The relationship between attachment orientations and the course of depression in coronary artery disease patients: A secondary analysis of the SPIRR-CAD trial.

Objective: The relationship between attachment orientations and the recovery from depressive symptoms in patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD) with and without a psychotherapeutic intervention was examined in this study.

Methods: In a multicenter trial of 570 depressed CAD patients (SPIRR-CAD), assigned to usual care plus either a stepwise psychotherapy intervention or one information session, 522 patients provided attachment data at baseline. Attachment was measured with the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ), yielding four attachment orientations.

A Stepwise Psychotherapy Intervention for Reducing Risk in Coronary Artery Disease (SPIRR-CAD): Results of an Observer-Blinded, Multicenter, Randomized Trial in Depressed Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Depression predicts adverse prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), but previous treatment trials yielded mixed results. We tested the hypothesis that stepwise psychotherapy improves depressive symptoms more than simple information.

Methods: In a multicenter trial, we randomized 570 CAD patients scoring higher than 7 on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-depression subscale to usual care plus either one information session (UC-IS) or stepwise psychotherapy (UC-PT).

Position paper on the importance of psychosocial factors in cardiology: Update 2013.

Background: The rapid progress of psychosomatic research in cardiology and also the increasing impact of psychosocial issues in the clinical daily routine have prompted the Clinical Commission of the German Heart Society (DGK) to agree to an update of the first state of the art paper on this issue which was originally released in 2008.

Methods: The circle of experts was increased, general aspects were implemented and the state of the art was updated. Particular emphasis was dedicated to coronary heart diseases (CHD), heart rhythm diseases and heart failure because to date the evidence-based clinical knowledge is most advanced in these particular areas.

Manual for the psychotherapeutic treatment of acute and post-traumatic stress disorders following multiple shocks from implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).

Background: In view of the increasing number of implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), the number of people suffering from so-called "multiple ICD shocks" is also increasing. The delivery of more than five shocks (appropriate or inappropriate) in 12 months or three or more shocks (so called multiple shocks) in a short time period (24 hours) leads to an increasing number of patients suffering from severe psychological distress (anxiety disorder, panic disorder, adjustment disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder). Untreated persons show chronic disease processes and a low rate of spontaneous remission and have an increased morbidity and mortality.

A stepwise psychotherapy intervention for reducing risk in coronary artery disease (SPIRR-CAD) - rationale and design of a multicenter, randomized trial in depressed patients with CAD.

Objective: Depressive symptoms are highly relevant for the quality of life, health behavior, and prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, previous psychotherapy trials in depressed CAD patients produced small to moderate effects on depression, and null effects on cardiac events. In this multicentre psychotherapy trial, symptoms of depression are treated together with the Type D pattern (negative affectivity and social inhibition) in a stepwise approach.

Depersonalization, mindfulness, and childhood trauma.

Depersonalization (DP), i.e., feelings of being detached from one's own mental processes or body, can be considered as a form of mental escape from the full experience of reality.

[The distressed personality (type D)--correlations with anger, aggression and hostility].

Type D (distressed personality) comprises the joint tendency to experience negative emotions (negative affectivity) and to inhibit these emotions in social situations (social inhibition). The distressed personality can be assessed by the Type D scale (DS14). In the present study, the German version of the DS14 was to be validated especially with regard to its interrelation with anger, aggression and hostility.

Long-term consequences of live kidney donation follow-up in 93% of living kidney donors in a single transplant center.

Live kidney donation is increasing rapidly. Increases of blood pressure and proteinuria but no accelerated loss of renal function in kidney donors have been described. The credibility of this research is hampered by retrieval rates of only 50-70% of donors.

[Functional heart pain].

Functional heart symptoms, especially chest pain, are very widespread and, according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), are described as "somatoform autonomous functional disorders of the cardiovascular system". Although they are very often accompanied by considerable anxiety about having a heart attack, for example, they are initially not recognizable as such and have to be distinguished from somatic complaints. The most prevalent of these symptoms (Table 2) are chest pains, followed by feelings of weakness, a tendency to become easily fatigued and breathing difficulties.

Living kidney donors' long-term psychological status and health behavior after nephrectomy - a retrospective study.

Background: The aim of the study was a comprehensive psychological evaluation of living kidney donors. Existing studies indicate a high donor satisfaction with the decision to donate and good donor quality of life in short-term, as well as in long-term follow-up periods. In many studies, questionnaires with only a few items have been used to assess psychological health or well-being; however, most studies exclusively measured quality of life.

[Evaluation of the German Type D Scale (DS14) and prevalence of the Type D personality pattern in cardiological and psychosomatic patients and healthy subjects].

The Type D personality pattern, consisting of negative affectivity and social inhibition, has been shown by Denollet et al. to predict adverse prognosis in patients with coronary heart disease. For measuring the Type D characteristics, Denollet has devised the 14 item Type D scale (DS14).

Screening for psychosocial risk factors in patients with coronary heart disease-recommendations for clinical practice.

Psychosocial risk factors like low socio-economic status, chronic family or work stress, social isolation, negative emotions (e.g., chronic depression or acute anxiety), and negative personality patterns such as Type-D-pattern or hostility, may contribute significantly to the development and adverse outcome of coronary heart disease.