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Biomedical subjects

A Pierobon

Publications and source records attributed to A Pierobon.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Relationship between cognitive impairment and clinical status in chronic heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: In spite of its clinical importance, cognitive functioning is not always taken into account in studies on patients with chronic heart failure. The aim of the present study is to analyse the relationship between cognitive impairment and cardiovascular variables in a sample of patients with chronic heart failure for assessment or candidated for heart transplant. METHODS: Sixty-four male patients with chronic heart failure in NYHA class I-III, in a stable clinical condition, underwent cardiological evaluation and neuropsychological assessment by means of a wide battery of tests: Spinnler and Tognoni's tests and WAIS scale. RESULTS: Compared to the normative group, only 9% of patients did not have impairment in any cognitive function. 26% of patients had impairment of one cognitive function, and 30% of four or more cognitive functions. The cognitive functions that were most often impaired were short-term verbal memory, short-term visual spatial memory, differed verbal memory and verbal learning and visual spatial logical ability. On the whole, no statistical significant relationship was found between cognitive scores and the considered cardiovascular variables. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the need to take into account the risk of cognitive impairment in CHF patients, regardless of age, disease severity or functional status. The high prevalence of short-term verbal memory impairment has important implications in clinical practice, since CHF patients should be actively involved in the medical management of their disease. Memory deficits could compromise patient's adherence to treatment as well as doctor-patient interactions. The practical consequences of these difficulties require some changes in doctors' behaviour and suggest the need for specific medical staff member training.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed2001

Quality of Life Evaluation and Survival Study: a 3-yr prospective multinational study on patients with chronic respiratory failure.

Therapy of patients with chronic respiratory failure is mainly directed at minimizing symptoms in order to improve, or at least to prevent a deterioration of, patients' well-being. Under such circumstances, the perceived effect of therapies on patients' well-being and daily life represents the most important subjective outcome of treatment. Therefore, there is a need to provide a global estimate of health in patients on long term oxygen therapy or overnight home mechanical ventilation. The Maugeri Foundation Respiratory Failure Questionnaire (MRF28) is the first health status ("quality of life") questionnaire specifically developed for use in CRF and its items were selected to be applicable to patients with both obstructive and restrictive diseases. The Quality of Life Evaluation and Survival Study (QuESS) is a multinational study with the aim of re-evaluating the natural history of chronic respiratory failure in about 300 patients. To the authors knowledge, the Quality of Life Evaluation and Survival Study is the first study to evaluate the natural history of chronic respiratory failure in such a large number of subjects and with a complete set of data. In fact, both pathophysiologic and health status assessments will be made. Moreover, by collecting data on mortality, disease exacerbations and hospitalization, it will also be possible to verify the predictive ability of health status versus pathophysiology in terms of mortality and healthcare utilization.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1999

Relationship between psychological profile and cardiological variables in chronic heart failure. The role of patient subjectivity.

AIM: To analyse the relationships between the psychological profile, the satisfaction profile and cardiological variables in patients with chronic heart failure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-two male patients with chronic heart failure in a stable clinical condition underwent cardiological evaluation and psychological assessment by means of two instruments: the Cognitive Behavioural Assessment 2.0 Battery and the Satisfaction Profile. RESULTS: Patients scored higher than healthy subjects in terms of psychophysiological disorders and depression. Patients in NYHA class III reported higher anxiety and depression scores and had more frequent problems in daily life than patients in NYHA classes I and II. Class III patients also reported lower satisfaction levels in many aspects of psychological and physical functioning. Pulmonary resistances >2.5 Wood units, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >0. 18 mmHg and a diagnosis of ischaemic cardiomyopathy were associated with low satisfaction levels in the Satisfaction Profile 'physical functioning' factor. To be listed for heart transplantation and a history of more than three hospitalizations were related to low satisfaction levels in many items of the Satisfaction Profile. Finally, stepwise multiple regression showed that NYHA class, depression score and pulmonary capillary resistance accounted for 32% of the variance in the Satisfaction Profile physical functioning factor score. CONCLUSION: On the basis of chronic heart failure diagnosis only, a generic pattern of psychological distress can be predicted, common to many severe chronic diseases. Shifting from objective mental health measures towards the domain of subjective satisfaction, the only link which emerges is between objective cardiological data and satisfaction with physical functioning. Satisfaction in terms of other life aspects does not seem to be related to cardiological variables. These results support the importance of subjectivity in health related quality of life, as well as objective measures.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[The psychological side of chronic heart failure. A pluriannual experience].

The present study summarizes the authors' experience reached in the last four years with chronic heart failure patients', particularly referring to the psychological aspects. The 218 male patients (age 51.7 +/- 8.3) psychological profile (obtained by means of the CBA 2.0 Primary Scales) has shown higher scores in the anxiety, depression and psychophysiological disorders scales and lower scores in some of the fear scales, compared with the reference normative group. The CBA 2.0 Schedule 4 has enlightened suicidal ideas, eating and sleep disorders, economic and sexual problems. The comparison between the psychological and the many cardiological variables taken into account, has not allowed to highlight significant relationships on the whole. Our data support the necessity to introduce other--likely subjective--variables in the studies aimed at analyzing the relationships between psychological and cardiological factors in the chronic heart failure patients.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Work-related posttraumatic upper limb disorder. A case report.

In this paper we describe a patient with mor-sensory loss in the right forearm and hand, which persisted more than 2 years after work-related crush trauma of the left hand. Radiographic and electromyographic investigations, somatosensory evoked potentials, CT scans of the encephalus as well as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and the Roarschach test have been performed. On the basis of these investigations, we think this represents a case of conversion disorder with somatic features. Included is a brief overview of other psychological illness with physical findings involving the upper limb.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Neuropsychological course of patients with craniocerebral injuries in rehabilitation].

The aim of the present paper is to describe a neuropsychological assessment and intervention model in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) patients. The theoretical and methodological frameworks are described and the following diagnostic and rehabilitative flowchart is fully explained: 1. first visit with patient and his relatives; 2. clinical and testing assessment; 3. diagnostic balance and its communication to patient and his relatives; 4. neuropsychological rehabilitation and psychological counseling. Whenever necessary, patient's relatives are involved. Furthermore, TBI patients' health related quality of life is outlined as an important clinical and scientific issue deserving more attention, in spite of the objective methodological difficulties which its evaluation implies.

Brain Injuries↗