Psychological support and patient-centered care for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Nurses' opinions and practice in Japan.

Aim: To investigate nurses' opinions and practices regarding psychological support and patient-centered care (PCC) for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Method: Registered nurses engaged in rheumatic care in Japan were asked to complete the questionnaire regarding nurses' perceived necessity, understanding, and implementation of psychological support, and six patient supports related to PCC, using a seven-point Likert scale. Correlation on practice between psychological support and PCC was evaluated.

Clinical features of soft bipolarity in major depressive inpatients.

Because of the difficulties of ascertaining episode of hypomania by past history of the patients, it is of clinical value to find variables which predict the development of bipolar II disorder in depressive patients. Taking advantage of relatively long hospitalization, the authors tried to elucidate fine clinical features of the soft bipolarity. The subjects were 39 patients with Major Depressive Episode, diagnosed according to the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual criteria.

[A 7-year follow-up study of cases with dementia to identify predictors of mortality].

Objectives: To identify factors associated with mortality in cases with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VD), we conducted a seven-year follow-up study.

Methods: Subjects were recruited through three agents in Yamanashi prefecture. A total of 145 patients (56 men, 89 women, age at baseline 77 +/- 7.