Depression, Quality of Life, and Self-Esteem of Moroccan Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis before the Occurrence of Fractures.

OBJECTIVES: Previous researches have investigated depression in postmenopausal women (PMW) with osteoporosis and fractures, but little is known regarding Moroccan PMW without fractures. We investigated depression prevalence and severity in Moroccan PMW with osteoporosis without fractures and its relationship with quality of life (QoL) and physical and psychological state. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 100 PMW with osteoporosis without fractures. Depressive symptoms, QoL, self-esteem, and fatigue were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Arabic version of ECOS-16 questionnaire, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and Arabic version of the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue scale, respectively. A questionnaire including sociodemographic factors, bone density features, pain intensity, and sleep disturbance was completed. RESULTS: Overall, 58% patients suffered from depression and 55% from pain (63.8% depressed women vs. 42.9% nondepressed patients; P = 0.03). Bone mineral density, lumbar spine T-score, ECOS-16, and self-esteem in depressed and nondepressed women were 0.791 (0.738-0.840) vs. 0.835 (0.790-0.866); -3.25 (-3.8 to -2.875) vs. -2.9 (-3.425 to -2.700), P = 0.02; 2.338 ± 0.605 vs. 1.638 ± 0.455; and 13.517 ± 5.487 vs. 18.404 ± 5.771, P < 0.0001, respectively. Depression severity correlated with pain, QoL, self-esteem, and fatigue (r = 0.367, r = -0.390, r = -0.390, and r = 0.369, respectively; P < 0.0001) as well as lumbar spine bone mineral density and T-score (r = -0.258 and r = -0.255, respectively; P = 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed impaired QoL (ß = 0.526; P < 0.0001), fatigue (ß = 0.177; P = 0.02), and lower self-esteem (ß = -2.170; P = 0.005) as the strongest risk factors of depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that even without fractures, Moroccan PMW with osteoporosis suffered from depression, pain, impaired QoL, and lower self-esteem.

Profile of sexuality in Moroccan chronic low back pain patients.

BACKGROUND: Sexual life had an important role in preserving the good quality of life for patients and for their partner. Chronic low back pain (CLBP) as other musculoskeletal diseases may affect all aspects of life including sexual functioning. The purpose of this study is to describe the impact of CLBP on the sexual life of patients and to identify the factors that affect their sexual quality of life (SQOL). METHODS: One hundred CLBP sexually active patients were included. Patients and disease Characteristics were collected. Impact on sexual life (sexual intercourse and SQOL) was also assessed. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to analyze significant determinants associated with the SQOL disturbance. RESULTS: Eighty one percent of our patients complained about sexual difficulties related to CLBP. Libido decrease and painful intercourse position were reported respectively in 14.8 and 97.5% of cases. The most pain generating position was supine. Mean of sexual intercourse frequency decrease was at -10.4 ± 4.8 per month. SQOL score mean was at 44.6 ± 17.4%. Men suffered more than women from sexual problems (respectively 90% vs. 72%; p = 0.02). Men had worse SQOL than women (respectively 38.9 ± 17.2 vs. 50.3 ± 15.7%; p = 0.001). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that advanced age (p = 0.009), poor functional status (p = 0.03), male gender (p = 0.03) and sexual intercourse frequency decrease (p = 0.005) were the independent variables associated with the SQOL disturbance. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that sexuality is profoundly disturbed in CLBP patients; both their sexual intercourse and SQOL were affected. This disturbance seems to be associated with patient and disease characteristics. Sexuality should be taken into account in managing CLBP patients.

Psychometric evaluation of the Arabic version of the multidimensional assessment of fatigue scale (MAF) for use in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Fatigue is a frequent symptom during ankylosing spondylitis (AS) often under estimated which needs to be measured properly with respect to its intensity by appropriate measures, such as the multidimensional assessment of fatigue (MAF). The aims of this study were to translate into the classic Arabic version of the MAF questionnaire and to validate its use for assessing fatigue in Moroccan patients with AS. The MAF contains 16 items with a global fatigue index (IGF). The MAF was translated and back-translated to arabic, pretested and reviewed by a committee following the Guillemin criteria (J Clin Epidemiol 46:1417-1432, 1993). It was then validate on 110 Moroccan patients with AS. Reliability for the 3-day test-retest was assessed using internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). External construct validity was assessed by correlation with pain, activity of disease and other keys variable. The reproducibility of the 15 items was satisfactory with a kappa statistics of agreement superior to 0.6. The ICC for IGF score reproducibility was good and reached 0.98 (IC 95%, 0.96-0.99). The internal consistency was at 0.991 with Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The construct validity showed a positive correlation between MAF and the axial (r = 0.34) and peripheral (r = 0.32) visual analogical scale, the Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) (r = 0.77), the first item of BASDAI (r = 0.85), the functional disability by the Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (r = 0.64), the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.43) and the C reactive protein (r = 0.30) (for all P < 0.001). There was no statistical correlation between MAF and the other variables. The Arabic version of the MAF has good comprehensibility, internal consistency, reliability and validity for the evaluation of Arabic speaking patients with AS.

Osteoblastoma of scaphoid of the carpus: a case report.

Osteoblastoma is a rather uncommon tumor, especially when located in the wrist (and hand). Its diagnosis therefore appears to be problematic. We describe a case of osteoblastoma of the scaphoid bone and its management. To our knowledge, this is the fourth case of osteoblatoma of the carpus reported in the literature. Proximal row carpectomy was chosen because of the aggressive nature of the tumor. A tendon transfer was performed in the same session for wrist stabilization. Other authors have opted for a more conservative approach (tumor curettage with bone grafting).