This study extends previous work to consider whether individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be categorised into groups with similar illness representations. Data from 227 RA patients attending outpatient clinics were collected prospectively at two time points, 6 months apart. The optimal number of illness representation groups at the baseline assessment was identified using latent profile analysis. Two groups of individuals sharing similar illness perception profiles were identified. The smaller group (43%), characterised by a negative representation of their illness, attributed more symptoms to their condition and reported stronger perceptions of the consequences, chronicity and cyclicality of their condition, and lower control compared to the positive representation group (57%). Cross-sectionally, membership of the negative representation group was associated with higher levels of pain and functional disability and, longitudinally, with increases in levels of pain, functional disability and distress. These data highlight the central role of illness perceptions in RA and suggest that individuals with RA can be categorised into groups with similar illness representations.
What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is often associated with endothelial dysfunction. It is also recognized as a marker for underlying vascular disease. There are missed opportunities to address cardiovascular risk factors in these men.• Simvastatin administered for 6 months improves sexual health-related quality of life in men aged Ն40 years with untreated ED. It reduces the risk of future cardiovascular events via a reduction in serum cholesterol in men with ED. A non-significant trend towards improving erectile function suggests longer trials with a more potent statin may be required. There is high probability (>80%) of simvastatin being cost-effective in men with ED. Enquiry about erectile function provides the opportunity to address cardiovascular risk factors. Objective• To evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of simvastatin on erectile function and health-related quality of life in men aged Ն40 years with erectile dysfunction (ED). Patients and Methods• ED is common in men aged Ն40 years and impacts upon their overall health-related quality of life and that of their partners.• Men aged Ն40 years who were not receiving lipid lowering or anti-hypertensive medication and not at high cardiovascular risk were recruited from 10 general practices in the East of England. • In total, 173 eligible men with untreated ED were randomized to double-blind treatment with 40 mg of simvastatin or placebo once daily for 6 months. Data were collected at three points over 30 weeks.• The main outcome was erectile function (International Index of Erectile Function-5 score). Secondary outcomes included male ED-specific quality of life (MED-QoL), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) using the generic Euroqol measure (EQ-5D), endothelial function, cardiovascular risk, cholesterol and health service costs. Results• There was no significant difference in erectile function between the simvastatin and placebo groups (mean change, 1.28 vs 0.07, z = 1.1, p = 0.27), although a significant improvement in MED-QoL was observed (5% vs 2%, z = 2.09, p = 0.04).• Both 10-year cardiovascular risk and low-density lipoprotein were reduced (cardiovascular risk, z = -3.67, p < 0.001; low-density lipoprotein, z = -5.46, p < 0.001), with no consistent change in endothelial function.• The frequency of sexual encounters is correlated with improved erectile function.• The joint distribution of costs and QALY benefits indicates that the probability of simvastatin being cost-effective for willingness-to-pay thresholds of £20 000 and £30 000 is 86% and 83%, respectively. Conclusions• Identifying men with ED provides an opportunity to modify future cardiovascular risk and to improve MED-QoL by treating them with 40 mg of simvastatin.• The joint analysis of costs and QALY benefits suggests that there is high probability that simvastatin is a cost-effective strategy in men with ED. Sexual Medicine• The findings could influence urological and primary care practice by including questions on ED during ...
Psychological distress in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with adverse clinical outcomes, and appears highly related to patients' illness perceptions. This study aimed to investigate the association between illness perceptions, psychological distress, positive outlook and physical outcomes in RA. Two hundred and thirty patients aged >18 years and prescribed at least one disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) were recruited from outpatient clinics across Hertfordshire (England). Patients completed a questionnaire that assessed psychological distress and positive outlook (depression, anxiety and positive outlook scale), illness perceptions (IPQ-R) and functional disability (health assessment questionnaire). Information regarding prescribed medication and disease activity [disease activity score (DAS28)] was collected from medical notes. Psychological distress, but not positive outlook, was associated with functional disability and DAS28. After controlling for sex, age and DAS28, perceptions of greater symptomatology (identity) and lesser understanding of RA (coherence) were significantly associated with increased psychological distress. Perceptions of greater treatment control were associated with greater positive outlook, but only for those with low DAS28. Coherence was also associated with positive outlook. These findings indicate that illness perceptions may influence psychological distress and positive outlook in RA patients, and may therefore be a useful basis for future psychological interventions.
Insufficient cerebral O 2 supply leads to brain cell damage and loss of brain cell function. The relationship between the severity of hypoxemic brain cell damage and the loss of electrocortical brain activity (ECBA), as measure of brain cell function, is not yet fully elucidated in near-term newborns. We hypothesized that there is a strong relationship between cerebral purine and pyrimidine metabolism, as measures of brain cell damage, and brain cell function during hypoxemia. Nine near-term lambs (term, 147 d) were delivered at 131 (range, 120-141) d of gestation. After a stabilization period, prolonged hypoxemia (fraction of inspired oxygen, 0.10; duration, 2.5 h) was induced. Mean values of carotid artery blood flow, as a measure of cerebral blood flow, and ECBA were calculated over the last 3 min of hypoxemia. At the end of the hypoxemic period, cerebral arterial and venous blood gases were determined and CSF was obtained. CSF from 11 normoxemic siblings was used for baseline values. HPLC was used to determine purine and pyrimidine metabolites in CSF, as measures of brain cell damage. Concentrations of purine and pyrimidine metabolites were significantly higher in hypoxemic lambs than in their siblings, whereas ECBA was lower in hypoxemic lambs. Significant negative linear relationships were found between purine and pyrimidine metabolite concentrations and, respectively, cerebral O 2 supply, cerebral O 2 consumption, and ECBA. We conclude that brain cell function is related to concentrations of purine and pyrimidine metabolites in the CSF. Reduction of ECBA indeed reflects the measure of brain damage due to hypoxemia in near-term newborn lambs. Despite the increase in survival of preterm infants, long-term morbidity has not changed (1). Hypoxia-ischemia-related brain damage is an important contributor to perinatal mortality and long-term morbidity in survivors (2).The immature brain is very vulnerable to disturbances in cerebral oxygenation and hemodynamics. Cerebral O 2 supply depends on both CaO 2 and CBF. Cerebral hypoxia is defined as an insufficient O 2 supply to the brain, resulting from either hypoxemia (decreased CaO 2 ) or hypoperfusion (decreased CBF). During hypoxemia, the brain is considered to be protected adequately from injury by an increase in CBF to preserve cerebral O 2 supply and to stabilize brain metabolism, unless cerebral ischemia occurs from supervening systemic hypotension. With the neuronal oxygen and glucose debts arising from severe hypoxemia, oxidative metabolism shifts to anaerobic glycolysis, with its inefficient generation of highenergy phosphate reserves, necessary to maintain cellular ionic gradients and other metabolic processes. However, when hypoxemia progresses, cellular energy failure ultimately occurs, which, if not promptly reversed, results in decreased neuronal viability and death of the cell (3).During insufficient cerebral O 2 supply, an accumulation of purine metabolites, which are the degradation products from high-energy phosphate compounds (ATP, ADP, and AMP),...
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