analysis of three German metropolitan regions identified 30 patients with LDS and TGFBR1 mutation in 6 and a TGFBR2 mutation in 24 individuals (17 men; mean age: 31 ± 19 years), as well as 60 age and sex-matched control patients with Marfan syndrome carrying a FBN1 mutation. DE was present in 22 patients with LDS (73%), and it related to skeletal score points (p = 0.008), non-skeletal score points (p < 0.001), and to the presence of ≥7 systemic score points (p = 0.010). Similarly, the severity of DE was related to body height (p = 0.010) and non-skeletal score points (p = 0.004). Frequency (p = 0.131) and severity of DE (p = 0.567) was similar in LDS and Marfan syndrome. DE is a manifestation of LDS that occurs with similar frequency and severity as in Marfan syndrome. Severity of DE may serve as a marker of the overall connective tissue disease severity. LDS may be considered in patients with DE.

Comprehensive analysis of dural ectasia in 150 patients with a causative FBN1 mutation.

The purpose of this study was to perform a comprehensive study of dural ectasia (DE) related to FBN1 mutations. We performed a database analysis of two German metropolitan regions of 150 patients (68 men, 82 women; mean age 35 ± 16 years). All patients had a FBN1 mutation and underwent dural magnetic resonance imaging. Age was <16 years in 20, 16-25 in 27, 26-35 in 67, and >35 in 36 patients. Prevalence of dural ectasia was 89% with criteria of Oosterhof and Habermann, 83% with Fattori, 78% with Lundby, and 59% with Ahn. DE was less frequent in patients <16 years with Ahn and Fattori. DE related to skeletal manifestations with all criteria, to aortic Z-scores and mitral valve prolapse with criteria of Habermann and Lundby, and to age with criteria of Fattori. The Fattori-grade of DE increased with age, aortic Z-scores, and skeletal score points. There was no consistent relationship of DE with any type of FBN1 mutation. DE is frequent in patients with FBN1 mutations irrespective of age and its severity increases during life. Criteria of Oosterhof and Habermann yielded most consistent diagnostic results. DE relates to skeletal involvement, aortic Z-scores, and mitral valve prolapse.

Quality of life in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: The impact of symptomatic remission and resilience.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is significantly affected in individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder (BD-I). The current study investigated whether symptomatic remission and resilience might differently impact HRQOL in these patients. METHODS: Fifty-two patients with schizophrenia and 60 patients suffering from BD-I from outpatient mental health services as well as 77 healthy control subjects from the general community were included into a cross-sectional study. HRQOL and resilience were assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF and the Resilience Scale. In patients, psychopathology was quantified by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale or the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale and the Young Mania Rating Scale, respectively. RESULTS: Notably, both patient groups showed lower HRQOL and resilience compared to control subjects, non-remitted patients indicated lower HRQOL than remitted ones. The effect of remission on HRQOL was significantly larger in patients with BD-I than in those with schizophrenia but did not explain the difference in HRQOL between groups. Resilience predicted HRQOL in all three groups. When accounting for the effect of resilience among remitted patients, only the difference in HRQOL between schizophrenia patients and control subjects was significant. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate the impact of symptomatic remission and resilience on HRQOL of both patients suffering from schizophrenia and BD-I and indicate that these factors are especially relevant for HRQOL of patients with BD-I.

Effect of graded changes in extracellular muscle volume on cardiovascular drives during static exercise.

The effects of graded changes in peripheral extracellular volume on heart rate and blood pressure during isometric exercise were studied in 12 healthy male subjects. Each subject performed four calf ergometer tests with each calf. In all tests, static plantar flexion of one foot was performed in a supine body position with the knee joint flexed to 90 degrees. After a pre-exercise period of 18 min, during which the calf volume was manipulated, the subjects had to counteract a spring force of 120 N for 8 min. In the pre-exercise period the peripheral extracellular volume of the calf muscle to be tested was manipulated in four ways. Test 1:15 min of rest in the exercise position. During the last 3.5 min, the calf volume was increased by venous congestion [80 mmHg (10.67 kPa) applied to the distal part of the thigh by pneumatic cuff]. Test 2: the same protocol as in test 1 but with 7.5-min venous congestion. Test 3:15 min of venous congestion. Test 4: the calf volume was decreased by a negative hydrostatic pressure for 15 min (calf raised about 40 cm above heart level). To clamp the changed calf volume, the thigh cuff was rapidly inflated to 300 mmHg (40.0 kPa) at the end of the volume manipulation and the subjects remained resting for a further 3 min. In test 4, the leg of the subject was passively brought into the exercise position. The occlusion was maintained until 2 min after exercise. The calf volume manipulation led to changes ranging from +105 ml (test 3) to -134 ml (test 4) as measured by water displacement plethysmography. The blood pressure response to exercise was inversely related to the calf volume changes while the heart rate response during exercise showed no clearcut relationship to the pretreatments.