ABSTRACT
Schizophrenia has a profound influence on the real-life functioning of patients. There are several factors inherent to the disease course affecting the level of psychosocial functioning. Our study focused on the impact of cognitive deficit and severity of negative symptoms (i.e., the experiential domain (avolition, asociality, and anhedonia) and the expressive domain (blunted affect and alogia)) to explore psychosocial functioning in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia patients (n = 211) were tested for the presence of cognitive impairment using the NIMH-MATRICS: Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia Consensus Cognitive Cattery (MCCB; MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery) and the extent of negative symptoms using the PANSS (PANSS; Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-selected items). The level of psychosocial functioning was measured with the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP). The path analysis using three regression models was used to analyse variables influencing psychosocial functioning (PSP). One of these models analyzed influence of cognitive functioning (MCCB) and negative schizophrenia symptoms (PANSS selected items reflecting expressive and experiential deficits) as predictors and NART/CRT and disease length as confounders. R2 was 0.54. The direct effect of the MCCB (ß = 0.09) on the PSP was suppressed by the strong effect of the negative symptoms (ß = -0.64). The presence of cognitive deficits and negative symptoms in our sample of schizophrenia patients significantly influences the level of their psychosocial functioning, a key factor in remission and recovery.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Allergic diseases have a rising trend worldwide. Allergic contact eczema is the most frequent occupational disease. The spectrum of allergens is influenced by a number of factors. The basic method for detection of contact allergy and detection of the allergen are epicutaneous tests. The objective of the work was to evaluate the results of these tests in patients with contact dermatitis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 437 patients were tested (163 men, 274 women). For testing an extended standard set of medicamentous and non-medicamentous allergens was used. In women more often positive reactions were obtained (39.5%) than men (27.5%). The mean age of women was 40 years, that of men 47 years. Both groups responded on average to 1.6 and 1.7 allergens resp. The most frequent allergen in women was nickel (17.9%) in men chromium (12.9%). Other frequent allergens in women included chromium (11.3%), Peru balsam (3.6%), HgCl2 and cobalt. In men it was nickel, cobalt (6.1%) and HgCl2. There were also concurrent allergies. (The results are not statistically significant). In youngest age group the number of women was more than sevenfold: the most frequent allergen in this group was nickel. In the group of patients above 60 years of age women also predominated (2.5x): most frequently allergy to chromium was found (9.1%). The allergic reaction to camomile and tar was significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequent allergen in standard epicutaneous tests in women is nickel, in men chromium. Other frequent allergens are cobalt, mercury and Perubalsam. Women have a higher ratio of positive reactions, in the group under 30 years women predominate 7x, in the whole group 2.4x.
