This study investigated the factor structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; Derogatis, 1992) for adult and adolescent psychiatric inpatients. The BSI was administered to 217 adults and 188 adolescents at admission and discharge from a private psychiatric hospital. Principal components factor analyses revealed that most variance among dimension scores was accounted for by one unrotated factor. Factorial invariance was evident across adult and adolescent samples for admission and discharge scores. Our findings are consistent with previous research on the BSI and Symptom Checklist-90-R (Derogatis, 1977), suggesting that both instruments measure primarily a unidimensional construct of general psychological distress.

In this study the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI; Derogatis & Spencer, 1982) was administered to 89 males and 128 females at admission and discharge from a private psychiatric hospital. For mean scores, statistically significant decreases were observed on all BSI scales and global indices. Effect sizes ranged from high medium to large. Also, when clinical significance indices were calculated with regard to changes made by individual patients, we found that approximately 50% of all inpatients evidenced a decrease on the Global Severity Index (GSI), which meets the dual criteria of significant change and posttreatment functioning in the normal range. Compared with inpatient norms (Derogatis & Spencer, 1982), our sample generally scored higher at admission and lower at discharge.

5-fluorouracil pharmacokinetics, dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase-activity and DNA sequence analysis were compared between a patient with extreme 5-fluorouracil induced toxicity and six control patients with normal 5-fluorouracil related symptoms. Patients were treated for colorectal cancer and received chemotherapy consisting of leucovorin 20 mg m−2 plus 5-fluorouracil 425 mg m−2. Blood sampling was carried out on day 1 of the first cycle. The 5-fluorouracil area under the curve0→3h in the index patient was 24.1 mg h l−1 compared to 9.8±3.6 (range 5.4–15.3) mg h l−1 in control patients. The 5-fluorouracil clearance was 520 ml min−1 vs 1293±302 (range 980–1780) ml min−1 in controls. The activity of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase in mononuclear cells was lower in the index patient (5.5 nmol mg h−1) compared to the six controls (10.3±1.6, range 8.0–11.7 nmol mg h−1). Sequence analysis of the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene revealed that the index patient was heterozygous for a IVS14+1G>A point mutation. Our results indicate that the inactivation of one dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase allele can result in a strong reduction in 5-fluorouracil clearance, causing severe 5-fluorouracil induced toxicity.British Journal of Cancer (2002) 86, 1028–1033. DOI: 10.1038/sj/bjc/6600199 www.bjcancer.com© 2002 Cancer Research UK

This study compared MCMI and clinician Axis I1 diagnoses for DSM-111 diagnostic categories. Subjects were 15 1 consecutively admitted inpatients at a private psychiatric hospital. The MCMI was administered to all subjects shortly after admission and shortly before discharge. MCMI diagnostic impressions for both admission and discharge then were compared to clinician diagnoses. Results indicated that the MCMI diagnosed Axis I1 disorders much more frequently than did clinicians. Agreement rates between the MCMI and clinicians were uniformly low across all categories except dependent personality. In addition, there was a relatively low degree of correspondence between MCMI admission diagnoses and MCMI discharge diagnoses. Implications of these results are discussed.

Recently, the MCMI‐II (Millon, 1987) has been introduced as a successor to the MCMI‐I (Millon, 1983). This study evaluated the MCMI‐II as a treatment outcome measure for psychiatric inpatients. Ninety‐eight patients were tested at admission and discharge with the MCMI‐II. Changes in mean MCMI‐II scores on the basic and pathological personality scales, as well as the moderate and severe symptom scales, were generally congruent with findings from a previous outcome study with the MCMI‐I (Piersma, 1986a). However, several differences between the MCMI‐II and MCMI‐I were noted, which suggests that the MCMI‐II will need to be cross‐validated as an instrument distinct from the MCMI‐I.

The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) is a 175‐item inventory designed to assess both clinical symptomatology and underlying, more enduring personality traits and syndromes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the MCMI personality scales evidenced greater stability over time than did the MCMI symptom scales. The MCMI was administered to 151 consecutively admitted inpatients at an acute care, private psychiatric hospital. Patients were administered the MCMI shortly after admission and shortly before discharge. Results indicated that the personality scales evidenced greater stability than the symptomatology scales, although statistically significant changes between admission and discharge scores also occurred for the personality scales. Implications are discussed.

The effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on total dose and dose intensity of standard oral adjuvant CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil) chemotherapy were studied in premenopausal patients with node-positive breast cancer. Treatment consisted of standard CMF and locoregional radiotherapy (on indication). G-CSF was administered if the leukocyte count recovery was insufficient. Fifty-one patients required no G-CSF (‘no cytopenia’), and 50 patients received G-CSF (‘G-CSF’). Twenty-two patients, however, received no G-CSF support despite insufficient leukocyte recovery (‘control’). Following G-CSF, leukocyte recovery was adequate in 83% of the chemotherapy cycles. The proportion of the patients who had a dose intensity > 85% was 90% in the ‘no cytopenia’ group, 74% in the ‘G-CSF’ group, and 45% in the ‘control’ group (p < 0.05). Leukocyte recovery was adequate in 87% of the chemotherapy cycles in the patients who received radiotherapy as compared with 92% of those in the patients without radiotherapy (p < 0.05). In conclusion an adequate leukocyte recovery after G-CSF was found in 83% of all chemotherapy cycles. The dose intensity of the G-CSF group was higher as compared with controls. The impact of radiotherapy on hematological recovery was significant, but not dependent on G-CSF.

Two rating scales were compared for 200 adult psychiatric inpatients at admission to, and discharge from, the hospital. Patients rated their own psychological symptoms on the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and clinicians rated patientS' psychological, social, and occupational functioning on the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale. Analyses indicated no significant relationships between symptom distress reported by patients and global functioning rated by clinicians. These findings support previous research that has shown minimal congruence among criterion measures that differ in rating source.