- Email: [email protected]
The impact of stress-related factors on multiple chemical sensitivities
166
Poster abstracts / Journal of Psychosomatic Research 55 (2003) 147–178
Conclusion: Recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation apparently showed high incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms, especially when their socioeconomic status were low, and preimplantation procedure were complicated. Also, the passive coping style would affect the aggravation of negative affects during the transplantation.
The impact of stress-related factors on multiple chemical sensitivities Tsujiuchi Y, Kumano H, Yoshiuchi K, Tsujiuchi T, Saitoh M, Nakao M, Kuboki T, Okano T The multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), a concept advocated by Cullen (1987), refers to a syndrome induced after a low dose but continuous exposure or high dose and one-time exposure to various chemicals. The concept of MCS is not yet generally accepted and there is much debate even on the name of the syndrome. The objective of this study is to clarify the relationship between stress-related factors and MCS from psychosomatic perspectives. We surveyed 18 patients with MCS (male; n = 7, female; n = 11,) and 35 controls (male; n = 7, female; n = 28). All subjects answered the Life Health Questionnaire (LHQ), the Cornell Medical Index-Health Questionnaire (CMI), the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire — Revised (EPQ-R), the Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale — Revised (TAS-20R), the Somatosensory Amplitude Scale (SSAS), and the Tri-Axial Coping Scale (TAC-24). They were also examined for the heart rate variability. In order to diagnose psychiatric comorbidity, they were interviewed by using the mini-international neuropsychiatric interview and the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV. As a result, psychological stressor may promote the occurrence of MCS, but there was no distinctive psychological or behavioral profile of patients except that they smoked or drank less. And MCS patients had many psychiatric comorbidities.
Psychological factors that make stress-induced dizziness intractable Mera T, Oka T, Miyata M, Mori H, Tamagawa Y, Kodama N, Tsuji S Objective: Dizziness is one of the common stress-related symptoms. Although there are many causes of dizziness, medical workshops fail to detect specific lesions and the symptom is diagnosed as psychogenic in the majority of patients. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the psychological factors that make stress-induced dizziness intractable. Methods: Twenty-six patients whose medically unexplained dizziness developed in stressful situation were treated with medication (anxiolytics and/or antidepressants), autogenic training, education on stress, and psychotherapy to heighten awareness of psychosomatic correlation. The following questionnaires were compared between the patients whose dizziness disappeared by the treatment (Group A, n = 13) and those who felt dizziness 2 – 4 months after treatment (Group B, n = 13): Zung’s Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Spielberger’s State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAl), Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-26 (TAS-26). Results: SDS, STAI, and POMS-F scores were higher in Group B than Group A. POMS-V score was lower in Group B than Group A. TAS-26 score was not different between the groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that depression and anxiety make stressinduced dizziness intractable. Severity of fatigue may predict the prognosis of dizziness in stressed-out patients.
Body image of Japanese eating disorder patients Mori H, Oka T, Mera T, Miyata M, Kodama N, Tamagawa Y, Tsuji S Objective: We evaluated body image of eating disorder patients and nonpatients by their pictures. Methods: Participants were 34 nonpatients and 24 eating disorder patients (14 AN and 10 BN). They were all women. BMI of nonpatients, AN, and
BN were 20.11 F 0.28, 13.34 F 0.87, and 20.25 F 1.45, respectively. Their pictures taken by digital camera were extended and diminished in the horizontal dimension (60 – 140%). They were asked to select the drawing that approximated their perceived body size and their ideal one. Results: Perceived body sizes of nonpatients, AN, and BN were 103 F 1%, 100 F 2%, and 111 F 3%, respectively. Ideal body sizes of nonpatients, AN, and BN were 91 F 2%, 103 F 3%, 80 F 3%, respectively. Although nonpatients’ ideal body size was thinner than their perceived one, the ideal size of AN was not thinner than the perceived one and the perceived size of BN was more obese than nonpatients’ one. Conclusion: Nonpatients perceived their body size exactly and had a drive for thinness. AN patients perceived their body size exactly and found satisfaction in their real body size. BN patients perceived their body size fatter than the real one.
Influence of psychosocial factors on mood states in adult patients shortly after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation Yoshiuchi K, Sasaki T, Nakahara R, Yamanaka G, Kanda Y, Chiba S, Chiba H, Kumano H, Kuboki T Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an alternative to conventional treatment for patients with hematological malignancy. Because HSCT is associated with life-threatening physical morbidity and social isolation, the potential for significant psychosocial morbidity is high. However, there has been few studies on the association between psychosocial factors and mood states shortly after HSCT. Therefore, our aim was to investigate this association. The subjects were 44 male (37.3 F 11.7 years) and 27 female (34.7 F 12.3 years) patients with hematological malignancy. Questionnaires about psychosocial factors such as self-esteem, social support, and coping skills, and Profile of Mood States (POMS) were administered before HSCT. POMS was administered shortly after HSCT again. We used Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analysis for univariate and multivariate analysis, respectively. Pre-HSCT self-esteem was significantly correlated with tension/anxiety, depression, anger/hostility, vigor, and confusion scores from post-HSCT POMS (r = .37, r = .34, r = .34, r =.26, and r = .38, respectively). Pre-HSCT social support and post-HSCT mood states were also highly correlated. Using multiple regression, the correlations between pre-HSCT self-esteem and post-HSCT mood states were confirmed. In conclusion, pre-HSCT psychosocial factors could be used to predict mood states shortly after HSCT.
The association between tension-type headache and psychosocial factors in Japanese patients Kikuchi H, Yoshiuchi K, Miyasaka N, Sasaki T, Kumano H, Kuboki T Tension-type headache (TTH) has been reported to be associated with psychosocial factors. However, there were few studies on the association between psychosocial factors and TTH in Japan. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate this association prospectively. The subjects consisted of 64 patients with TTH. They recorded headache intensity, psychological stress, and mood states four times a day for 1 week in natural settings. Questionnaires about stressful life events, daily hassles, coping skills, and social support were also administered. Sixty-four percent of the subjects reported stressful life events before the onset of TTH. Headache was significantly correlated with daily hassles (r = .30, P < .05) and social support (r = .28, P < .05). Cross-correlation analyses showed the highest correlation coefficients at the lag-zero point (r = .36 between headache and psychological stress, r = .54 between headache and mood states, and r =.48 between psychological stress and mood states). In addition, using structural equation modeling, it was found that less social support and more psychological stress worsened headache, which caused negative mood states (goodness of fit index = .91). In conclusion, the influence of psychosocial factors on TTH was confirmed in Japanese patients with TTH.
Poster abstracts / Journal of Psychosomatic Research 55 (2003) 147–178
Conclusion: Recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation apparently showed high incidence of depression and anxiety symptoms, especially when their socioeconomic status were low, and preimplantation procedure were complicated. Also, the passive coping style would affect the aggravation of negative affects during the transplantation.
The impact of stress-related factors on multiple chemical sensitivities Tsujiuchi Y, Kumano H, Yoshiuchi K, Tsujiuchi T, Saitoh M, Nakao M, Kuboki T, Okano T The multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), a concept advocated by Cullen (1987), refers to a syndrome induced after a low dose but continuous exposure or high dose and one-time exposure to various chemicals. The concept of MCS is not yet generally accepted and there is much debate even on the name of the syndrome. The objective of this study is to clarify the relationship between stress-related factors and MCS from psychosomatic perspectives. We surveyed 18 patients with MCS (male; n = 7, female; n = 11,) and 35 controls (male; n = 7, female; n = 28). All subjects answered the Life Health Questionnaire (LHQ), the Cornell Medical Index-Health Questionnaire (CMI), the Profile of Mood States (POMS), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire — Revised (EPQ-R), the Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale — Revised (TAS-20R), the Somatosensory Amplitude Scale (SSAS), and the Tri-Axial Coping Scale (TAC-24). They were also examined for the heart rate variability. In order to diagnose psychiatric comorbidity, they were interviewed by using the mini-international neuropsychiatric interview and the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV. As a result, psychological stressor may promote the occurrence of MCS, but there was no distinctive psychological or behavioral profile of patients except that they smoked or drank less. And MCS patients had many psychiatric comorbidities.
Psychological factors that make stress-induced dizziness intractable Mera T, Oka T, Miyata M, Mori H, Tamagawa Y, Kodama N, Tsuji S Objective: Dizziness is one of the common stress-related symptoms. Although there are many causes of dizziness, medical workshops fail to detect specific lesions and the symptom is diagnosed as psychogenic in the majority of patients. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the psychological factors that make stress-induced dizziness intractable. Methods: Twenty-six patients whose medically unexplained dizziness developed in stressful situation were treated with medication (anxiolytics and/or antidepressants), autogenic training, education on stress, and psychotherapy to heighten awareness of psychosomatic correlation. The following questionnaires were compared between the patients whose dizziness disappeared by the treatment (Group A, n = 13) and those who felt dizziness 2 – 4 months after treatment (Group B, n = 13): Zung’s Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Spielberger’s State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAl), Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-26 (TAS-26). Results: SDS, STAI, and POMS-F scores were higher in Group B than Group A. POMS-V score was lower in Group B than Group A. TAS-26 score was not different between the groups. Conclusion: These results suggest that depression and anxiety make stressinduced dizziness intractable. Severity of fatigue may predict the prognosis of dizziness in stressed-out patients.
Body image of Japanese eating disorder patients Mori H, Oka T, Mera T, Miyata M, Kodama N, Tamagawa Y, Tsuji S Objective: We evaluated body image of eating disorder patients and nonpatients by their pictures. Methods: Participants were 34 nonpatients and 24 eating disorder patients (14 AN and 10 BN). They were all women. BMI of nonpatients, AN, and
BN were 20.11 F 0.28, 13.34 F 0.87, and 20.25 F 1.45, respectively. Their pictures taken by digital camera were extended and diminished in the horizontal dimension (60 – 140%). They were asked to select the drawing that approximated their perceived body size and their ideal one. Results: Perceived body sizes of nonpatients, AN, and BN were 103 F 1%, 100 F 2%, and 111 F 3%, respectively. Ideal body sizes of nonpatients, AN, and BN were 91 F 2%, 103 F 3%, 80 F 3%, respectively. Although nonpatients’ ideal body size was thinner than their perceived one, the ideal size of AN was not thinner than the perceived one and the perceived size of BN was more obese than nonpatients’ one. Conclusion: Nonpatients perceived their body size exactly and had a drive for thinness. AN patients perceived their body size exactly and found satisfaction in their real body size. BN patients perceived their body size fatter than the real one.
Influence of psychosocial factors on mood states in adult patients shortly after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation Yoshiuchi K, Sasaki T, Nakahara R, Yamanaka G, Kanda Y, Chiba S, Chiba H, Kumano H, Kuboki T Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an alternative to conventional treatment for patients with hematological malignancy. Because HSCT is associated with life-threatening physical morbidity and social isolation, the potential for significant psychosocial morbidity is high. However, there has been few studies on the association between psychosocial factors and mood states shortly after HSCT. Therefore, our aim was to investigate this association. The subjects were 44 male (37.3 F 11.7 years) and 27 female (34.7 F 12.3 years) patients with hematological malignancy. Questionnaires about psychosocial factors such as self-esteem, social support, and coping skills, and Profile of Mood States (POMS) were administered before HSCT. POMS was administered shortly after HSCT again. We used Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analysis for univariate and multivariate analysis, respectively. Pre-HSCT self-esteem was significantly correlated with tension/anxiety, depression, anger/hostility, vigor, and confusion scores from post-HSCT POMS (r = .37, r = .34, r = .34, r =.26, and r = .38, respectively). Pre-HSCT social support and post-HSCT mood states were also highly correlated. Using multiple regression, the correlations between pre-HSCT self-esteem and post-HSCT mood states were confirmed. In conclusion, pre-HSCT psychosocial factors could be used to predict mood states shortly after HSCT.
The association between tension-type headache and psychosocial factors in Japanese patients Kikuchi H, Yoshiuchi K, Miyasaka N, Sasaki T, Kumano H, Kuboki T Tension-type headache (TTH) has been reported to be associated with psychosocial factors. However, there were few studies on the association between psychosocial factors and TTH in Japan. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate this association prospectively. The subjects consisted of 64 patients with TTH. They recorded headache intensity, psychological stress, and mood states four times a day for 1 week in natural settings. Questionnaires about stressful life events, daily hassles, coping skills, and social support were also administered. Sixty-four percent of the subjects reported stressful life events before the onset of TTH. Headache was significantly correlated with daily hassles (r = .30, P < .05) and social support (r = .28, P < .05). Cross-correlation analyses showed the highest correlation coefficients at the lag-zero point (r = .36 between headache and psychological stress, r = .54 between headache and mood states, and r =.48 between psychological stress and mood states). In addition, using structural equation modeling, it was found that less social support and more psychological stress worsened headache, which caused negative mood states (goodness of fit index = .91). In conclusion, the influence of psychosocial factors on TTH was confirmed in Japanese patients with TTH.