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Biomedical subjects

Ute Martens

Publications and source records attributed to Ute Martens.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Gastrointestinal disturbances in eating disorders: clinical and neurobiological aspects.

Symptoms of the upper and lower gastrointestinal (gastrointestinal) tract have been described in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Studies focusing on general outcome and medical comorbidity describe a worse outcome in the binge eating/purging subtype of anorexia nervosa compared to the restricting subtype. Both anorexia nervosa subtypes experience substantial delays in gastric emptying as well as constipation. These gastrointestinal disturbances may play a role in anorexia nervosa patients' difficulties with refeeding and weight restoration. Bulimia nervosa patients showed increased gastric emptying capacity, with delayed gastric emptying and diminished gastric relaxation. In addition, diminished release of cholecystokinin and abnormalities in enteric autonomic function were found in bulimia nervosa patients. These factors may play a role in the perpetuation of the disease. Gastrointestinal disturbances develop secondary to the disordered eating behaviour and the concomitant malnutrition and subside mostly with the resumption of normal food intake and body weight. Knowledge of these changes may be of critical importance in avoiding misdiagnosis and successful therapy.

Feeding and Eating Disorders↗
PubMed2006

[Medical education in the field of psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy at the German universities in 2006].

BACKGROUND: The new licensing regulations for physicians introduced in 2002 place core competencies in the field of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the centre of medical training and have been considered to constitute a favourable opportunity for psychosocial faculties. To date, no data have been published concerning the consequences of these new regulations. METHODS: All 34 chairs of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy currently held by professors were surveyed by means of a written questionnaire at the beginning of the year 2006, regarding the present teaching situation and changes occurring through the introduction of the new regulations, as well as particular problem areas and respective solutions and suggestions. RESULTS: The rate of return for the questionnaires was 100 %. The consequences of the new regulations were rated predominantly positively. From a content point of view, classes continue to be more heavily weighted in cognitive areas and less so in areas of clinical practice; demands for an emphasis on affective learning objectives hence appear to have not been adequately met thus far. The newly established course formats (cross-sectional areas, obligatory optional courses, tutorials) also appear to have been employed to a rather limited degree. In addition to a lack of resources, the co-ordination with other specialist areas as well as the adequate assessment of teaching content poses a particular problem. DISCUSSION: The field of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy constitutes an important engine for the didactic and content-related advancement of the medical curriculum in Germany. Nevertheless, the opportunities which the new licensing regulations for physicians offer to psychosocial faculties have not yet been entirely made use of. Surveyed individuals consider nationwide agreement concerning learning objectives, an exchange of experiences regarding the efficient and creative use of available resources and the development of suitable assessment methodologies, to be tasks to be urgently undertaken.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2006

Internet-based assessment of bowel symptoms and quality of life.

OBJECTIVES: We wished to determine the value of an open-access internet questionnaire for assessment of upper and lower gastrointestinal symptoms and health-related quality of life. METHODS: Between January 2002 and June 2005, a symptom scale for upper gastrointestinal and lower gastrointestinal symptoms was placed on a genuine website (www.gesundheits-umfrage.de) and linked to the website of the German irritable bowel syndrome patient group (www.Reizdarmselbsthilfe.de). Patients were asked to report gastrointestinal symptoms that had occurred during the last month. Patients who finished this symptoms questionnaire and acknowledged more than two of a total of eight upper gastrointestinal symptoms and/or more than two of 16 lower gastrointestinal symptoms were immediately offered the assessment of their health-related quality of life by a validated general quality of life scale--the patient general well-being inventory--a 22-item scale with six subscales (anxiety, depression, general well-being, self-control, health, and vitality) and a global scale. Total patient general well-being inventory scores and subscale values were correlated to upper gastrointestinal and lower gastrointestinal symptom scores including the Rome I definition of the irritable bowel syndrome, and to social variables. RESULTS: Five thousand two hundred and fifty-six individuals completed symptom assessment. Out of these, 4431 had three or more upper gastrointestinal symptoms, the mean number of upper gastrointestinal symptoms reported was 3.2+/-2.0; 4456 had three or more lower gastrointestinal symptoms (mean: 10.3+/-3.3), and 3187 met the Rome I criteria for irritable bowel syndrome. A total of 3316 individuals completed the patient general well-being inventory assessment (1156 men, 2160 women, mean age: 37.7+/-12.3 years). Upper gastrointestinal, lower gastrointestinal, and total symptom score were higher in women than in men (P < 0.001), and significantly correlated to the global quality of life assessment. Family status affected the symptom scores (higher in singles) and quality of life scores (lower in people living in partnership for health, but higher for vitality and depression). Age correlated negatively with upper gastrointestinal, lower gastrointestinal, and with total symptom scores as well as with some patient general well-being inventory scores. CONCLUSION: Symptom and quality of life assessment using an open internet questionnaire is feasible and generates data which are, in large, comparable to those from other sources of assessment, despite the fact that the population addressed is, on average, moderately younger than previously studied cohorts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Health service aspects of psychosomatic inpatient treatment in a general hospital].

The study objective is to outline basic aspects of medical care service structure in the fields of psychosomatic medicine in a clinical acute-care setting. A total of 216 inpatients in a psychosomatic ward of a general hospital were investigated during a 32 months period using a retrospective study design. Referring physicians and clinics along with referral procedures, the waiting period, teamwork with other clinics, as well as patient and therapy characteristics are described. According to provisions of outpatient psychosocial care, general practitioners refer the majority of the inpatients (55 %), followed by other clinics (25 %) and psychosomatic and psychiatric outpatient specialists (20 %). An outpatient department along with a psychosomatic C-L service are key elements for a psychosomatic department to ensure coordination of the referral procedure. The average waiting period lasts 21 days, the average length of stay is 48 days. 60 % of the inpatients show somatic and psychiatric co morbidity. A psychopharmacological treatment has to be taken into consideration along with multi-modal psychotherapy in a third of all patients.

Adolescent↗