Comparing forensic and non-forensic women with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a European study.

Studies about violence by women with severe mental disorders are rare. The aim of this paper is to analyse the sample of women diagnosed with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD) from the EU-VIORMED study who had offended violently and were admitted to forensic facilities (cases), and compare them to women with SSD who never exhibited violent behaviour (controls). Cases and controls matched for age and diagnosis were compared for sociodemographic, clinical, neuropsychological, and treatment-related characteristics using a standardised assessment.

Impact of COVID-19 vaccination on preventive behavior: The importance of confounder adjustment in observational studies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical role of observational studies in evaluating the effectiveness of public health strategies. However, although many studies have explored the true impact of vaccination on preventive behavior, their results may be skewed by potential biases and confounding variables. This study examines the application of covariate adjustment and propensity score (PS) estimation, particularly through inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW), to assess their performance in reducing bias in a framework featuring ordinal outcomes and cumulative logistic regression models, as commonly used in observational studies related to social sciences and psychology.

Burnout, working alliance, and ward atmosphere: A multisite study of mental health professionals and patients with schizophrenia.

This study examined the association between burnout, psychological distress, ward atmosphere, and working alliance (WA) among mental health workers treating patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD). Data were collected from 345 patients with SSD and 151 mental health workers across 98 residential facilities (RFs) as part of the DiAPAson project from October 2020 to October 2021. Participants were excluded from the study if they exhibited patient-operator matching errors, dropped out, or had many missing Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) scores.

Body composition in early breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant aromatase inhibitors: Does dietary counseling matter?

Purpose: The impact of dietary counseling on body composition in early breast cancer patients (EBC) treated with aromatase inhibitors (AIs) is uncertain. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a diet counseling program on weight, BMI, total and regional body composition in patients treated with AIs.

Methods: This observational study involved 194 EBC patients, of which 97 attended a 6-month personalized counseling program, based on Mediterranean diet principles (cohort A) and 97 did not (cohort B).

Association of Weight Status and Waist Circumference with Physical Activity in people with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and healthy controls.

Background: Individuals with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD) often suffer from obesity and do limited Physical Activity (PA). PA has many beneficial effects on a variety of somatic and mental variables and it should be strengthened among people with mental disorders. The relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumference (WC), and PA in this population is poorly understood, with a lack of precise PA assessment.

Adverse skeletal related events in patients with bone-metastatic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma.

Metastatic pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are frequently associated with skeletal complications. Primary objective: to describe the frequency of adverse skeletal related events (SREs) in PPGL patients with bone metastases (BMs). Secondary objectives: to 1) identify predictive and prognostic factors for SREs and 2) obtain information on the effectiveness of bone resorption inhibitors in reducing SRE risk and improving outcomes in term of survival and SREs time onset.

The predictive validity and temporal characteristics of the HCR-20v3 for inpatient violence in forensic inpatient settings. An international study.

Aggression and violence are common day to day problems in psychiatric settings. However, the optimal means of assessing that risk remains unclear. In the context of that uncertainty many tools have evolved, among which the HCR-20 is one of the most globally accepted, though many questions remain about its performance, how and when it should be deployed and how it can be most effectively used.

Changes in body composition in early breast cancer patients treated with aromatase inhibitors.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the modification of total and regional body composition in early breast cancer patients treated with aromatase inhibitors (AIs).

Methods: This is a prospective, single-center, observational, longitudinal study. Four-hundred and twenty-eight patients treated with adjuvant aromatase inhibitors were enrolled at the Medical Oncology and Breast Unit of Spedali Civili Hospital in Brescia from September 2014 to June 2022.

Epidemiology of SLE in Italy: an observational study using a primary care database.

Objectives: To estimate the incidence and prevalence of SLE in Italy, and to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with newly diagnosed SLE.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using The Health Improvement Network general practice database in Italy, encompassing data from 634 753 people. SLE cases were identified over the period 2017-2022, employing three alternative definitions to provide a more detailed understanding of SLE characteristics.

Relationship between circulating FSH levels and body composition and bone health in patients with prostate cancer who undergo androgen deprivation therapy: The BLADE study.

Background: Among its extragonadal effects, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) has an impact on body composition and bone metabolism. Since androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has a profound impact on circulating FSH concentrations, this hormone could potentially be implicated in the changes of fat body mass (FBM), lean body mass (LBM), and bone fragility induced by ADT. The objective of this study is to correlate FSH serum levels with body composition parameters, bone mineral density (BMD), and bone turnover markers at baseline conditions and after 12 months of ADT.

Oncological treatment administration at end of life: a retrospective study.

This work evaluated the proportion of patients who continue therapy until their last month of life or initiate a new therapy in the last 3 months of life (end of life [EOL]). Data for 486 patients were retrospectively collected. In EOL, 205 (42.

Fat Body Mass and Vertebral Fracture Progression in Women With Breast Cancer.

Importance: Women with early breast cancer (EBC) exposed to aromatase inhibitors (AIs) may experience fragility fractures despite treatment with bone-active drugs. Risk factors for fractures in patients receiving AIs and denosumab have not been explored to date.

Objectives: To evaluate whether an association exists between dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured fat body mass (FBM) and vertebral fracture (VF) progression in postmenopausal women with EBC undergoing adjuvant therapy with AIs in combination with denosumab and to examine whether VF was associated with common risk factors for bone fracture and parameters of body composition other than FBM.

Working alliance in treating staff and patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder living in Residential Facilities.

Objectives: Working Alliance (WA) is important in the care of patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD). This study aims to determine which sociodemographic and clinical factors are associated with WA, as assessed by patients and staff members in Residential Facilities (RFs), and may predict WA dyads' discrepancies.

Methods: Three hundred and three SSD patients and 165 healthcare workers were recruited from 98 RFs and characterized for sociodemographic features.

Positivity, daily time use, mood, and functioning in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: Results from the diapason multicentric study.

Background: Positivity (POS) indicates the proclivity to see life and experiences in a positive light. There is limited research on its effects on individuals with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD). Very little is known about the relationship between POS and daily activities in people with SSD.

Plasma EBV DNA as a prognostic factor in EBV associated gastric cancer: a multicenter, prospective study (EBV PRESAGE study).

Purpose: The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network identified Epstein-Barr-Virus (EBV)-positive gastric cancer as a distinct molecular subtype. The prevalence is 8-9% and the histological examination shows pronounced lymphocytic infiltration, elevated levels of IFN-γ and consequently overexpression of PD-L1. The role of plasma EBV DNA load as a prognostic factor in patients with this cancer subtype is still to be defined.

Feasibility and Activity of Megestrol Acetate in Addition to Etoposide, Doxorubicin, Cisplatin, and Mitotane as First-Line Therapy in Patients with Metastatic/Unresectable Adrenocortical Carcinoma with Low Performance Status.

(1) Background: The standard first-line therapy for advanced adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is represented by EDP-M (etoposide, doxorubicin, cisplatin + mitotane). Progestins have shown cytotoxic activity both in vitro and in vivo on ACC; better EDP-M tolerability and efficacy have been hypnotized due to the association with progestins. (2) Methods: The feasibility and tolerability of EDP-M combined with oral megestrol acetate (EDP-MM) were tested in 24 patients (pts) affected by metastatic ACC with a low performance status (PS); the case group was compared with a 48 pts control group according to the propensity score.

Interplay between negative symptoms, time spent doing nothing, and negative emotions in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: results from a 37-site study.

This study evaluated the relationship between negative symptoms, daily time use (productive/non-productive activities, PA/NPA), and negative emotions in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSDs): 618 individuals with SSDs (311 residential care patients [RCPs], 307 outpatients) were surveyed about socio-demographic, clinical (BPRS, BNSS) and daily time use (paper-and-pencil Time Use Survey completed twice/week) characteristics. Among them 57 RCPs and 46 outpatients, matched to 112 healthy controls, also underwent ecological monitoring of emotions (8 times/day for a week) through Experience Sampling Method (ESM). RCPs spent significantly less time in PA than outpatients.

Ecological monitoring of emotional intensity, variability, and instability in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: Results of a multicentre study.

Background: Evaluating emotional experiences in the life of people with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD) is fundamental for developing interventions aimed at promoting well-being in specific times and contexts. However, little is known about emotional variability in this population. In DiAPAson project, we evaluated between- and within-person differences in emotional intensity, variability, and instability between people with SSD and healthy controls, and the association with psychiatric severity and levels of functioning.

Time will tell: Associations between unbalanced time perspectives and symptom severity in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SSD) experience disrupted temporality on the immediate timescale. However, insufficient information is available for longer time frames, and the interaction of temporal perspectives with the clinical manifestations of SSD is unknown. We explored the association between unbalanced time perspectives and symptom severity.

Ecological monitoring of physical activity, emotions and daily life activities in schizophrenia: the DiAPAson study.

Background: Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) compromise psychosocial functioning, including daily time use, emotional expression and physical activity (PA).

Objective: We performed a cohort study aimed at investigating: (1) the differences in PA, daily activities and emotions between patients with SSD and healthy controls (HC); (2) the strength of the association between these variables and clinical features among patients with SSD.

Methods: Ninety-nine patients with SSD (53 residential patients, 46 outpatients) and 111 matched HC were assessed for several clinical variables, and levels of functioning by means of standardised clinical measures.

Daily time use among individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and unaffected controls: Results from the DiAPAson multicentric project.

Objective: In the framework of daily time use, physical activity, and interpersonal relationships in patients with schizophrenia project, we aimed to investigate (a) within and between-group differences in daily time use of individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) and unaffected controls, stratifying them by age, sex, and employment status; (b) the associations between daily time use, the severity of psychiatric symptoms, and psychosocial functioning amongst those with SSD.

Method: From October 2020 to October 2021, 306 outpatients and 312 individuals living in residential facilities (RFs) with SSD were recruited from 37 centers across Italy and compared on a measure of daily time use with 113 people unaffected by mental health problems. Statistical analyses included chi-squared tests, analysis of variance tests, t tests, Pearson's correlations, and nonparametric corresponding tests.

Difference between forensic patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in Italy and other European countries: Results of the EU-VIORMED project.

Background: There has been a substantial change in the law on the provision of secure health services for offender-patients in Italy, a country currently with the lowest general psychiatry bed availability per head of the population in Europe, raising questions about possible differences in offender-patient admissions between European countries.

Aims: In this multicentre case-control study, our aim was to compare the socio-demographic, clinical and criminological characteristics of a sample of Italian forensic in-patients with schizophrenia or similar psychosis with patients in a similar diagnostic range in specialist in-patient services elsewhere in Europe.

Methods: Secure hospital unit in-patients with psychosis were recruited across five European countries (Italy, Austria, Germany, Poland and England).