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Biomedical subjects

S O Hoffmann

Publications and source records attributed to S O Hoffmann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Somatisation predicts the outcome of treatment in patients with low back pain.

We have assessed the influence of somatisation on the outcome of treatment in 81 patients with chronic low back pain. All, irrespective of whether treatment was surgical or conservative, had a significantly better (p < 0.001) health-related quality of life at follow-up on all but one scale of the SF-36. Lower health-related quality of life at follow-up correlated significantly with a higher tendency to somatise before treatment and at follow-up. A logistic regression analysis yielded two factors which predicted the outcome; somatisation (p < 0.001) and 'doctor shopping' (the number of physicians consulted before the present inpatient treatment, p < 0.001). These factors accurately distinguished between patients with good and those with poor outcomes in 82%. Patients with somatisation and 'doctor shopping' were at a higher risk for a poor outcome. The results show the relevance of somatisation in the outcome of treatment in patients with low back pain.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Health-related quality of life and somatization in patients with long-term low back pain: a prospective study with 109 patients.

STUDY DESIGN: For this study, a prospective cohort of 109 patients was recruited consecutively at an orthopedic inpatient unit of a university hospital. Three self-report instruments were administered to patients with sciatica believed to be caused by a herniated lumbar disc to examine their quality of life and psychic stress at baseline and at the 1-year follow-up visit. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether patients who have undergone a previous discectomy experience greater psychic stress than patients with no surgery, and to determine whether the groups differed regarding their health-related quality of life at the follow-up visit. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Previous studies have described psychic abnormalities in patients with long-term back pain, particularly patients with severe chronicity (i.e., history of surgeries and persistent problems) or those who underwent a previous discectomy. Additionally, a series of studies has shown that psychic and psychosocial parameters exert a significantly greater influence on the success of treatment than do clinical and imaging findings or the extent of disc abnormality. METHODS: The Short Form Health Survey 36, the Symptom Checklist 90, and Screening for Somatoform Disorders were administered to 109 patients consecutively treated in the authors' orthopedic university clinic, at baseline and at the 1-year follow-up visit. RESULTS: In all the patients examined, the physical and mental quality of life improved regardless of their group classification. The psychological distress, according to the Symptom Checklist 90, was clearly reduced in both groups at the follow-up visit, with the exception of somatization, as indicated by Symptom Checklist 90 and Screening for Somatoform Disorders. Whereas the patients who had undergone surgery remained nearly unchanged with regard to their somatization, the patients with no previous surgery improved significantly, as indicated by Screening for Somatoform Disorders and Symptom Checklist 90. Somatization, particularly that surveyed by the comprehensive Screening for Somatoform Disorders, proved to be quite a stabile factor over time in both groups. The extent of the physical impairment before treatment was nearly the same in both groups, as indicated by Short Form Health Survey 36. Despite a markedly higher chronicity of reported problems, patients who had undergone surgery were hardly more greatly impaired in terms of their mental quality of life and psychological distress, as indicated by Symptom Checklist 90, than those without a history of surgery. At the follow-up visit, the differences tended to be minimal as well. As compared with those who had no previous surgeries, the patients who had undergone surgery were significantly more heavily impaired in their physical quality of life despite significant improvements. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with sciatica demonstrated less abnormality in terms of the psychopathologic markers investigated than described in previous studies. Nevertheless, the predisposition to somatize influences health-related quality of life to a high degree.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[A consecutive study of patients with irritable bowel disease in two tertiary referral centers].

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the nature of illness behavior and the meaning of emotional deficiencies during childhood in patients with irritable bowel diseases (IBS). DATA: A consecutive study in two tertiary referral centers was conducted with 48 patients suffering from irritable bowel diseases (IBS) and 91 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: The diagnosis of IBS was made by following the Manning criteria, a positive diagnosis of IBD was established through physical, endoscopic and radiologic examinations and was confirmed histologically. Psychological data were obtained by structured psychiatric interviews and psychological self-report measures (GBB). RESULTS: We found that the rate of physician visits given in the course of the disease, is increased for those having irritable bowel disease (IBS). These patients are dissatisfied with the physicians and prone to psychophysiological complaint. In the daily routine and in occupation they are more impaired than those with inflammatory disease. This finding emphasizes in particular that patients with irritable bowel diseases (IBS) have experienced emotional deficiencies in childhood as an after effect of loss, divorce of the parents etc. CONCLUSIONS: Implications for doctor-patient relationship and the necessity for epidemiological studies in Germany are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Impaired health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel diseases: psychosocial impact and coping styles in a national German sample.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to give a detailed survey of the disease-specific and generic quality of life (HRQOL) of adult patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Germany. METHODS: 1322 patients suffering from IBD were examined in a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire assessing disease-specific and generic quality of life, coping, and hopelessness was sent to members of the German Crohn/Colitis association. RESULTS: Compared to the general population, the generic HRQOL in IBD patients is significantly reduced. Active coping has a negative influence on patients' generic physical HRQOL during an active phase (beta = -0.31), while this association is not present in the case of patients in remission (beta = -0.02, interaction: P = 0.0003). Depressive coping is strongly and negatively associated with assessment of the physical (beta = -0.39, P < 0.0001) and mental (beta = -0.66, P < 0.0001) HRQOL. Disease-specific burdens are mainly reported in the physical dimension. CONCLUSION: The pattern of psychosocial impact of disease in German IBD patients is largely congruent with the one observed in the USA and Canada, but shows some specific differences. The a priori unexpected finding that active coping was associated with poor HRQOL in active IBD status illustrates the importance of considering different determinants of HRQOL in terms of their mutual interaction.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

[Anxiety and coping behavior before and after radical gynecological surgery].

Pretreatment phase-interactions between patient, family and medical staff around the time of diagnosis may have profound and long-term effects on quality of life. These interactions do not only influence the ability of the patient to come to terms with the diagnosis, but often set the tone for all future dealings with medical community. The imperatives for the medical staff in this process are to provide both: information and hope. In this context, anxiety and defense mechanisms--as protection of ego against anxiety--are psychoanalytic based constructs. The investigation of the interference between these constructs and information reflects the extraordinary background for an effective and continuing communication. These considerations require the care team to individualize their approach to each patient.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

[Coping with illness in myasthenia gravis in comparison with other chronic neuromuscular diseases].

Seventy-nine patients with chronic neuromuscular diseases were examined by psychodiagnostic tests. The most frequently used coping strategies were "compliance and confidence in the physician", "self encouragement", "to relative by comparison" and "problem-solving". Comparison of the test sample and our total sampling group and the groups divided by diagnosis showed more common features than differences in the coping process. This might be caused by similar general problems in chronic diseases. Less "compliance and confidence in the physician" was the only significant difference between the myasthenic patients and the remaining test group. We supposed less treatment possibilities and/or longer duration of illness (remaining test group) to be responsible for this result. Duration of illness in common seems to have an influence on coping. Patients suffering a longer illness showed reduced values in "self encouragement". Common and specific problems and circumstances of illness seem to be more significant for the coping process than the diagnosis. The patients' mood, which we took as a measure for partial aspects of adaptivity of coping, correlated significantly with the strength of the complaints felt. Classification into adaptive and maladaptive coping forms is not possible.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1997

Pelvic exenteration: effects of surgery on quality of life and body image--a prospective longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of reconstructive and nonreconstructive surgical procedures on quality of life and body image for women who undergo pelvic exenteration. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients were assessed in a prospective study with a preoperative semistructured interview and an objective assessment (T1). Interviews and questionnaires were repeated 4 (T2) and 12 (T3) months postoperatively. The women were divided into groups with two, one, or no ostomies. A separate comparison was made of women with and without vaginal capacity. Quality of life was defined in terms of five categories according to the definition of health proposed by the World Health Organization: physical and psychosocial health; marital and sexual status; medical interactions. RESULTS: At all points in time, the patients' quality of life was affected most significantly by worries about the progression of the tumor. Twelve months postoperatively, patients with two ostomies reported a significantly lower quality of life (P = 0.008) and poorer body image (P = 0.002) than patients with no ostomy. At T3, patients with vaginal capacity reported fewer problems in all categories related to quality of life and significantly (P = 0.015) fewer sexual problems. CONCLUSION: An evaluation of quality of life and body image demonstrates the benefits of newer techniques for organ reconstruction. Thus, organ reconstruction should be performed whenever possible in patients with pelvic exenteration.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Psychosocial risk and protective factors in childhood and adolescence as predisposition for psychiatric disorders in adulthood. Current status of research].

Longitudinal and well-controlled cross-sectional studies have shown that numerous psychosocial stress factors in childhood and youth affect psychic health in the long term. The significance of compensatory protective factors has also been well documented in various studies. An overview of this work is presented: the factors which need to be clarified and taken into consideration in the diagnosis of psychic disorders have been summarized and critically analyzed on the basis of the results of more recent studies of the significance of sexual traumatization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

["Phobic postural vertigo". A further differentiation of psychogenic vertigo conditions seems necessary].

Due to the results of an interdisciplinary study on patients with vertigo as the chief symptom and on the background of psychodynamic theories concerning anxiety disorders the term of phobic postural vertigo (Brandt & Dieterich 1986) is discussed. It becomes obvious that phobic postural vertigo is a generalizing term which encompasses different forms of psychogenic vertigo. The authors plead for a more differentiated diagnosis and subgroup oriented classification of vertigo caused by psychiatric disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Pelvic exenteration: effects of surgical method on quality of life].

This prospective longitudinal study explores the quality of life of patients who underwent pelvic exenteration (n = 21) with or without reconstructive procedures by standardized questionnaires and semistructured interviews. Quality of life is defined in following categories: physical status, psychosocial issues, medical interaction, marital and sexual problems. At three points in time (preoperatively, 4 and 12 months postoperatively) the quality of life was mostly affected by worries about tumor-progress and not being able to care for oneself. Patients who received reconstructive or preserving procedures felt less restrained in all categories than those without reconstructive surgery although the preoperative situation was not different.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1997

Quality of life and health in patients with urinary diversion: a comparison of incontinent versus continent urinary diversion.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the quality of life and health in patients with incontinent and continent urinary diversions, in correlation with the initial diagnosis, diversion-related symptoms, psychological status and employment status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 81 patients (64% male and 36% female) with a mean age of 55 years (18-65 years) were included in this retrospective study. A total of 27 had an incontinent urinary diversion (group A) and 54 a continent diversion (group B). The initial diagnosis was malignant tumor in 75% (n = 61) and nontumor disease in 25% (n = 20). A structured interview and psychometric instrument assessment of the quality of life as well as somatic and psychological symptoms were carried out and analyzed. RESULTS: Patients with nontumor disease, a continent reservoir and employment tended to have the highest level of quality of life. The higher the number and severity of psychological symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, the lower the level of global satisfaction with life, health and urinary diversion, and vice versa. No difference was seen between groups A and B concerning diversion-related symptoms, global satisfaction with life and health and sociodemographic data. CONCLUSIONS: The decision for a continent versus an incontinent urinary diversion must consider not only the medical factors of each individual patient, but also the initial diagnosis, psychological condition and employment status.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1997

[Illness-specific control issues in patients with vertigo as the main symptom].

The study explored the relationship between health locus of control and anxiety in 90 patients with the chief complaint of dizziness/vertigo. The patients were subjected to a neurological examination, including standardised history, physical examination, electronystagmography with caloric testing and posturography, auditory and visually brainstem-evoked responses, masseter reflex, vertebrobasiliar transcranial Doppler, optional: cranial imaging (CCT/MRI), cardial diagnostic, and a psychiatric-psychodynamic examination (including psychometric tests: STAI-G X2, KKG, SBA-S). The whole group of patients (psychogenic and organic dizziness) had a specific pattern of health locus of control: "double health external" (Type IV-Wallston and Wallston 1982). Patients with psychogenic dizziness showed a higher score of external locus of control (chance) compared with the patients with organic dizziness. High anxiety scores were accompanied by high scores of external locus of control (powerful others and chance) above all in the patients with psychogenic dizziness. Implications for therapy are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Vertigo and anxiety disorders--results of interdisciplinary evaluation].

BACKGROUND: Vertigo is a common symptom that often remains unexplained despite extensive medical evaluation. Psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders are usually considered after all somatic causes of vertigo have been ruled out. METHODS: Eighty-three patients referred to neurological or psychosomatic outpatient treatment received an extensive neurootologic and psychosomatic evaluation: one (or two) diagnostic psychiatric psychodynamic exploration(s), a structured interview, psychometric tests (SCL-90-R, STAI-G X2 and GBB). The patients were divided into four diagnostic groups: psychic causes only (psychogenic group), neurootologic causes only (somatic group), both diagnoses (psychosomatic group), neither diagnosis (group IV). RESULTS: Twenty-three patients had organic vertigo, thirty-nine patients had psychogenic vertigo and in seventeen cases a vestibular lesion initiated the development of a neurotic disorder, particular anxiety disorder. Most of the patients of the psychogenic and psychosomatic group had anxiety or phobic disorders. The patients with psychogenic or psychosomatic symptoms of vertigo generally report a higher level of subjective distress; the periods of disability are significant longer. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that assessment of psychiatric and psychosomatic symptoms should always accompany, not follow, neurootologic evaluation of vertigo. An early interdisciplinary therapy should be started to prevent the chronicity of the symptomatology.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Psychodynamics and psychotherapy of anxiety disorders].

Three main concepts in the development of anxiety are important in psychoanalysis: 1. the conflict model assuming that anxiety is initiated by the Ego in dangerous situations, when usual coping strategies fail, 2. the structural model that essentially describes that with general weakness of the adaptive Ego-functions even common conflicts cannot be mastered adequately and, therefore, anxiety as an affect arises quickly, and 3. the ethological model assuming that anxiety is closely connected with ethologically founded needs of binding: with threat of loss of binding, the child reacts anxiously, mobilising care impulses of the parents and, thus, counteracting this threat. It is essential for the psychotherapy of anxiety disorders whether the patient exhibits an Ego-structural weakness requiring an active strengthening of the coping abilities of the Ego, or whether a more conflictual genesis of his anxiety should be assumed-in this case, the disclosure of the frequently unconscious background of the conflicts promises to be successful. Altogether, a more active and encouraging attitude of the therapist is preferable for the psychotherapeutic treatment of anxiety disorders to motivate the patient to directly confront himself with his anxiety symptoms.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

[Which factors modify the duration of inpatient psychotherapy?].

The indication for differential duration of inpatient psychotherapy is a difficult question to answer, especially when the possible outcome-success of more severely disturbed patients (e.g. with borderline-personality disorder) is considered. Our own results showed no relevant correlation between the degree of patients' disturbance and treatment duration, neither any relevant correlation between treatment duration and therapists' evaluation of symptomatic or ego-structural improvement. The only marked effect on treatment duration was found for the patients' evaluation of their therapeutic relationship: the better they judged this relationship, the more their therapists tended to elongate inpatient psychotherapy. This finding supports a paradigm, which has been already well confirmed for outpatient psychotherapy: the specific importance of the therapeutic relationship for the therapeutic process even within the scope of inpatient psychotherapy. Another finding of our study indicates that more severely disturbed patients probably need a modified setting of inpatient psychotherapy: favorably a focus oriented interval treatment with short duration periods and alternating focus if necessary.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Inpatient psychotherapy of anxiety disorders--a comparison of therapeutic effectiveness in patients with generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia and panic disorder].

We investigated the effect of psychoanalytically oriented inpatient psychotherapy on three essential forms of anxiety disorders (classified according ICD-10): 1. generalized anxiety disorder (n = 23), agoraphobia (n = 38) and panic disorder (n = 24). Examinations with psychometric test instruments were performed at beginning of inpatient psychotherapy, at dismissal and 6 weeks after dismissal. At the end of inpatient psychotherapy we judged four clinically relevant criteria of therapy success: at the one side the therapist's judgement of symptomatic and structural improvement of the patients, at the other side the patients' judgement of anxiety and depression diminuation. The results demonstrate that summing up these four success criteria 1.) 40.0% of the patients with anxiety disorders improved, 21.2% failed; 2.) 61.4% of the patients with agoraphobia improved, 6.3% failed and 3.) 52.5% of the patients with panic disorder improved, 6.5% failed. An additional analysis of these results showed that the patients with generalized anxiety disorder were significantly (p < 0.01) more disturbed (according clinical assessment) compared to the other two diagnostic groups. About 60% of these patients exhibited increased anxiety symptoms during the course of inpatients psychotherapy, nevertheless relative to the other success criteria these patients achieved satisfactory outcome results. In the paper the consequences of these findings are discussed especially for inpatient psychotherapy of severely disturbed patients with anxiety disorders.

Adult↗