PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Zuckerman

Publications and source records attributed to E Zuckerman.

78 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

A pilot study of interpersonal psychotherapy by telephone with cancer patients and their partners.

A single-arm pilot study explored the feasibility of adapting in Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) by telephone to reduce psychological distress and to enhance coping during cancer treatment. Therapy focuses on role transitions, interpersonal conflicts, and grief precipitated by cancer. Breast cancer patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy received weekly sessions with a psychologist throughout chemotherapy and for 1 month afterwards. Patients could invite one 'partner' to receive individual telephone IPT. Psychosocial functioning was assessed using standardized measures at study entry, after chemotherapy, and following telephone IPT. Accrual and participation supplied evidence of feasibility: 14 patients and 10 partners were recruited, 82.5% of those eligible. Patients had a mean of 16 sessions; partners had a mean of 11. Participants rated their satisfaction with the program between 'good' and 'excellent'. A test of the efficacy of telephone IPT requires a larger, randomized trial. In order to standardize the intervention, a treatment manual was developed. This study indicated the importance of outreach to family members as well as to cancer patients, intensive patient education about oncology treatment and the medical care setting, and psychosocial services that continue after cancer treatment has been completed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hepatitis C virus-related arthritis: characteristics and response to therapy with interferon alpha.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related arthropathy and to evaluate the response to treatment with interferon-alpha (INF-alpha). METHODS: We studied 28 HCV-infected patients with arthritis. All patients underwent complete clinical, laboratory and radiological evaluation, including assessment and follow-up by a rheumatologist. Twenty-five patients were treated with INF-alpha for a median period of 12 months. RESULTS: All patients were HCV-RNA positive (genotype 1b in 65%). The mean duration of arthropathy-related symptoms prior to the diagnosis of HCV infection was 12 months. 19 patients (68%) had symmetric polyarthritis and 19 (68%) had morning stiffness > or = 60 min. None of the patients had erosive disease or subcutaneous nodules. 12 (43%) had detectable cryoglobulin (mean cryocrit: 3.6 +/- 3.5%), 17 (61%) had rheumatoid factor (RF) (median titer: 1:80), and only 15 (54%) had elevated ESR. 14 patients (50%) had > or = 4 ACR (American College of Rheumatology) criteria for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 9 of whom were mistakenly diagnosed and previously treated as RA patients. Only 3 patients had a satisfactory response to previous treatment with anti-inflammatory or disease modifying drugs. Complete or partial response of arthritis-related symptoms in INF-alpha treated patients was observed in 44% and 32%, respectively. Cryoglobulin became undetectable in 9 of 12 patients. However, a complete biochemical and virological end-of-treatment response was achieved in only 8 (36%) and 5 patients (20%), respectively. CONCLUSION: HCV arthropathy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any patient with arthritis, even in the absence of liver disease. Treatment with interferon-alpha may lead to substantial clinical improvement of HCV-related arthritis even without a complete biochemical or virological response.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Aortic involvement in rheumatic diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To review the prevalence, mechanisms, presentations and clinical significance of aortic involvement in rheumatic inflammatory diseases. METHODS: The medical literature, available through a PUBMED search was reviewed and the relevant information was summarized. In addition, selected articles related to aortic involvement in rheumatic diseases were included in this review. RESULTS: Rheumatic disorders may be categorized by their propensity to involve the aorta: conditions with a prevalence of 10% and more (Takayasu's arteritis, temporal arteritis, long-standing ankylosing spondylitis, Cogan's syndrome and relapsing polychondritis), disorders with uncommon but well documented aortic involvement and rheumatic conditions with rare case reports of such involvement. Clinical presentation of aortic disease is dependent on the part of aorta involved and may manifest by aortic pain and/or other symptoms caused by aortic dilatation, narrowing or aneurysm. The histopathology of inflammatory aortitis is characterized by lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with or without giant cells or granulomas. On the other hand, non-inflammatory aortic damage in rheumatic diseases may include Marfan-like cystic disintegration of the aortic media as well as accelerated atherosclerosis. Awareness of rheumatic conditions with a high potential for clinically significant aortic involvement may promote referral of such patients for aortic imaging and sometimes surgery before fatal complications intervene. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis of aortic involvement can be advanced by informed consideration of such a complication in a rheumatic patient.

Aorta↗