Predicting depression with temperament and character in lung cancer patients.

Depression is highly prevalent in cancer patients. Variations in intensity and frequency of depression in cancer patients may be attributed, in part, to differences in personality dimensions. Our aim was to asses if dimensions of temperament and character could predict depression in lung cancer patients. Ninety newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer patients were assessed in the oncology unit with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), pain subscale of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ) C30 and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Fifty out of 90 patients (55.6%) fulfilled the cut-off criteria for depression on the CES-D scale. Logistic regression performed to assess if depression was predicted by personality dimensions, revealed dimension of temperament Harm Avoidance and pain as significant predictors of depression. Depressive reactions are highly prevalent in lung cancer patients and related to patients' personality. These findings may be helpful in planning preventive, as well as psychoeducational and treatment programmes for newly diagnosed, and depression prone patients.

[Clinical and radiologic status of the hip joint in adolescents and children with late detection of anomalies of the hip joint]. / Klinicko i radiolosko stanje kukova u adolescenciji u djece s kasno otkrivenom anomalijom zgloba kuka.

The study analyzed 35 questionnaires (70 hips) with an overdue discovered anomaly of the hip joint. 32 cases (91.5%) were girls, 3 cases (8.5%) boys, while the relation of girls to boys was 10.6:1. The average age at the moment of discovery of the defect was 3.9 months and in the period of control 12-13 years. All the questionnaires were conservatively treated but it was not observed that the method of treatment had any influence on the final result. According to analysis of clinical and radiological parameters the authors accepted the thought that these hips should be followed up until the end of their growth, and when an indication for operative treatment has been set it should take care about the development of the acetabulum as well as the shape of the proximal edge of the femur and the orientation of the ilium bone.