Sex differences in patient-reported outcome measure of psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia.

PURPOSE: to study sex differences in self-reported symptoms measured with the Scale of Patient-Reported Impact of Symptoms in Schizophrenia (PRISS), to investigated sex differences in the degree of agreements between self-reported symptoms and clinical symptoms assessed by professionals, and to identify which clinical and sociodemographic variables predicted a greater presence of self-reported symptoms split by sex. METHODS: 161 patients (37 females; 124 males), aged between 18 and 65 years, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia assisted in non-acute mental health services at four mental health catchment areas in Andalucia and Catalonia were included. The PRISS scale was administered to asses self-reported symptoms. RESULTS: males reported higher presence of excitement, grandiosity, motor retardation and poor attention) than women. There was less agreement in the presence of psychotic symptoms in men than in women when comparing self-reported symptoms and clinical symptoms assessed by professionals. Finally, in men the predictors variables for the greater presence of self-perceived symptoms were greater psychotic symptomatology and more disability, while in women were greater presence of alogia and higher doses of chlorpromazine. CONCLUSIONS: Assessing and being aware of the self-perceived symptoms of patients with schizophrenia should be considered in the clinic, especially in men, as there appears to be a lack of agreement on certain items. This would allow treatments to be more focused on patients' need by sex, and would make them feel part of the therapeutic process, improving their therapeutic adherence, evolution and quality of life.

Prevalence and correlates of suicidal thoughts in patients with neuropsychiatric lupus.

BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation is observed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). No study on this notable phenomenon in neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) is available so far. METHODS: Participants were 53 consecutive outpatients with NPSLE (48 women; mean age 43.8 years) diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology nomenclature for SLE neuropsychiatric syndromes. A Neuropsychiatric Questionnaire (NP-Q) concerning 45 neurological, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms was used to assess the prevalence of self-perceived neuropsychiatric symptoms. The Modified Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-M) was used to assess the level of anxiety, depression and irritability. Formal neuropsychological examination was performed. Clinical data were collected by means of medical charts review and structured interview. RESULTS: Suicidal thoughts were present in 25% of patients with NPSLE, irrespective of sex, age, education, work status, disease duration and steroid treatment. Suicidal ideation was connected with elevated levels of depression, anxiety and irritability. In patients with suicidal ideation the prevalence of cognitive, psychiatric and neurological self-perceived problems was significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidal thoughts are common in patients with NPSLE. Neuropsychiatric manifestation per se, depression, anxiety and patients' subjective complaints can be risk factors for suicidal ideation. Screening for suicidal thoughts is vital in routine care of SLE patients.

Self-perceived, but not objective lymphoedema is associated with decreased long-term health-related quality of life after breast cancer surgery.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim was to compare long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) alone versus axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), with or without axillary metastases. Secondary aims were to a) investigate agreement between objectively measured and self-reported lymphoedema and b) compare, with respect to HRQoL, women with objective arm lymphoedema without subjective ratings and those with no objective but subjective ratings of arm lymphoedema. METHODS: The three study groups were defined by axillary surgery: 1) SLNB alone (N = 140), 2) ALND in patients without axillary metastases (N = 125) and 3) ALND in patients with axillary metastases (N = 155). Preoperatively, one and three years postoperatively arm volume was measured and questionnaires regarding self-perceived symptoms of arm lymphoedema and HRQoL were completed (The Swedish Short Form-36 Health Survey, SF-36). RESULTS: Out of the original 516 who had axillary surgery, 420 (81%) completed the study. There were no statistically significant differences in HRQoL between the three study groups. No statistically significant agreement was found between self-perceived and objectively measured arm lymphoedema. Women without self-perceived arm lymphoedema, regardless of objective arm lymphoedema or not, scored higher on all eight SF-36 domains than those who reported self-perceived arm lymphoedema. CONCLUSION: Women reporting self-perceived arm lymphoedema, regardless of objective lymphoedema or not, have a decreased long-term health-related quality of life. This indicates that more attention should be given to the subjective reports of symptom in order to better help these women.