Body experience and mental representation of body image in patients with haematological malignancies and cancer as assessed with the Body Grid

The domain of body image plays a central role in the quality of life of patients with haematological malignancies and metastasized cancer, since the disease itself as well as the enrolled therapies interfere with psychological and bodily well-being. We approached this highly subjective field by using the repertory grid technique and hypothesized that patients would display a restricted body image, focusing on functional aspects of the body. In all, 55 in-patients (27 men, 28 women, M age = 45.7 yrs, N = 46 with haematological malignancies, N = 9 with metastasized cancer), at the time of initial diagnosis, were included in the study and assessed with the Body Grid, an instrument specifically designed by us for the exploration of body image. The data were analysed by principal component analysis (PCA) and construct categorization. Further, 42 chronic tinnitus sufferers (20 male, 22 female, M age = 46.5 yrs) served as a comparison group. Based on the constructs elicited, six construct categories were formulated in the sense of a first attempt of a hierarchical model (emotion, control, activity, strength, function, appearance). The central constructs (373 construct pairs) were assigned to these categories by three inter-raters. The categories appeared in the following order of frequency: function (27.1%), emotion (20.4%), strength (20.1%), activity (15%), control (10.2%) and appearance (7.2%). PCA indicated that the patients mainly demonstrated a restricted view of their body. In the tinnitus group, the most frequent category proved to be activity (21.3%), closely followed by function (21.1%) and control (20.9%). The body image was also restricted (PCA). The restriction of body image, together with the specific construct choice, seen in the haematology and cancer patients reflects the existential threat of the disease and may serve as a coping strategy. The high percentage of emotional constructs may mirror the patients' need for further support. The distinct distribution of construct categories in the two different patient samples supports the applicability of the proposed preliminary model.

[The impact of morbid obesity on the peri- and postoperative course after aortocoronary bypass surgery]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Excessive obesity is considered to be a risk factor in coronary bypass grafting. The aim of the current study was to examine if grossly overweight patients with a body mass index (BMI) > 35 suffer from higher morbidity and mortality when compared with patients with normal body weight (BMI = 20-25).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

206 extremely obese patients (group A) and 206 patients with normal body weight (group B) originating from a total of 5614 patients undergoing coronary bypass grafting in the time span between 1.4.1996-1.10.2000 were studied retrospectively and consecutively. The data were obtained from case histories, questionnaires and interviews. Statistical analysis was performed by the chi 2 test after Pearson, the t test and the Kaplan-Meier method depending on the statistical problem analysed using the SPSS software v. 8.0.

RESULTS

The comparison of group A with group B revealed a significantly higher incidence of diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001), hypertension (p < 0.001) and hyperlipidaemia (p < 0.01) in group A. The only significant differences regarding the surgical procedure were the longer operation time (212.3 +/- 44.6 min, mean +/- SD) and aortic cross-clamp time (53.8 +/- 17.4 min, mean +/- SD) in group A (p < 0.05). The duration of mechanical ventilation, the incidence of respiratory insufficiency and the stay in the intensive care unit were not significantly different. The disorders of wound healing both in the sternal and the graft removal regions occurred significantly more frequently in group A (p < 0.001). The 30 days mortality rate in group A (1.5%) was not significantly different from group B (p < 0.001). The 30 days mortality rate in group A (1.5%) was not significantly different from group B (2.9%). The follow-up analysis of the 30 days mortality rate in different age groups revealed no significant differences in patients aged between 60 and 75 years. The mean survival rate after 4 years was 87.2% in group A and 86.4% in group B.

CONCLUSION

In spite of higher morbidity our results did not reveal significantly higher mortality in extremely obese patients. After operation the patients considered their state improved, therefore elective coronary surgery in grossly overweight patients seems to be indicated also without previous weight reduction.

Personality and object relations in patients with affective disorders: idiographic research by means of the repertory grid technique

BACKGROUND

This paper presents an idiographic approach to evaluate the self concept and the self-object-relationship of patients suffering from affective disorders.

METHODS

Significant dimensions of the personality and the object relations of 127 depressive patients and 34 orthopaedic patients were investigated with the repertory grid-technique. The self concept and the object relations were compared by means of nomothetically used idiographic results after recovery from manifest depression.

RESULTS

'Low self esteem' was frequently found in patients with a long lasting course of illness and the ICD-10-diagnoses of 'bipolar affective disorder' and 'dysthymia'. The object relations of the depressive sample were characterised by the dimension 'symbiotic near'; 'ambivalent' and 'indifferent' partnership relationships were found much more frequently in the controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The idiographic results help to differentiate the spectrum of affective disorders. They underline the importance of the interpersonal dimension of depression and may be used as a basis of a therapeutic appraisal.

LIMITATIONS

The repertory grid-technique may not be used as a diagnostic instrument. However, the combination of idiographic results with further clinical informations enables the multidimensional assessment of the self concept and psychosocial coping mechanisms.

[Narcissism inventory-90 (NI-90). Empirically-based reduction and identification of items sensitive for change--a questionnaire particularly suited for measuring self-regulatory parameters]

By analysing Narcissism Inventories [1] gathered by the admission from 639 consecutive in-patients, as well as a related sample of inventories gathered from 397 consecutive patients (7/93-7/96) by admission and discharge, we examined the possibility of reducing the number of items of the Narcissism Inventory without losing significant information. This examination shows that reducing the inventory to a total of 5 items per scale is reasonable, without a relevant loss of metric quality in the item-reduced scales. In addition, items particularly sensitive to change could be identified and pointedly kept in the new, reduced scales. Through the deliberate selection of these items, it was possible to produce an empirically-guided short-version of the Narcissism Inventory, suited particularly for the examination of clinical process and regulatory parameters. With persistence of the original 18 scales proposed by the authors of the original test, a reduction to a total of 90 items results. The name "Narcissism Inventory-90 (NI-90)" is, therefore, suggested for this new version.

[Self concept and object relations of patients with affective disorders--individual centered diagnosis with the repertory-grid technique]

Significant dimensions of the self concept and the object relations of 127 depressive patients and 34 orthopaedic patients were investigated with the repertory-grid-technique. Self concept and object relations were compared by means of nomothethically used idiographic results after recovery from manifest depression. The object relations of the depressive sample were characterised by the dimension "symbiotic near"; "ambivalent" and "indifferent" partnership relationships were found much more frequently in the controls. The idiographic results contribute to a differentiation of the spectrum of affective disorders. They underline the importance of the interpersonal dimension of depression and may be used as a basis of a therapeutic orientation.

Severe anorexia nervosa associated with osteoporotic-linked femural neck fracture and pulmonary tuberculosis: a case report

We report a case study of a 38-year-old woman who had been suffering from anorexia nervosa (AN) since the age of 26. Before admittance to our clinic, she weighed 23.8 kg (at a height of 164 cm, 8.8 body mass index [BMI]) but still carried out strenuous physical activities. After good psychotherapeutic response and weight gain (34.4 kg), she accidentally fell and broke her femoral neck-favored as it was by osteoporosis. The X-ray taken before dynamic hip screw implantation coincidentally showed signs of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), which could then be proven by computed tomography (CT) scans and cultures from a bronchoscopy. Other than lack of appetite and loss of weight, which we attributed to AN, there were no other clinical or biochemical indicators which could have pointed to an earlier TB diagnosis. As a result, the need for screening procedures is discussed. The manifestation of TB during the first weight gain after 12 years of severe malnutrition, during which there were no serious infections, seems to endorse former observations that AN patients appear to be "resistant" to some extent against infectious diseases, a "protection" which may be lost with convalescence and weight gain.