Correlates of respiratory admissions frequency in patients with obstructive lung diseases: coping styles, personality and anxiety. / Profil osobowosci, poziom leku i style radzenia sobie ze stresem a liczba hospitalizacji i konsultacji specjalistycznych u osób z chorobami obturacyjnymi pluc.

OBJECTIVES: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with a huge financial burden on the budget and healthcare in the world. Personality traits, ways of coping with stress and anxiety levels affect the functioning of sick people. Objective of the study was to evaluate correlation between those features and the frequency of hospital and outpatient clinic admissions among people with chronic pulmonary diseases. METHODS: Participants (n=100) with asthma and COPD were subjected to: a sociodemographic urvey, NEO-FFI Personality Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Brief COPE Inventory. RESULTS: There was a relationship between the hospital admission frequency and neuroticism (positive correlation). The frequency of visits to the outpatient clinic was positively correlated with the level of conscientiousness, use of emotional support and negatively with cessation of action. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results may indicate the need to offer patients with respiratory diseases psychotherapeutic activities aimed at building a more constructive functioning, reducing anxiety, increasing the sense of control.

Oxidative stress in erythrocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation. It has been suggested that the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in patients with RA is higher than in healthy subjects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of the lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, SOD, GSH-Px), level of the -SH groups and GSH and Na(+)K(+) ATPase activity in erythrocytes from patients with RA. There are no significant differences in CAT and GSH-Px activities. SOD activity is lower in RA patients than in the control group. Increase in the lipid peroxidation is observed in RA patients. Levels of the GHS and -SH groups are significantly lower in RA patients than in the control groups. Total ATPase and Na(+)K(+) ATPase activities decrease in RA patients.