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Biomedical subjects

F Kröger

Publications and source records attributed to F Kröger.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Family perception of interpersonal behavior as a predictor in eating disorders: a prospective, six-year followup study.

This study assessed family perception patterns of interpersonal behavior in families with a daughter diagnosed with an eating disorder 6 years after treatment that used a prospective design. Family perception patterns of patients found to have a poor outcome at followup (n = 15) were compared with patients with a good outcome (n = 23), as well as a control group (n = 36). Using the system of multiple level observation of groups (SYMLOG), all 238 family members evaluated themselves and each other. The index patients with a poor outcome perceived themselves as friendlier and more positive than they were perceived by their families. In comparison to parents of daughters with a good outcome and the control group, parents of daughters in the poor outcome group perceived themselves to be less friendly than their partners perceived them to be. A rigid polarization of the perception of the index patient by family members and a discrepancy in this perception between the index patient and the rest of the family were found to be indicative of a poor prognosis. Implications for treatment based on family perception patterns of interpersonal behavior are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Catastrophy management in the large clinic. Bridges between fundamental research and rescue practice].

In consequence of a fire that had broken out in the large general hospital centre of the University of Aachen, a working team was organised to systematise the experiences gained and to work out an internal scheme for handling catastrophic events. It was the declared aim of the working group to study and come to grips with innovative concepts of self-organisation in social systems and with cognitive trouble-shooting research to assess the relevance of actions based on these factors, the purpose being to complement and widen the range of conventional concepts of managing catastrophic events and the relevant security measures. This study discovered general agreement between the reflected experiences as seen from the viewpoint of the working team on the one hand, and the theoretical considerations of cognitive trouble-shooting research and the concepts of self-organisation in complex systems on the other. The innovative potential of knowledge for the internal management of catastrophic events derived in this manner from actions can hardly be over-estimated.

Disaster Planning↗
PubMed1996

[Coping with stress and self-awareness in idiopathic sudden deafness].

In the work presented here patterns of stress management and self awareness of patients with sudden hearing loss (n = 50) are studied and compared to a control group. Private self awareness is conceived as a moderator of stress management. Data analysis was performed with special consideration given to gender specificity of patterns investigated. The profile of stress management in patients with sudden hearing loss differs from control groups. As for stress management, gender specific data analysis reveals for male as well as for female patients significant differences when compared to control groups. Beyond that, profiles of stress management differ between males and females. Furthermore, private self awareness in patients with sudden hearing loss exhibit significant differences in mean values when compared to control groups, which is interpreted as a reflection of a lower prevalence of private self awareness. However, gender specific analysis supports this initially significant result only to have tendentious character. With respect to preventive treatment and prophylaxis of relapse, our results suggest that training in stress management should be completed by bodily oriented procedures suited to enhance the perception of body signals.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

[Outpatient or inpatient treatment? Analysis of indications in psychosomatic medicine].

This is an empirical study of the criteria which indicate inpatient or outpatient treatment. The two essential elements to the process of indication are, firstly, the recommendation of the outpatient clinic conference and, secondly, the preference of the patient. A specially developed test inventory was used for the statistical evaluation of one hundred case decisions of our outpatient clinic conference. As expected, the indication is not reduced to a one-dimensional schema but is the result of a complex process. Nonetheless, several characteristics can be identified, such as the length of the illness, any psychosomatic pretreatment, the recommendations of the first diagnostician and the patient's own wish for a particular type of treatment. In sum, this study is an example of a descriptive analytical approach for the differential research on indication. Such an approach could be of importance when discussing how to control quality of psychosomatic and psychotherapeutic treatments.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1993

Outcome of bone mineral density in anorexia nervosa patients 11.7 years after first admission.

Osteopenia is a typical finding in patients suffering from anorexia nervosa. Unfortunately, available longitudinal studies are limited by a relatively short follow-up period. Therefore cross-sectional long-term followup studies may help to determine both the outcome of this bone lesion and variables that influence its subsequent development. Of an initial 66 consecutive patients with anorexia nervosa, 51 (77.3%) could be further evaluated. After an average of 11.7 years following first admission, cross-sectional measurements of lumbar and proximal radial bone mineral density (BMD) were performed. The ability to predict BMD using variables obtained from anamnestic and clinical data was then determined by multiple-regression analysis. The BMD of both radial and lumbar bone in anorexic patients with poor disease outcome (as defined by the Morgan-Russell general outcome categories) deviated by -2.18 and -1.73 SD (Z score), respectively. In patients with a good disease outcome lumbar BMD was significantly less reduced compared with radial BMD (-0.26 versus -0.68 SD). Variables reflecting estrogen deficiency and nutritional status in the course of the disease, that is, relative estrogen exposure (for lumbar BMD) and years of anorexia nervosa (for radial BMD), allowed the best prediction of BMD. A marked reduction in cortical and trabecular BMD in anorexic patients with poor disease outcome suggests a higher risk of fractures in these patients. Furthermore, the finding of a persistently reduced cortical and a slightly reduced trabecular BMD, even in patients with good disease outcome, suggests that a recovery of trabecular BMD might be possible, at least in part. Recovery of cortical bone, if possible at all, seems to proceed more slowly.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1985

[Clinical psychosomatics: blood pressure regulation. Problem status from the systems theory viewpoint].

The systemic aspect which integrates the family as a whole to the diagnostic and therapeutical process becomes more and more important in Clinical Psychosomatics. The development of a sound relationship between the hypertensive patient and his physician and the degree to which the patient is able to accept the drug treatment seem to be influenced not only by the personality structure of the individual patients but also by the interaction pattern of the whole family. The possible influence exerted by the special interaction patterns of the family on the chronification and/or replication of essential hypertension is shown by 1) the obvious negative non-verbal communication behaviour 2) the low intensity of verbal communication and 3) the high need of control, the setting of rigid bounds and a great inflexibility to solve the existing problems.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Psychosocial stress and utilization of medical services after coronary bypass operation].

This study examines the relationship between psychosocial stress and social support before coronary surgery and the amount of health care utilization in a sample of 136 patients during postoperative hospitalization. The aim of the study is to test the hypothesis that there is a correlation between a high psychosocial stress profile and the utilization of medical care (so called high utilizers). The sample consists of 80.7% men and 19.3% women aged between 31 and 78 years (mean 64; sd 9.1). In this first data analysis psychosocial impact is assessed by anxiety, depression and social support (HADS-D, F-SOZU). Detailed somatic factors concerning severity of the illness, inpatient course and the utilization of health care (medication, technical examinations, consultations) are assessed by means of a documentation system. With regard to anxiety, depression and social support the sample is located within the normal range. In contrast to our expectations the results show that high scores of anxiety and depression as well as a low level of emotional support do not correlate significantly with an increased use of medication, the number of consultations and technical examinations. Furthermore no correlation has been found between the length of hospitalization and preoperative comorbidity as compared to the mentioned psychosocial stress variables. On the other hand the data analysis showed that about 30% of the patients during the postoperative period utilize about half of the total amount of the different medical treatments. In the postoperative period these high utilizers cannot be distinguished from the other patients, neither by sociodemographic variables nor by means of an increased psychosocial stress or severity of illness.

Adult↗