Irritable mood in Italian patients with medical disease

Validity of the Korean Version of the Brief Irritability Test in Psychiatric Patients

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Brief Irritability Test (BITe) and adapt it for Korean patients with psychiatric disorders.

METHODS

A total of 296 patients at the Department of Psychiatry of Hanyang University Guri Hospital completed the BITe, Korean Beck Depression Inventory-II, Korean Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Korean version of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11. Construct validity was confirmed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Reliability testing included assessments of internal consistency (Cronbach's α) and item-total correlations. Convergent validity was examined through correlational analyses with variables such as anxiety, depression, anger, and impulsivity.

RESULTS

First, the scale had good internal consistency with a Cronbach's α of 0.88. Second, EFA indicated a single dimensionality of the BITe, and CFA demonstrated a reasonable fit for the single-factor model (comparative fit index=0.97, Tucker-Lewis Index=0.95, normed fit index=0.97, goodness-of-fit index=0.96, root mean square error of approximation=0.12, standardized root mean residual=0.03). Finally, the convergent validity analysis revealed a significant positive correlation with depression, anxiety, and anger, except for anger control, which is a sub-variable of anger.

CONCLUSION

The results showed that the Korean version of the BITe had good psychometric properties, and might serve as a valuable tool for assessing irritability in Korean patients with psychiatric disorders.

The clinical utility of a comprehensive psychosomatic assessment in the program for colorectal cancer prevention: a cross-sectional study

Few studies have investigated psychosocial characteristics and lifestyle behaviors of participants at programs for secondary prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed, through a comprehensive psychosomatic assessment based on clinimetric principles, to evaluate psychosocial characteristics and lifestyle behaviors in participants at CRC secondary prevention program, and to investigate the associations between these variables and endoscopic outcomes. In this cross-sectional study, the first 150 consecutive asymptomatic participants at the CRC prevention program who resulted positive to fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and were thus referred to colonoscopy, underwent a psychosomatic assessment including psychiatric diagnoses (DSM-5), psychosomatic syndromes (DCPR-R), psychological distress, psychological well-being and lifestyle behaviors. Whereas only 5.3% of the sample showed at least one DSM-5 diagnosis, 51.3% showed at least one DCPR syndrome, such as allostatic overload, alexithymia, Type A behavior, and demoralization. Patients affected by psychosomatic syndromes presented with significantly higher psychological distress, lower psychological well-being and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, such as tobacco smoking and unhealthy diet, in comparison with patients without DCPR syndromes. Among endoscopic outcomes, the presence of adenomas was significantly associated with DCPR irritable mood. In a clinical context of secondary prevention addressing asymptomatic patients with positive FOBT, a comprehensive psychosomatic assessment may provide relevant clinical information for those patients who present certain psychosomatic syndromes associated with high psychological distress, impaired psychological well-being, unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and colorectal precancerous lesions. The results of the present study indicate a road to the practice of "preventive" medicine at CRC screening program.

Impacts of Interaction of Mental Condition and Quality of Life between Donors and Recipients at Decision-Making of Preemptive and Post-Dialysis Living-Donor Kidney Transplantation

Pre-emptive kidney transplantation (PEKT) is considered one of the most effective types of kidney replacement therapies to improve the quality of life (QOL) and physical prognosis of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In Japan, living-donor kidney transplantation is a common therapeutic option for patients undergoing dialyses (PDKT). Moreover, during shared decision-making in kidney replacement therapy, the medical staff of the multidisciplinary kidney team often provide educational consultation programmes according to the QOL and sociopsychological status of the ESRD patient. In Japan, the majority of kidney donations are provided by living family members. However, neither the psychosocial status of donors associated with the decision-making of kidney donations nor the interactions of the psychosocial status between donors and recipients have been clarified in the literature. In response to this gap, the present study determined the QOL, mood and anxiety status of donors and recipients at kidney transplantation decision-making between PEKT and PDKT. Deterioration of the recipient's QOL associated with "role physical" shifted the decision-making to PEKT, whereas deterioration of QOL associated with "role emotional" and "social functioning" of the recipients shifted the decision-making to PDKT. Furthermore, increased tension/anxiety and depressive mood contributed to choosing PDKT, but increased confusion was dominantly observed in PEKT recipients. These direct impact factors for decision-making were secondarily regulated by the trait anxiety of the recipients. Unlike the recipients, the donors' QOL associated with vitality contributed to choosing PDKT, whereas the physical and mental health of the donors shifted the decision-making to PEKT. Interestingly, we also detected the typical features of PEKT donors, who showed higher tolerability against the trait anxiety of reactive tension/anxiety than PDKT donors. These results suggest that choosing between either PEKT or PDKT is likely achieved through the proactive support of family members as candidate donors, rather than the recipients. Furthermore, PDKT is possibly facilitated by an enrichment of the life-work-family balance of the donors. Therefore, multidisciplinary kidney teams should be aware of the familial psychodynamics between patients with ESRD and their family members during the shared decision-making process by continuing the educational consultation programmes for the kidney-replacement-therapy decision-making process.

Associations between domains of health-related quality of life and comorbid emotional and behavioral problems in youth with autism spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) can be used as a measure of the impact of a particular disorder on one's daily functioning. Previous studies have found that comorbid psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are associated with poorer HRQoL than ASD alone. Less is known about potential associations between specific symptoms of comorbid psychopathology (i.e., emotional and behavioral problems) and domains of functioning or HRQoL in youth with ASD.

METHOD

Participants were 470 children with ASD 2-14 years old recruited from one of three sites. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted with Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL; Varni et al., 2001) HRQoL domains of physical functioning, emotional functioning, school functioning, and social functioning as the dependent variables. Covariates were entered at step 1, followed by the independent variables of interest at step 2: irritability, social withdrawal, stereotypic behavior, hyperactivity/noncompliance, and inappropriate speech.

RESULTS

The study found that increased irritability was associated with poorer emotional and physical functioning and that greater social withdrawal was associated with worse social functioning. Furthermore, findings showed that more hyperactivity/noncompliance was associated with worse school functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

Results demonstrated that certain emotional and behavioral symptoms are differentially associated with domains of HRQoL. This indicates that comorbid emotional and behavioral problems should be considered when measuring HRQoL in children with ASD. It also suggests that treating comorbid emotional/behavioral problems could improve HRQoL and functioning in certain domains for this population.

Psychosocial Dimensions in Hemodialysis Patients on Kidney Transplant Waiting List: Preliminary Data

Although the donation rate for deceased and living kidneys has been increasing, the donor organ availability meets only the 30% of kidney needs in Italy. Consequently, hemodialysis patients stay for a long time, an average of 3.2 years, on a waiting list for a kidney transplant with consequent relevant psychological distress or even full-fledged psychiatric disorders, as diagnosed with traditional psychiatric nosological systems. Recent studies report, however, a higher prevalence of other psychosocial syndromes, as diagnosed by using the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) in medically ill and kidney transplant patients. Nevertheless, no data regarding DCPR prevalence are available in patients waitlisted for a renal transplant (WKTs). Thus, the primary aim of this study was to identify sub-threshold or undetected syndromes by using the DCPR and, secondly, to analyze its relationship with physical and psychological symptoms and daily-life problems in WKTs. A total of 30 consecutive WKTs were assessed using the DCPR Interview and the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview 6.0. The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and the Canadian Problem Checklist were used to assess physical and psychological distress symptoms and daily-life problems. A total of 60% of patients met the criteria for at least one DCPR diagnosis; of them, 20% received one DCPR diagnosis (DCPR = 1), and 40% more than one (DCPR > 1), especially the irritability cluster (46.7%), Abnormal Illness Behavior (AIB) cluster (23.3%) and somatization cluster (23.3%). Fifteen patients met the criteria for an ICD diagnosis. Among patients without an ICD-10 diagnosis, 77.8% had at least one DCPR syndrome (p < 0.05). Higher scores on ESAS symptoms (i.e., tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, feeling of a lack of well-being and distress), ESAS-Physical, ESAS-Psychological, and ESAS-Total were found among DCPR cases than DCPR non-cases. In conclusion, a high prevalence of DCPR diagnoses was found in WKTs, including those who resulted to be ICD-10 non-cases. The joint use of DCPR and other screening tools (e.g., ESAS) should be evaluated in future research as part of a correct psychosocial assessment of WKTs.

Hostility in cancer patients as an underexplored facet of distress

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, we aimed to assess hostility and to examine its association with formal psychiatric diagnosis, coping, cancer worries, and quality of life in cancer patients.

METHODS

The World Health Organization (WHO) Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) to make an ICD-10 (International Classification of Disease) psychiatric diagnosis was applied to 516 cancer outpatients. The patients also completed the Brief Symptom Inventory-53 to assess hostility (BSI-HOS), and the Mini-Mental Adjustment to cancer scale (Mini-MAC). A subset of patients completed the Cancer Worries Inventory (CWI), the Openness Scale, and the Quality of Life Index.

RESULTS

By analyzing the distribution of the responses 25% of the patients had moderate and 11% high levels of hostility, with about 20% being BSI-HOS "cases." Hostility was higher in patients with a formal ICD-10 psychiatric diagnosis (mainly major depression, other depressive disorders, anxiety disorders) than patients without ICD-10 diagnosis. However, about 25% of ICD-10-non cases also had moderate-to-high hostility levels. Hostility was associated with Mini-MAC hopelessness and anxious preoccupation, poorer quality of life, worries (mainly problems sin interpersonal relationships), and inability to openly discuss these problems within the family.

CONCLUSIONS

Hostility and its components should be considered as dimensions to be more carefully explored in screening for distress in cancer clinical settings for its implications in negatively impacting on quality of life, coping and relationships with the family, and possibly the health care system.

The burden of psychosocial morbidity related to cancer: patient and family issues

With cancer incidence increasing over time, attention to the burden of related psychiatric and psychosocial consequences of the disease and treatment is a major topic for both cancer patients and their caregivers. Among cancer patients, psychiatric (e.g. adjustment, anxiety, depressive disorders) and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g. cognitive disorders secondary to treatment, delirium) have been shown to affect an average of 30-35% patients, with differences according to stage and type of cancer. Also other psychosocial syndromes (e.g. demoralization, health anxiety, irritable mood) not taken into account in usual nosological systems should be considered for their impact on the patient's quality-of-life. Also, it has been repeatedly reported that psychological distress reverberates substantially throughout the nuclear family, and that a family approach is necessary in cancer care, with the caregiver-patient dyad as a unit to be the focus and direction of assessment and intervention. In this review the most significant psychosocial disorders causing burden for cancer patients and their caregivers are examined, and the main methods of assessment for more proper referral and treatment are summarized.

Subsyndromal psychosomatic concepts and personality traits in community adults

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of features of the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) in the Taiwanese community and to explore their relationships with psychological states and personality traits.

METHOD

The participants were 153 individuals without a DSM-5 psychiatric diagnosis who were grouped according to whether they had a DCPR diagnosis (at least one DCPR diagnosis, DCPR(+): n=66; no DCPR diagnosis, DCPR(-): n=87). The groups were compared with respect to psychological states (measured with Patient Health Questionnaire-15 [PHQ-15], Health Anxiety Questionnaire [HAQ], Beck Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II], Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI)]) and personality (measured with Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire). Multiple logistic and linear regressions were used to examine associations among demographic, personality, DCPR, and psychological states.

RESULTS

The DCPR(+) group had higher BDI-II, BAI, PHQ-15 and HAQ scores than the DCPR(-) group and also had a higher anticipatory worry. The most common DCPR diagnoses were health anxiety (42.42%) and alexithymia (37.88%). Anticipatory worry was the variable most closely associated with all the DCPR diagnoses. Health anxiety was related to anticipatory worry and age, whereas alexithymia was associated with dependence and fatiguability. PHQ-15, HAQ, and BDI-II scores were related to health anxiety but not alexithymia.

CONCLUSION

DCPR has clinical utility in the community samples without DSM-5 diagnoses. DCPR may be a valid mediator between psychological trait and state.

Mood and anxiety disorders as early manifestations of medical illness: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Affective disturbances involving alterations of mood, anxiety and irritability may be early symptoms of medical illnesses. The aim of this paper was to provide a systematic review of the literature with qualitative data synthesis.

METHODS

MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Cochrane, and ISI Web of Science were systematically searched from inception to February 2014. Search terms were 'prodrome/early symptom', combined using the Boolean 'AND' operator with 'anxiety/depression/mania/hypomania/irritability/irritable mood/hostility', combined with the Boolean 'AND' operator with 'medical illness/medical disorder'. PRISMA guidelines were followed.

RESULTS

A total of 21 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Depression was found to be the most common affective prodrome of medical disorders and was consistently reported in Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, pancreatic and lung cancer, myocardial infarction, Wilson's disease, and AIDS. Mania, anxiety and irritability were less frequent.

CONCLUSIONS

Physicians may not pursue medical workup of cases that appear to be psychiatric in nature. They should be alerted that disturbances in mood, anxiety and irritability may antedate the appearance of a medical disorder.

Psychosomatic inpatient rehabilitation: the German model

The term 'psychosomatic' has many connotations, be it in the sense of a general biopsychosocial concept in medicine as outlined in the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) of the World Health Organization, a holistic and person-centered view of the patient beyond the illness, the treatment of somatoform or somatic disorders, or special psychotherapeutic approaches. In Germany, there are also about 25,000 inpatient beds in 'psychosomatic rehabilitation hospitals', which treat approximately 5/1,000 inhabitants in the working age population per year. These institutions give an example of how to translate the theoretical concepts of psychosomatic medicine and of the ICF into clinical practice. 'Psychosomatic rehabilitation' aims at the prevention, treatment and compensation of chronic illness by a biopsychosocial approach. This includes a multilevel psychosomatic assessment and a multidimensional treatment focus including the reduction of symptoms, the training of capacities, the coping with chronic illness and impairment, the restoration of well-being and normal life, and the occupational reintegration including the search for a workplace, which allows work in spite of impairment. Scientific studies have shown that the psychological status, the motivation to work, the number of days on sickness leave and occupational reintegration can be improved, and that the system pays for the patients themselves, but also pension and health insurance companies.

Psychosocial screening and assessment in oncology and palliative care settings

Psychiatric and psychosocial disorders among cancer patients have been reported as a major consequence of the disease and treatment. The problems in applying a pure psychiatric approach have determined the need for structuring more defined methods, including screening for distress and emotional symptoms and a more specific psychosocial assessment, to warrant proper care to cancer patients with psychosocial problems. This review examines some of the most significant issues related to these two steps, screening and assessment of psychosocial morbidity in cancer and palliative care. With regard to this, the many different variables, such as the factors affecting individual vulnerability (e.g., life events, chronic stress and allostatic load, well-being, and health attitudes) and the psychosocial correlates of medical disease (e.g., psychiatric disturbances, psychological symptoms, illness behavior, and quality of life) which are possibly implicated not only in “classical” psychiatric disorders but more broadly in psychosocial suffering. Multidimensional tools [e.g., and specific psychosocially oriented interview (e.g., the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research)] represent a way to screen for and assess emotional distress, anxiety and depression, maladaptive coping, dysfunctional attachment, as well as other significant psychosocial dimensions secondary to cancer, such as demoralization and health anxiety. Cross-cultural issues, such as language, ethnicity, race, and religion, are also discussed as possible factors influencing the patients and families perception of illness, coping mechanisms, psychological response to a cancer diagnosis.

The Brief Irritability Test (BITe): a measure of irritability for use among men and women

Elevated levels of irritability have been reported across a range of psychiatric and medical conditions. However, research on the causes, consequences, and treatments of irritability has been hindered by limitations in existing measurement tools. This study aimed to develop a brief, reliable, and valid self-report measure of irritability that is suitable for use among both men and women and that displays minimal overlap with related constructs. First, 63 candidate items were generated, including items from two recent irritability scales. Second, 1,116 participants (877 university students and 229 chronic pain outpatients) completed a survey containing the irritability item pool and standardized measures of related constructs. Item response theory was used to develop a five-item scale (the Brief Irritability Test) with a strong internal structure. All five items displayed minimal conceptual overlap with related constructs (e.g., depression, anger), and test scores displayed negligible gender bias. The Brief Irritability Test shows promise in helping to advance the burgeoning field of irritability research.

Diagnostic criteria for psychosomatic research and somatic symptom disorders

The Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) were introduced in 1995 by an international group of investigators to expand the traditional domains of the disease model. The DCPR are a set of 12 'psychosomatic syndromes' which provide operational tools for psychosocial variables with prognostic and therapeutic implications in clinical settings. Eight syndromes concern the main manifestations of abnormal illness behaviour: somatization, hypochondriacal fears and beliefs, and illness denial. The other four syndromes (alexithymia, type A behaviour, demoralization and irritable mood) refer to the domain of psychological factors affecting medical conditions. This review describes the conceptual bases of the DCPR and the main findings concerning their application, with particular reference to the incremental information they added to the customary psychiatric classification. The DCPR were also compared with the provisional DSM-5 somatic symptom disorders. The DCPR were found to be more sensitive than DSM-IV in identifying subthreshold psychological distress and characterizing patients' psychological response to medical illness. DSM-5 somatic symptom disorders seem to neglect important clinical phenomena, such as illness denial, resulting in a narrow view of patients' functioning. The additional information provided by the DCPR may enhance the decision-making process.

Psychopathological symptom dimensions in patients with gastrointestinal disorders

The current study aims to investigate the factorial validity of a widely used psychopathological rating scale, the Symptom Check List-90-R (SCL-90-R), in a group of patients suffering from gastrointestinal disorders, and to determine the specific psychopathological profiles that characterize the individual patient subgroups. Patients suffering from either irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, non-erosive reflux disease or erosive reflux disease completed the SCL-90-R at a tertiary care gastroenterology department. Seven factors were identified, with one major distress factor and six minor factors. Comparison of the gastrointestinal disorder subgroups indicated that irritable bowel syndrome patients exhibited significantly more psychological distress compared to the other groups, and that gastrointestinal patients as a group, compared to healthy controls, were characterized by high levels of irritable depression and somatization. In planning further studies we encourage the use of factors identified in our study. The treatment of substantial irritable depression can be an important factor in improving quality of life in patients suffering from gastrointestinal disorders.

Criteria for psychosomatic research (DCPR) in the medical setting

The Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) represent a diagnostic and conceptual framework that aims to translate psychosocial variables derived from psychosomatic research into operational tools whereby individual patients can be identified. A set of 12 syndromes was developed: disease phobia, thanatophobia, health anxiety, illness denial, persistent somatization, functional somatic symptoms secondary to a psychiatric disorder, conversion symptoms, anniversary reaction, irritable mood, type A behavior, demoralization, and alexithymia. The aim of this article is to survey the research evidence that has accumulated on the DCPR in several clinical settings (cardiology, oncology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, primary care, consultation psychiatry, nutrition, and community), to examine prevalence and specific diagnostic clusters of the more prevalent DCPR syndromes, and to review their clinical utility in terms of clinical decision, prediction of psychosocial functioning, and treatment outcomes. The implications for classification purposes (DSM-V) are also discussed.

The Irritability Questionnaire: a new scale for the measurement of irritability

Irritability is an important symptom in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. It is a major source of distress to patients and their carers and can lead to social and family dysfunction. Despite this, there has been little systematic research on irritability in psychiatry. The development of an instrument that captures the various components of irritability is a prerequisite to more detailed research in this area. The aim of this study was to design a scale to measure irritable mood and to explore its nature and subtypes. Following a review of the literature and examination of current theories in affective neuroscience, a new self-rating questionnaire was developed covering a range of subjective experiences, judgements and behaviours deemed to encompass the components of irritability. The items were rated along intensity and frequency dimensions. The questionnaire was administered to patients with affective disorders (n=22), Huntington's disease (n=23), Alzheimer's disease (n=19) and a control group (n=46). The new questionnaire shows good reliability and validity. Preliminary differences in irritability were identified between the diagnostic groups.

Depressive und Angststörungen bei somatischen Krankheiten

Depressiv-ängstliche Störungen sind bei den unterschiedlichen somatischen Erkrankungen häufig. Sie sind nicht nur als Reaktion auf die Situation der Erkrankung zu verstehen, sondern in ein komplexes Bedingungsgefüge eingebettet. Sie sind besonders häufig bei Erkrankungen, die das Zentralnervensystem oder endokrine Regulationssysteme direkt betreffen. Es besteht ein enger Zusammenhang zur Chronizität, Schwere und Prognose der Erkrankung. Eigenständige Effekte von diversen pharmakologischen Substanzgruppen sind wahrscheinlich.

Psychosomatic characterization of adjustment disorders in the medical setting: some suggestions for DSM-V

BACKGROUND

Adjustment disorders have been found to be the most frequent psychiatric diagnosis in the medically ill. Problems have been raised, however, as to their clinical value. The aim of the study was to characterize the psychosomatic features of adjustment disorders.

METHODS

One hundred patients with medical illness and a diagnosis of adjustment disorder according to DSM-IV criteria were interviewed according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) system, consisting of 12 clusters.

RESULTS

A considerable overlap was shown between adjustment disorders and DCPR clusters related to abnormal illness behavior (health anxiety, tanatophobia, nosophobia and illness denial) (54%), somatization (functional somatic symptoms secondary to a psychiatric disorder, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms and anniversary reaction) (37%) and demoralization (33%). Only 13 of the patients with adjustment disorders did not present any DCPR syndromes.

LIMITATIONS

The study is cross-sectional and does not allow to determine the prognostic features of DCPR categorization.

CONCLUSION

The clinical information which derives from the concomitant application of the DCPR might improve and make more specific the treatment of patients with adjustment disorders.

Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Condition: A New Proposal for DSM-V

The DSM category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" had virtually no impact on clinical practice. However, several clinically relevant psychosomatic syndromes have been described in the literature: disease phobia, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms, illness denial, demoralization, and irritable mood. These syndromes, in addition to the DSM definition of hypochondriasis, can yield clinical specification in the category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" and eliminate the need for the highly criticized DSM classification of somatoform disorders. This new classification is supported by a growing body of research evidence and is in line with psychosomatic medicine as a recognized subspecialty.

Prevalence of psychiatric disorders, depression, and suicidal behavior in child and adolescent with thalassemia major

PURPOSE

To study the rate of psychiatric disorder and suicidal behavior in children with thalassemia major.

METHOD

One hundred ten subjects with thalassemia major were interviewed according to the K-SADS Farsi version by face-to-face interview.

RESULT

The most common psychiatric disorders were major depressive disorder and separation anxiety disorder. The rate of oppositional defiant disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and bipolar mood disorder were 3.6%, 1.8%, and 0.9%, respectively. About 49% suffered from depressed mood and 62.7% suffered from irritability and anger. More than 43% of them had recurrent thought of death and 27.3% considered suicide in the last year.

CONCLUSIONS

The rate of psychiatric disorders was very low than that in the prior studies and the most common was major depressive disorder. However, the rate of psychiatric symptoms was very common. The rate of suicidal behavior was not more than that in the general population.