Improvements were found regarding the hearing and the tinnitus. Not all participants benefit from the CI to the same degree and in the same situations.The results indicate that cochlear implantation in subjects with unilateral severe to profound hearing loss and ipsilateral tinnitus may be beneficial on a case-to-case basis. Further work needs to be performed to define the appropriate indication criteria.

Background: Stigmatization is a central experience of patients with psoriasis with a broad psychic and social impact. Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify the dimensions of stigma experience by a Questionnaire on Experience with Skin Complaints (QES; ‘Fragebogen zum Erleben von Hautbeschwer-den’). Methods: 187 in-patients with psoriasis were examined with the QES, an adopted and extended (German) version of the Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire by Ginsburg and Link. A factor analysis of the questionnaire was conducted and the construct validity was evaluated. Results: Five factors were found: ‘self-esteem’, ‘retreat’, ‘rejection’, ‘composure’ and ‘concealment’. Self-esteem, retreat and rejection are mainly influenced by ‘problematic regions’ affected by psoriasis, rejection also by ‘visible parts’ and retreat also by ‘invisible regions’. The influences of age, age at onset and sex on the stigma experience are small but significant. Conclusions: The QES proved to be an economical and reliable psychometric instrument to differentiate the stigma experience of psoriasis patients.

No abstract

Background: It is widely accepted that risk factors for bulimia nervosa, mainly body dissatisfaction, are dependent on cultural factors. However, to date few studies have compared data from different cultures with an appropriate methodology. Therefore we aimed to gather reliable information on body dissatisfaction and other risk factors for bulimia from different nations and to reveal their functional interrelations. Methods: A series of 10 silhouettes, designed to be as far as possible free from cultural and other detailed aspects, was shown to 1,751 medical and nursing students in 12 nations. A functional model was applied to each sample and tested by structural equation methodology. Results: The most extreme body dissatisfaction was found in northern Mediterranean countries, followed by northern European countries. Countries currently undergoing a process of westernization show an intermediate amount of body dissatisfaction, and non-western countries demonstrate rather low values. Body dissatisfaction is the most important influence on dieting behaviour in most countries. Conclusions: Despite ongoing adoption of western values worldwide, we observe remarkable differences in body dissatisfaction between different cultures. That body dissatisfaction seems disturbingly partly detached from the actual BMI, i.e. possible overweight, as well as from feelings of low self-esteem in some western countries, raises new questions about the possible origin of the pressure to be thin.

No abstract

A higher stress-induced increase of CLA+ T and CLA+ NK cells in the circulation of patients with psoriasis might point to an increased ability of T and NK cells in the presence of psoriasis to home in on the skin during mental stress. Further studies are needed to verify these relationships in more detail and to investigate the time point at which these cells accumulate within lesional skin, and whether or not psychotherapy improves the quality of life of patients with psoriasis and influences stress-dependent parameters.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease. Its main features are eczematous skin lesions with a typical distribution and severe pruritus. Allergens, skin irritants, systemic or local infections, environmental pollutants and hormonal changes have a role in the pathophysiology of AD. A further important trigger factor for both intrinsic and extrinsic AD is emotional stress. Recently published observations point to direct psychoneuroimmunological and -endocrinological mechanisms: Psychological stress causes a transient increase of peripheral blood eosinophil count and an increase in both CD8+/CD11b+ and CLA+ T-cells. In addition, stress changes the cytokine and the hormone profile with increased levels of IFN-gamma and IL-5, and decreased levels of cortisol in AD patients in contrast to healthy controls. These findings underline the role of immunological changes and a possible suppressed hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis closing the loop for the final aggravation of AD.

Re cher che origi nale La tra duc tion des ques tion naires et des tests : tech niques et pro blèmes Cath er ine Mas sou bre, PhU 1 , François Lang, PU-PH, PhD 2 , Burkard Jae ger, PhD 3 , Mi chel Jul lien 4 , Jac ques Pel let, PU-PH, PhD 5 Mots clés : tra duc tion, rétro tra duc tion, pré test, comité d'ex perts, équiva lence transcul turelle, In ven taire de Per son nal ité de Freiburg (FPI-R) M al gré le peu d'at ten tion porté aux pro blèmes de tra duction même dans des études in ter na tion ales com paratives (1,2), des pro grès sub stan tiels ont été ac com plis depuis le dé but des années cin quante époque où n'ex is taient pas de guides stan dard isés et validés. Traduire (3,4) im plique le pas sage d'un uni vers source, ab ritant un lan gage, une cul ture et un es pace séman tique, à un uni vers ci ble homo logue et diffé rent. Le but de la tra duc tion des tests est d'ob tenir deux ver sions source et ci ble équiva lentes en re cou rant à une tra duc tion dite « symétri que » qui implique une ad ap ta tion du test à l'u ni vers ci ble. La tra duc tion, gé né rale ment préfé rable à la con cep tion d'un nou vel in stru ment (5) per met la con sti tu tion d'une docu menta tion in ter na tion ale sur des in stru ments com muns, et révèle