Best practice in psychological activities in cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation: Position Paper.

Recent guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention suggest multimodal behavioral interventions for psychosocial risk factors and referral for psychotherapy in the case of clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety overall. Accordingly, psychologists of the Italian Association for Cardiovascular Prevention, Rehabilitation and Epidemiology (GICR-IACPR) have reviewed the key components of psychological activities in cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation (CPR). The aim of this study was to elaborate a position paper on the best practice in routine psychological activities in CPR based on efficacy, effectiveness and sustainability. The steps followed were: i) a review of the latest international guidelines and position papers; ii) analysis of the evidence-based literature; iii) a qualitative analysis of the psychological services operating in some reference Italian cardiac rehabilitation facilities; iv) classification of the psychological activities in CPR as low or high intensity based on the NICE Guidelines on psychological interventions on anxiety and depression. We confirm the existence of an association between depression, anxiety, social factors, stress, personality and illness onset/outcome and coronary heart disease. Evidence for an association between depression, social factors and disease outcome emerges particularly for chronic heart failure. Some positive psychological variables (e.g., optimism) are associated to illness outcome. Evidence is reported on the impact of psychological activities on 'new' conditions which are now indicated for cardiac rehabilitation: pulmonary hypertension, grown-up congenital heart, end-stage heart failure, implantable cardioverter-defribrillator and mechanical ventricular assist devices, frail and oldest-old patients, and end-of-life care. We also report evidence related to caregivers. The Panel divided evidence-based psychological interventions into: i) low intensity (counseling, psycho-education, self-care, self-management, telemedicine, self-help); or ii) high intensity (individual, couples and/or family and group psychotherapy, such as stress management). The results show that psychotherapy is mainly consisting of cognitive-behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy, and short-term psycho-dynamic therapy. The current data further refine the working tools available for psychological activities in CPR, giving clear directions about the choice of interventions, which should be evidence-based and have at least a minimum standard. This document provides a comprehensive update on new knowledge and new paths for psychologists working in the CPR settings.

Development of a novel index to discriminate bulge from mass on small-bowel capsule endoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Submucosal malignant masses (SMMs) and innocent bulges look similar on small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE). In a previous observational study, 4 criteria associated with innocent bulges were recognized. OBJECTIVE: To devise and validate an index based on these criteria (smooth, protruding lesion index on capsule endoscopy [SPICE]) to discriminate SMMs from innocent bulges. DESIGN: Single-center, prospective study. SETTING: General hospital in Busto Arsizio, Italy. PATIENTS: This study involved 25 of 424 consecutive SBCEs performed on as many patients having SBCE findings of smooth, round, protruding lesions. INTERVENTION: Patients' evaluation up to the final diagnosis. At study entry, a short video clip of the lesion was obtained and deidentified for blind SPICE calculation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: SPICE accuracy, using the final diagnosis of each patient as the criterion standard. RESULTS: Six patients had SMMs (4 GI stromal tumors, 2 neuroendocrine tumors), and 19 had innocent bulges. SPICE scores ranged from 0 to 4; they discriminated SMMs from innocent bulges (P = .002). A SPICE value >2 had 83.3% sensitivity and 89.4% specificity, and the area under the curve was 0.90 (95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.98; P < .001) for the detection of SMMs. LIMITATIONS: Single-center study; small sample size; no invasive ascertainment in 36% of patients. CONCLUSION: SPICE is easy to calculate and useful for distinguishing SMMs from innocent bulges. An index >2 is predictive of SMM.

Small bowel capsule endoscopy performance in octogenarians: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Capsule endoscopy is a high-sensitive tool for the investigation of suspected small bowel disorders, but its effectiveness in elderly patients is unknown. We sought to determine capsule endoscopy feasibility and diagnostic yield in octogenarians. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Records of patients ≥ 80 years old (Group A) were retrieved from a database of 827 consecutive capsule endoscopy performed on as many patients. Capsule endoscopy failures, complications, diagnostic yield, and findings were recorded and compared with those of patients younger than 80 (Group B), randomly extracted from the same database in a > 2:1 ratio. RESULTS: Group A consisted of 79 patients, 84 ± 6 years old and Group B of 188, 44 ± 11 years old (p < .0001). We visualized the entire small bowel in 59 (74.6%) patients of Group A and in 169 (89%) of Group B (odds ratio = 0.33, 95% confidence interval: 0.16-0.66, p = .0025), mainly for capsule failures in reaching the duodenum; this event occurred in 10 patients of Group A and in 3 of Group B (odds ratio = 9, 95% confidence interval: 2.4-33.4, p = .0004). The rate of adverse events and diagnostic yield did not differ between the two groups. Inflammatory and neoplastic lesions were more common in Group A (odds ratio = 2.60, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-6.28, p = .03 and odds ratio = 2.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-3.97, p = .04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In octogenarians, small bowel capsule endoscopy may be troublesome for capsule failure in reaching the duodenum. However, the diagnostic yield of small bowel capsule endoscopy and the rate of clinically significant lesions are high.