Objective: The aim of this study was to review recent medical findings related to burnout, its diagnosis, treatment, characteristic pathophysiological features, and preventive measures. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of the scientific literature in PubMed/Medline was performed. The most recent and important findings were reported. Results: Burnout was found to be a risk factor for myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease. It was also related to reduced fibrinolytic capacity, decreased capacity to cope with stress and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hypoactivity. Severe burnout symptoms are associated with a lower level or smaller increase of the cortisol awakening response (CAR), higher dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHEAS) levels, lower cortisol/DHEAS ratios and stronger suppression as measured by the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). More and more literature works suggest that the evaluation of the HPA axis should be brought to the attention of primary care physicians. There is no universal agreement on specific treatment and diagnostic measures to evaluate the wide range of HPA axis disorders. The cost-effective evaluation of adrenal hormones via saliva samples by a primary care physician may significantly alter the course of therapy in numerous chronic disease patients. Psychiatric disorders may have similar symptoms, but they have distinctive hormonal profiles. Having burnout recognized as a medical condition would help in differentiating burnout from similar clinical syndromes, such as depression or anxiety, and provide appropriate treatment to burnout patients. Proper treatment is essential for a fast and full recovery. Conclusion: Chronic stress-related disorders often fall outside the category of a "true" disease and are often treated as depression or not treated at all. The evaluation of adrenal hormones via saliva samples helps to predict burnout. Burnout screening techniques, dietary and nutritional guidelines and lifestyle changes for supporting the HPA function need to be developed. The presented material includes hormonal, dietary, and pharmaceutical perspectives.

Several-year long deportation in childhood and PTSD elevated overall cardiovascular risk in the group of former deportees compared with the group of persons without history of such a traumatic experience.

Rating scales are used to elicit data about qualitative entities (e.g., research collaboration). This study presents an innovative method for reducing the number of rating scale items without the predictability loss. The “area under the receiver operator curve method” (AUC ROC) is used. The presented method has reduced the number of rating scale items (variables) to 28.57% (from 21 to 6) making over 70% of collected data unnecessary. Results have been verified by two methods of analysis: Graded Response Model (GRM) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). GRM revealed that the new method differentiates observations of high and middle scores. CFA proved that the reliability of the rating scale has not deteriorated by the scale item reduction. Both statistical analysis evidenced usefulness of the AUC ROC reduction method.

Dental needs of patients with eating disorders are enormous and these patients often require immediate dental treatment. Interdisciplinary diagnosis and treatment provides complete picture of the patient's problems and the possibility of full recovery.

Cel pracyZ uwagi na współwystępowanie objawów zaburzeń lękowych i zaburzeń obsesyjno-kompulsyjnych (OCD) oraz hipotezy mówiące o wspólnych czynnikach etiopatogenetycznych, poddano badaniu występowanie i nasilenie objawów lękowych, nasilenie grup objawów nerwicowych oraz przeprowadzono analizy czynnikowe w dwóch grupach pacjentów: z rozpoznaniem zaburzeń obsesyjno-kompulsyjnych (OCD) i zaburzeń lękowych uogólnionych (GAD).MetodaBadanie przeprowadzono retrospektywnie w dwóch grupach pacjentów: 76 - z rozpoznaniem OCD i 186 - z rozpoznaniem GAD. Źródłem informacji o występowaniu i nasileniu objawów był Kwestionariusz Objawowy „O” (KO). W badaniu uwzględniono wpływ płci oraz istnienia lub nie dysfunkcji poznawczych (testy Bender i Benton), na badane zależności.WynikiNie stwierdzono istotnych różnic w nasileniu większości objawów lękowych w grupie pacjentów z rozpoznaniem OCD i GAD. Pacjenci z GAD cechowali się istotnie wyższym średnim nasileniem zaburzeń fobicznych, konwersyjnych, zaburzeń autonomicznych z zakresu serca i układu sercowo-naczyniowego oraz hipochondrycznych, w porównaniu do pacjentów z OCD. Analizy czynnikowe wykazały istnienie zarówno w grupie OCD jak i w GAD istnienie trzech podobnych czynników: „niepokój/depresyjność”, „obsesje” i „kompulsje”. Ponadto w OCD wyodrębniono między innymi czynnik „depresyjności”, natomiast w GAD czynnik odpowiadający lękowi separacyjnemu.WnioskiBadanie wskazuje na istotne znaczenie lęku w obrazie OCD, który może osiągać nasilenie podobne jak w GAD. Występowanie i nasilenie objawów lękowych oraz somatyzacyjnych, może być powiązane z występowaniem dysfunkcji poznawczych, co wymaga dalszych badań.

At the beginning of psychotherapy the majority of patients demonstrated high intensity of both trait and state anxiety. In the course of therapy a considerable reduction of intensity of trait and state anxiety is observed. Significant deterioration in trait anxiety is observed in one out of every thirteen treated patients. Polish adaptation of STAI questionnaire is a useful tool for monitoring effectiveness of psychotherapy and may be successfully applied for screening and detailed diagnosis of neurotic and personality disorders.

Short-term intensive comprehensive group psychotherapy with elements of individual psychotherapy leads to desirable changes in personality functioning.

In clinical practice suicidal ideation (SI) is one of the most commonly encountered symptoms in patients with mental disorders. Such encounter calls for diligent evaluation of suicidal risk. Although the risk factors are widely known, accurate estimation of suicidal risk remains one of the most difficult and most important tasks that clinicians face - especially considering recently collected data showing increase in suicide prevalence in Poland. More thorough estimation of suicidal risk in patients with SI requires taking under consideration not only suicidal risk factors but also factors that are more specific for progression of SI to suicidal behaviors (SB). The review presented in this paper consists of a range of suicidological theories that allow to select a number of groups of factors and mechanisms that are most specific for progression of SI to SB. These groups include: (1) transgression of fear of causing harm and pain to oneself, as well as disintegration of other protective barriers such as (2) decline of social integration with others, feeling of being alienated or abandoned, decline of sense of belongingness, lack of social support, (3) resignation from family and social obligations, (4) dismissing cultural or religious norms, (5) rejection of life goals, values and aspirations that were appreciated earlier, (6) narrowing down in perceived alternatives for suicide, i.e., "tunnel vision", feelings of helplessness and powerlessness, (7) devising in details and accepting simple suicidal plan, especially when such plan is being consolidated through rehearsals and as if "automatized", (8) impulsiveness, (9) accumulation of aggression that may be vented out as suicide, and finally (10) accessibility of means to commit suicide.