[The significance of selected psychopathological and personality variables in the course of allergic and non-allergic asthma]. / Znaczenie wybranych zmiennych psychopatologicznych i osobowosciowych w przebiegu astmy oskrzelowej alergicznej i niealergicznej.

AIM: The aim of this study was to carry out a comparative analysis of selected psychopathological and personality variables in patients with allergic and non-allergic asthma, as well as an attempt to determine the significance and strength of these variables in the clinical picture of both forms of the disease. METHODS: In all patients structured anamnesis, basic spirometry, and dyspnea measure- ment were carried out. The level of anxiety was determined using Spielberger's questionnaire. The intensity of depression was evaluated with Beck's Inventory. Neuroticism and extroversion-introversion were assessed by Eysenck's Inventory. The I-E scale was used to determine the perception of the locus of control. RESULTS: The lack of significant differences in the area ofpsychopathological and personality variables was found between the two types of asthma. The gender differentiated patients with respect to psychopathology. The intensity of extroversion correlated with the duration of the disease. In the case of neuroticism, the clinical form of the disease was associated with blurring the differences between genders. The intensity of dyspnea and the spirometric results correlated with the psychological background of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: No significant differences in the area of psychopathology and personality dimensions between the groups of patients with allergic and non-allergic asthma were found although psychological variables are associated with the course of asthma in adults.

Psychopathology and personality factors modify the perception of dyspnea in asthmatics.

We studied the relationship between the intensity of dyspnea and psychopathological and personality dimensions in 74 women and 38 men (mean age 49.7 years) with asthma. The women had higher values for the following variables: depression, anxiety-trait, and neuroticism, and they proved to have a greater external control location than the men. After checking the spirometry results, body mass index (BMI) and gender, it was found that dyspnea correlated with anxiety-trait and anxiety-state, neuroticism, and depression. In the men, anxiety-trait modified the relationship between dyspnea and the duration of the disease. This effect was not found in the women. A high level of anxiety-trait seems to be responsible for the escalation of dyspnea during the progression of the disease in men, whereas low anxiety may protect them against the increase of dyspnea. FEV(1), BMI, and anxiety-trait were predictors of dyspnea.

[The effect of music therapy on anxiety level in hospitalized asthmatic patients]. / Wplyw muzykoterapii biernej na poziom leku u chorych hospitalizowanych z powodu astmy oskrzelowej.

The role of music therapy as a supportive treatment is not well defined. The music therapy cannot be estimated as the isolated method it is often only the part of the complex therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of music therapy on anxiety level in hospitalized asthmatic patients. The patient group was consisted of 36 patients with bronchial asthma (23 women and 13 men). In all patients we evaluated the level of anxiety (attribute and state) according to Spielberger and intensity of dyspnoe according to Borg scale at the first day of examination and after 10 days of rehabilitation program. Moreover we performed spirometry. The respiratory rehabilitation program included: exercise of breath control, correction of respiratory pattern, training of diaphragm and additional respiratory muscles. The duration of music therapy lasted 15 min. After 10 days rehabilitation with or without music therapy we found the reduction of anxiety (state) (p<0.0001). However we did not observe the difference between two studied groups with or without music therapy in diminishing of anxiety (p = 0.55). In conclusion, we believe that the music therapy can play important role in treatment of somatic disease but our study did not confirm its additive positive meaning in patients with bronchial asthma.