PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A A Kaptein

Publications and source records attributed to A A Kaptein.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[A research program for behavioral studies in COPD research].

The demands for medical care of patients with chronic non-specific lung disease (CNSLD) and the prevalence of CNSLD will increase. The need, therefore, for behavioural research on CNSLD will also grow. In order to steer behavioural research in CNSLD, research programming is of great importance. Forty-seven Dutch and 13 foreign expert medical and behavioural scientists were asked via an interview about the most prominent topics and conditions for future research in this field. In addition a literature survey with the same aim was carried out. Important topics for future research include: quality of life of CNSLD patients, patient needs, psychophysiological investigation, social and psychosocial aspects of CNSLD, compliance, problems at work and school, and the education of those involved in patient care.

Behavior↗
PubMed1992

Quality of self-care of patients with asthma.

In order to assess the quality of self-care of asthmatic patients in family practice, 150 patients were asked what they did when they felt an attack of asthma coming on. Twenty-four percent said they took no medication. Of the remaining 114 patients, only 49 took appropriate medication. Of these, however, most were not able to demonstrate correct use of their inhaler. This poor quality of self-care may contribute to the undertreatment of asthma in family practice. To improve the quality of care of asthmatic patients, comprehensive treatment is recommended, with the emphasis on improving self-care skills.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Dutch general practitioners' management of patients with distal osteoarthritic symptoms.

Little is known about general practitioners' (GPs') policy with respect to patients with distal osteoarthritic symptoms. Therefore, the medical records of 196 patients with distal osteoarthritis were studied with respect to the GPs' management. In addition, 14 Dutch GPs' were interviewed on their management of patients with distal osteoarthritic symptoms. We found varying approaches with no consensus among GPs' and no relationship between their policies and GP, patient, or illness characteristics. We believe there is a need to develop a consensus on GPs' policy with respect to osteoarthritic patients, and to develop standards, based on research in general practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Pulmonary rehabilitation in an asthma clinic.

For a small proportion of patients with respiratory disorders, the regular medical care provided by general practitioners and chest physicians does not result in control of respiratory symptoms. In the Dutch Asthma Center, Davos, Switzerland, two conditions not available in routine medical settings are instrumental in treating patients with severe respiratory illness. The treatment center is located at 1560 m above sea level in a high altitude climate (low air humidity, low allergen concentration) which helps stabilize respiratory symptoms. Second, an interdisciplinary treatment plan encompasses optimal medical care and psychological interventions (patient education, self-management training). In this treatment facility, we carry out a cohort study on the determinants of the course of respiratory disorders in the adult patients. At admission, at discharge, and at 6-month follow-up, patient are assessed on medical, psychological, and medical outcome variables. At 6-month follow-up, 35% of the patients were readmitted to a hospital for exacerbations of respiratory symptoms. Multivariate analyses point out that both pulmonary function and psychological factors (particularly state anxiety and agoraphobia) predicted admission. Additional data will be presented and the implications for the multidisciplinary treatment will be discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The Phadiatop in vitro test for allergy in general practice: is it useful?

A study was performed in order to assess the value of the Phadiatop, a new in vitro allergy test, in general practice. A total of 248 patients were screened for bronchial allergy with PRIST, RAST and the Phadiatop. Information about the patient's history and the results of the PRIST, Phadiatop and RAST tests were presented consecutively to the general practitioner and his diagnoses based on and evolving from these were evaluated and compared with the diagnosis of a specialist. The general practitioner's diagnosis based on the results of the Phadiatop was the closest of all the tests to the specialist diagnosis. It is concluded that Phadiatop is of great use in diagnosing bronchial allergy in general practice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Acute bronchitis: general practitioners' views regarding diagnosis and treatment.

A survey was conducted among 800 Dutch general practitioners to establish their views on the diagnosis and treatment of bronchitis and related disorders with reference to 12 theoretical patients. The answers of the 467 respondents (response rate 60%) showed no clear relationship between signs and symptoms of the patients and the diagnosis made. In the authors' opinion the diagnosis of pneumonia was made too often. The decision whether or not to prescribe an antibiotic for a coughing patient was based in part on the diagnosis made, but in part it was also made on the basis of the signs and symptoms, irrespective of the diagnosis. The authors have the impression that general practitioners tend to prescribe antibiotics too quickly to coughing patients. There is a need for guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute bronchitis and related conditions.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

Quality of life in elderly patients with chronic nonspecific lung disease seen in family practice.

We studied the quality of life of elderly patients with chronic nonspecific lung disease (CNSLD) in family practice. We also investigated the relationship between patients' somatic condition and their quality of life. Seventy patients, aged 40 years or older, with a diagnosis or symptoms of CNSLD completed the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and the list of daily activities (DAL). Pulmonary function (FEV1, IVC) and respiratory symptoms were assessed. The results indicated that patients were more impaired in their physical and psychosocial functioning than healthy control subjects. Most lung function parameters showed no correlation with the SIP scores. The respiratory symptoms of wheezing and dyspnea were related to patients' quality of life. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were more restricted in their daily functioning than patients with asthma. Since the relationship between patients' somatic condition and their quality of life is weak, we recommend comprehensive care that encompasses psychosocial as well as somatic interventions.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1989

Acute bronchitis: aetiology, symptoms and treatment.

There is much discussion about the aetiology, definition and treatment of acute bronchitis. This paper reviews the main issues in the debate. It concludes that bronchitis should be regarded as a collective name for a wide range of syndromes. Whether further differentiation of the clinical diagnosis is meaningful depends largely on whether such differentiation has therapeutic implications. Further research into medical treatment of the different types of acute bronchitis is necessary.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1987

Undertreatment of asthma in Dutch general practice.

The relationships between the medication prescribed and four measures of morbidity were assessed in 150 Dutch patients with asthma in general practice. Undertreatment was operationalized as a discrepancy between medication and morbidity severity. Of the patients, 11.3% were undertreated as measured by the number of days during which activities were interrupted by asthmatic symptoms. Additional measures such as the number of nights interrupted by asthma, number of attacks and episodes of wheezing, indicated that 28.0%, 24.0% and 34.5% of the patients respectively were undertreated. It is concluded that asthma seems to be undertreated in general practice in The Netherlands, a finding which is consistent with research on this subject in the UK and other countries. Possible reasons for the persistence of undertreatment of asthma are discussed, and suggestions for overcoming it are offered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Twelve-minute walking test in a group of Dutch patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases; relationship with functional capacity.

Limitations in exercise tolerance are characteristic for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The twelve-minute walking test has been proposed as a simple, reproducible test to assess exercise tolerance in these patients. We investigated factors, that predicted the twelve-minute walking distance in a group of fifty patients with COPD, who had a maximal reversibility in the FEV1 of 20% after inhaled salbutamol. There was a strong correlation between walking distance and IVC (%pred) (p less than 0.001), RV% TLC (%pred) (p less than 0.001), FEV1 (ml) (p less than 0.001), FEV1 (%pred) (p less than 0.001) and PaO2 (mm Hg) (p less than 0.01). It is concluded that pathophysiological factors are the main determinants of the twelve-minute walking distance.

Adult↗