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Biomedical subjects

P Trigwell

Publications and source records attributed to P Trigwell.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

The nature of fatigue in multiple sclerosis.

The aim of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to determine whether people with multiple sclerosis differentially experience physical and mental fatigue, and whether the pattern of fatigue is influenced by mood, disease duration, or disease course. Seventy-eight consecutive out-patients with multiple sclerosis were asked to complete the Fatigue Rating Scale (FRS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). Sixty-eight (87%) subjects completed the questionnaires. Fifty-eight (85%) subjects in this group scored above the recommended cut-off for fatigue on the FRS scale. Both the mental fatigue score and the total fatigue score were positively correlated with the depression and anxiety scores on the HAD scale. There was no significant correlation between the physical fatigue score and either of the HAD subscale scores. There was no significant association between duration of disease or disease course and the total scores or subscale scores of the FRS and HAD. This is the first reported study to differentiate between mental and physical fatigue in multiple sclerosis and to demonstrate a significant correlation between fatigue and mood level. This has important implications for the effective treatment of fatigue in multiple sclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Motivation and glycemic control in diabetes mellitus.

Although adherence to treatment regimes is clinically important in diabetes mellitus, the best way to improve it is unclear. As a precursor to evaluating the place of a brief intervention (motivational interviewing) in the treatment of diabetes, this study investigated the relation between motivation and glycemic control in 361 diabetic out-patients. Outcome measures were the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES) and HbA1C level--a measure of glycemic control. The majority of patients (86.7%) could be allocated to a single motivational stage, indicating that this concept is applicable in the study of diabetes. There were significant associations between HbA1C level and motivational stage, but not in the direction predicted. That is, patients at an earlier motivational stage had lower HbA1C levels than those at later stages. The results suggest that feedback of HbA1C level may partly determine the patient's motivation to control their diabetes, although the effect is quite weak.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

"Abnormal" illness behaviour in chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of abnormal illness behaviour in patients with a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome. DESIGN: A cross sectional descriptive study using the illness behaviour questionnaire to compare illness behaviour scores and illness behaviour profiles of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and patients with multiple sclerosis. SETTING: A multidisciplinary fatigue clinic and a teaching hospital neurology outpatient clinic. SUBJECTS: 98 patients satisfying the Oxford criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome and 78 patients with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Responses to the 62 item illness behaviour questionnaire. RESULTS: 90 (92%) patients in the chronic fatigue syndrome group and 70 (90%) in the multiple sclerosis group completed the illness behaviour questionnaire. Both groups had significantly high scores on the general hypochondriasis and disease conviction subscales and significantly low scores on the psychological versus somatic concern subscale, as measured in relation to normative data. There were, however, no significant differences in the subscale scores between the two groups and the two groups had identical illness behaviour profiles. CONCLUSION: Scores on the illness behaviour questionnaire cannot be taken as evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome is a variety of abnormal illness behaviour, because the same profile occurs in multiple sclerosis. Neither can they be taken as evidence that chronic fatigue and multiple sclerosis share an aetiology. More needs to be known about the origins of illness beliefs in chronic fatigue syndrome, especially as they are important in determining outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A scale for the assessment of hedonic tone the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale.

BACKGROUND: Hedonic tone and its absence, anhedonia, are important in psychopathological research, but instruments for their assessment are lengthy and probably culturally biased. METHOD: A new scale was constructed from the responses of a large sample of the general population to a request to list six situations which afforded pleasure. The most frequent items were reviewed and those likely to be affected by cultural setting, age, or sex were removed. A pilot study led to an abbreviated scale of 14 items, covering four domains of pleasure response. This questionnaire was subjected to psychometric evaluation in new samples from the general population and psychiatric patients. RESULTS: The scale was found to have a score range that would distinguish a 'normal' from an 'abnormal' response. Validity and reliability were found to be satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: The new scale, the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS), is an instrument which may be recommended for psychopathological research.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Royal College examinations: preparation and practice.

Membership examinations are complex and difficult. Important practical issues must be considered at an early stage, and you can improve upon your chance of success by addressing your learning style, revision strategy and examination technique.

Education, Medical↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pass the Royal College examinations. MCQ technique.

Trainee doctors can fail Royal College exams as a result of poor multiple choice question technique. On a negatively marked exam it is possible for candidate to know a subject well, answer 72% of the questions correctly, and yet still only obtain a mark of 44%. As a result, even some very good clinicians fail these exams.

Attitude↗
PubMedDate not supplied

MRCPsych examination technique: the short answer question paper.

Many candidates expect to pass the short answer question paper of the MRCPsych Part II examination using a straightforward regurgitation of facts. They are surprised by the need for good technique in order to do well in this paper.

Adaptation, Psychological↗