Validation of the Italian HeartQoL: a short health-related quality of life questionnaire for patients with ischemic heart disease.

The psychometric properties of the core disease-specific 14-item Italian HeartQoL health-related quality of life questionnaire have been evaluated in this study. The Italian version of the HeartQoL, the MacNew questionnaire, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were completed by 472 patients (angina, N = 183; myocardial infarction, N = 167; or ischemic heart failure, N = 122) who were recruited in five Italian centers (Florence, Veruno, Turin, Udine, and Naples) between 2015 and 2017. Patients with myocardial infarction reported significantly higher HeartQoL scores than patients with angina or ischemic heart failure.

Psychophysical health of elderly inpatients in cardiac rehabilitation: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Elderlies in cardiac rehabilitation show a particular frailty due to specific aging issues, thus specific professional psychophysical care is required.

Aim: This study aimed at evaluating the effect of a cardiac rehabilitation program enhanced with psychological support on the psychophysical health of elderly subjects aged ≥75. Moreover, the association of psychophysical conditions with the long-term post-discharge course of medical events was examined.

Does a Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Program Improve Patients' and Caregivers' Emotional State in LVAD Patients?

Few studies evaluated the effect of cardiac rehabilitation programs on perceived emotional and health status of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients, and none explored their effect on caregivers' strain. We enrolled 119 adult LVAD patients, together with their caregivers (n = 91), in two Rehabilitation Institutes that provided inpatient multidisciplinary activities. At admittance and prior to discharge they completed questionnaires evaluating patient emotional state and subjective perception of health status, caregiver strain, and patient and caregiver perception of the VAD.

Best practice in psychological activities in cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation: Position Paper.

Recent guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention suggest multimodal behavioral interventions for psychosocial risk factors and referral for psychotherapy in the case of clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety overall. Accordingly, psychologists of the Italian Association for Cardiovascular Prevention, Rehabilitation and Epidemiology (GICR-IACPR) have reviewed the key components of psychological activities in cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation (CPR). The aim of this study was to elaborate a position paper on the best practice in routine psychological activities in CPR based on efficacy, effectiveness and sustainability.

Preliminary report on left-ventricular assist devices: are patients' and caregivers' psychosocial needs adequately addressed?

Objectives: Patients implanted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) constitute a new population of chronic heart failure (HF) patients requiring continuous medical support and representing heavy costs - both direct and indirect - for the healthcare system. If there is consensus about the increased survival, the psychosocial outcomes, in terms of psychological wellbeing, behavioral and social functioning of both patients and caregivers, are still unclear. Overall, it is not clear if local health and social services are equipped to support them in their needs.

Development and validation of the Maugeri Sleep Quality and Distress Inventory (MaSQuDI-17).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire designed to measure the impact of sleep impairment on emotional distress in patients with various sleep disorders.

Methods: Five experts created an item data-bank pertaining to sleep-related psychological symptoms and somatic perceptions. Fifty patients in two focus groups examined each item for: a) word clarity (indicating any ambiguity of interpretation) and b) appropriateness for the target population.

Illness denial questionnaire for patients and caregivers.

Purpose: Interest in assessing denial is still present, despite the criticisms concerning its definition and measurement. We tried to develop a questionnaire (Illness Denial Questionnaire, IDQ) assessing patients' and caregivers' denial in relation to their illness/disturbance.

Patients And Methods: After a preliminary study, a final version of 24 dichotomous items (true/false) was selected.

When LVAD Patients Die: The Caregiver's Mourning.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have progressively evolved, particularly in the last 10 years, to serve patients affected by severe heart failure as a bridge to transplant or destination therapy. The survival rate and quality of life of pre- and postimplant patients, as well as caregivers' perceptions and distress, are under investigation by the scientific community. But what caregivers think and feel after the loss of their loved one has not so far been examined.

Italian registry of patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency: general data and quality of life evaluation.

Alpha1-antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD) is a rare hereditary disorder with an estimated prevalence of about 1/5000 individuals in Italy. Deficient patients are at a higher risk of developing lung emphysema and chronic liver disease. The low estimated prevalence of AATD prompted the establishment of a registry with the aim of learning more about the natural history and the quality of care of these patients.

[Left ventricular assist device: which emotional impact on the patient?].

Background: Advanced heart failure is a challenging disease; the implantable Left Ventricular Assist Device (L-VAD) is becoming a good chance for relieving symptoms and prolong survival in most CHF patients. The emotional impact of L-VAD implantation is thought to be high but, at present, published data are scant about that. Aim of this study was to evaluate the modifications of perceived quality of life (QoL) in a group of patients recently treated with L-VAD implantation, admitted to a residential cardiac rehabilitation program, and to compare the results to those obtained in patients awaiting heart transplantation and recently transplanted.

[EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D): an instrument for measuring quality of life].

The aim of this paper was to provide a detailed description of the EuroQol- 5 Dimension (EQ-5D) useful for those member of staff in rehabilitation setting who wish to use it properly. EQ-5D is an instrument which evaluates the generic quality of life developed in Europe and widely used. The EQ-5D descriptive system is a preference-based HRQL measure with one question for each of the five dimensions that include mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression.

[Analysis of the vital exhaustion construct in a female population during cardiac rehabilitation].

Background: Vital Exhaustion (VE) is a psychological construct that has been shown to be predictive for cardiac morbidity and mortality. There are not sufficient data which clarify whether the female population express this construct differentely comparing to males. This study aims to analyze the construct of Vital Exhaustion in a population of women admitted to a cardiac rehabilitation program.

[Patient's emotional reactions in cardiac rehabilitation: analysis and perspectives].

Subject: Evaluation and treatment of psychological diseases are often included in cardiology rehabilitation programs. The aim of this study was to analyze the emotional reactions in a very consistent sample of cardiac patients, hospitalized for a rehabilitation program.

Materials And Methods: The sample consisted of 5417 patients, 4563 males and 854 females, with a mean age of 57.

A revised short version of the depression questionnaire.

Background: The Depression Questionnaire (QD) is an instrument designed to measure depression in an inpatient-rehabilitation setting. This study proposes a reduced version of the original 24-item QD, to make it better suited to the characteristics of patients in this setting.

Methods: The study population consisted of 801 individuals admitted to cardiac rehabilitation (564 males and 237 females) who had validly completed the original version of the QD.

Global secondary prevention strategies to limit event recurrence after myocardial infarction: results of the GOSPEL study, a multicenter, randomized controlled trial from the Italian Cardiac Rehabilitation Network.

Background: Secondary prevention is not adequately implemented after myocardial infarction (MI). We assessed the effect on quality of care and prognosis of a long-term, relatively intensive rehabilitation strategy after MI.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized controlled trial in patients following standard post-MI cardiac rehabilitation, comparing a long-term, reinforced, multifactorial educational and behavioral intervention with usual care.

[Organization of psychological activities in Italian cardiac rehabilitation and prevention. Survey on the implementation of guidelines for psychological activities in cardiac rehabilitation and prevention].

Unlabelled: The present study was developed as part of a comprehensive evaluation of the state of the art of knowledge and implementation of the Italian Guidelines for psychological activities in Cardiac Rehabilitation, published in 2003 by the Working Group of Psychology of the Italian Society of Cardiac Rehabilitation (GICR).

Methods: A questionnaire was designed to collect detailed information on facilities, organization, staffing level, professional background and activities carried out by psychologists working in Italian Cardiac Rehabilitation Units (CRU). Out of 144 Italian CRU (inventory 2004), 107 reported structured psychological programmes.

[EuroQol-5D FOR quality of life assessment in cardiac rehabilitation].

EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) is a well-known generic instrument measuring quality of life in different diseases; it includes 5 dimensions (mobility, self-care, daily activities, pain-discomfort, anxiety and depression) and a Visual Analogue Scale that evaluates patients' perceived health status. The aim of this study was to verify the utility of the EQ-5D in the Italian Cardiac Rehabilitation setting. The study population consisted of 248 consecutive cardiac rehabilitation inpatients (176 males and 72 females, aged 65.

Application of the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale in cardiovascular rehabilitation.

Psychosocial support, education and self-management are important complements of rehabilitation programs. A central concept in self-management is self-efficacy, which refers to oneself confidence in reaching a desired goal. The General Perceived Self-Efficacy scale (GSE), developed to measure self-efficacy at the broadest level, could be useful in the rehabilitation setting, in order to assess patients' self-management difficulties as well as to design specific interventions for specific diseases.

[Anxiety and Depression Short Scale: norms for its use in rehabilitation].

In the rehabilitation setting it is important to identify clinically significant conditions of distress so as to be able to provide, in addition to the conventional multidisciplinary rehabilitation treatment, specific psychotherapeutic interventions targeted to the individual's problems. This paper presents the findings from a psychometric test for the measurement of anxiety and depression (AD-R Scale) administered at the start and end of a rehabilitation program in patients with cardiopulmonary disease. The study population consisted of 765 patients affected by cardiac and pulmonary disease undergoing an in-hospital course of intensive rehabilitation.

[ISYDE-Psi first step of the implementation of guidelines for psychology activities in cardiac rehabilitation and prevention. Italian SurveY on CarDiac REhabilitation-Psychology].

The Italian SurveY on CarDiac REhabilitation-Psychology (ISYDE-Psi) was developed, in line with the indications of the Italian National Guidelines Program, as part of a project to implement and apply the guidelines for psychology interventions in cardiac rehabilitation and prevention published in 2003. The Task Force on Psychological Interventions in Cardiac Rehabilitation conducted this pilot survey of the existing situation of Psychology in order to prepare the ground for implementation of the guidelines through interactive training. As part of the evaluation of training requirements a questionnaire was elaborated to gather information on the models of organization of and activities carried out by psychologists working in the surveyed cardiac rehabilitation facilities.

[Psychological intervention and heart failure: from theory to clinical practice].

The management of chronic heart failure patients is complicated by the presence of multiple comorbid conditions, polypharmacy, psychosocial concerns and difficulties with adherence to complex medication, dietary regimen, smoking cessation and correct physical activity. Taken together, these factors contribute to the persistently high hospitalization and mortality rates as well as to the poor quality of life of these patients. In fact the progressive worsening of symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness, anxiety and depression may have a negative impact on the patient's quality of life.

[Life style and adherence to the recommended treatments after cardiac transplantation].

Background: All the previous studies showed an increase in survival after cardiac transplantation. Nevertheless, a certain number of patients persist, in the short- and long-term period, in leading an incorrect lifestyle. Owing to this high-risk behavioral profile clinical, psychological and social problems could arise.

[The usefulness of the clinical interview in the psychological evaluation of the patient with heart failure].

Aim: To develop a model for assessing cognitive-behavioral dysfunction in patients with heart failure, through the analysis of data gathered from clinical interviews.

Sample: One hundred sixty-six consecutive inpatients with previous or current heart failure: 125 males and 41 females, mean age 59 +/- 9.3 yrs.