The overall results of this trial indicate that surgical correction of symptomatic isolated carotid elongations with coiling or kinking is better for stroke prevention than medical treatment.

This prospective analysis has shown that disease progression in contralateral asymptomatic ICAs after CEA is relatively common in patients with a diseased ICA at the baseline and strongly supports duplex US surveillance, approximately every 6 months, in patients with more than mild disease. A baseline lesion is significantly predictive of progression to severe stenosis, and progression from moderate to severe stenosis is strongly associated with neurologic clinical events. No demographic or clinical factor proved useful in identifying patients likely to experience disease progression.

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BackgroundDifferences in health-related quality of life perception in patients with chronic disease may depend on pre-existing differences in personality profile. The purpose of the study was to investigate in a cohort of female patients with chronic diseases the relationship between the Quality of Life perception and the potential presence of depressive symptoms.Patients and methodsFemale patients with chronic diseases were enrolled in the study. Exclusion criteria were diagnosis of psychopathological condition, treatment with psychoactive substances.Methodological approach was based on administration of the following test. Short Form health survey SF-36, Symptom Check List SCL-90-R, Satisfaction Profile test (SAT-P) and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the relationship between depressive symptoms and Quality of life as assessed by psychometric test.Results57 patients, aged 52(±3,4), responded to inclusion criteria. 57% of patients had a diagnosis of functional dyspepsia or gastro-oesophageal reflux not complicated, and the remaining 43% musculoskeletal diseases. The statistical analysis showed an inverse correlation between the variable Bodily Pain of the SF-36 and the variable Depression scales of the SCL-90-R.In a second phase another sample of female patients was enrolled in the study. 64 patients, aged 49(±3,2), responded to inclusion criteria.Another significant negative correlation was found between the Somatic-Affective factor of the BDI-II and the scale Physical Functioning of the SAT-P.DiscussionsIn female patients with chronic disease depressive symptoms resulted influenced by pain and vice versa. The treatment of depressive symptoms could improve the quality of life of patients.

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