[Depression, anxiety and anger in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.] / Depressione, ansia e rabbia in soggetti affetti da diabete mellito di tipo 1.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of negative emotions such as depression, anxiety and anger on clinical expression of type 1 diabetes, also assessing possible gender differences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 75 subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus afferent to Diabetology Unit of the University Hospital in Messina underwent the following psychodiagnostic tests: Hamilton Rating Scale For Depression (HDRS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y (STAI-Y), State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2 (STAXI-2). Continuous data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, and the comparison between groups was performed using T Student test; the data not continuous were expressed as a percentage and the differences between groups were evaluated using Chi-square test. We considered the results for values of p<0.05. RESULTS: The mean age of 75 subjects (49.3% males) was 41.0±11.4 years, age of disease onset was 21.1 ± 11.8 years and mean duration of disease was 19.9±11.9 years; 30.7% of subjects were treated with CSII (Subcutaneus Insulin Infusion). Mild levels of depression (HDRS= 10.71±7.9) and anxiety (STAI-Y= 52.37±6.11) were found, whereas STAXI-2 subscales scores were within the normal range. Statistical analysis did not show significant gender differences. DISCUSSION: Our results, according to data from literature, confirm the association between negative emotions, particularly anxiety, and diabetes. No gender differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest the importance of investigating the association between diabetes and negative emotional states and the psychological and psychopathological dimensions which may have a potential role in the therapeutic management of diabetes.

Personality traits predict a medical student preference to pursue a career in surgery.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we examined the impact of personality traits, assessed with the psychopathic personality inventory revised version (PPI-R), on medical students' likelihood of selecting a surgical specialty. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study of 360 4th-year medical students at a single university. We used the PPI-R previously developed to evaluate "adaptive" traits within nonclinical (student) populations. Students were asked to express their specialty of choice. Medical specialties were categorized as surgical and nonsurgical. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors and appropriate adjustments were made for demographic factors. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 335 out of 360 students. The prevalence of students aspiring to a surgical career was 23.6%. They exhibited higher PPI-R total score, self-centered impulsivity (SCI) factor score, Machiavellian egocentricity, social influence, and fearlessness content scale scores. Logistic regression showed that SCI score was a significant predictor for the likelihood of expressing interest toward a surgical career. DISCUSSION: Our findings expand previous research on the usefulness of the nonclinical use of psychopathic personality traits to investigate career choice.

Effect of Ziprasidone Augmentation of Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Treatment-Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A 12-Week, Open-Label Uncontrolled Preliminary Study.

OBJECTIVES: The present 12-week, open-label uncontrolled trial was aimed to explore the efficacy of ziprasidone add-on pharmacotherapy on clinical symptoms and cognitive functioning in a sample of patients with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder receiving serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs). METHODS: After clinical (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale [Y-BOCS], Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) and neurocognitive (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Colour-Word Test, Trail Making Test) assessments, patients received 80 mg/d of ziprasidone. RESULT: A final sample of 17 patients completed the study. The results obtained indicate that ziprasidone added to stable SRIs treatment appeared to be moderately effective for reducing compulsive symptoms, as evidenced by changes on Y-BOCS compulsion scale score (P = 0.005) at the end of the trial. Only 4 subjects (23.5% of the completers) had a partial response (reduction between 25% and 34% in Y-BOCS total score), whereas none of the patients had a full response (reduction ≥ 35% in Y-BOCS total score). Regarding cognitive performances, no significant differences were found during the study. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide evidence that ziprasidone added to ongoing treatment appeared to be mildly effective to improve symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder who have failed to respond sufficiently to SRIs.