Does fear of cancer recurrence differ between cancer types? A study from the population-based PROFILES registry.

Objective: Knowledge of factors associated with fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) may inform intervention development and improve patient care. The aims were (1) to compare FCR severity between cancer types and (2) to identify associations between FCR, demographics, medical characteristics, information provision and health-related quality of life.

Methods: Cross-sectional data were obtained from the Patient Reported Outcomes Following Initial Treatment and Long-Term Evaluation of Survivorship registry.

Beyond treatment - Psychosocial and behavioural issues in cancer survivorship research and practice.

The population of cancer survivors has grown steadily over the past several decades. Surviving cancer, however, is not synonymous with a life free of problems related to the disease and its treatment. In this paper we provide a brief overview of selected physical and psychosocial health problems prevalent among cancer survivors, namely pain, fatigue, psychological distress and work participation.

Prospective multicentre cohort study of patient-reported outcomes after cholecystectomy for uncomplicated symptomatic cholecystolithiasis.

Background: Up to 33 per cent of patients with uncomplicated symptomatic cholecystolithiasis report persistent pain after cholecystectomy. The aim of this study was to determine characteristics associated with patient-reported absence of abdominal pain after cholecystectomy, improved abdominal symptoms, and patient-reported positive cholecystectomy results in a prospective cohort multicentre study.

Methods: Patients aged 18 years or more with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis who had a cholecystectomy between June 2012 and June 2014 in one of three hospitals were included.

Reliability and validity of the Cancer Therapy Satisfaction Questionnaire in lung cancer.

Purpose: To test the reliability and validity of the Cancer Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (CTSQ), to assess its relation with quality of life (QoL), and to assess the interpretability of the domain scores in lung cancer patients receiving intravenous chemotherapy.

Methods: Patients with stage IIIB and IV non-squamous non-small cell lung carcinoma treated with pemetrexed were enrolled in our study. They completed the 16-item CTSQ and two other (health-related) QoL questionnaires.

Stressful life events and incident metabolic syndrome: the Hoorn study.

Stressful life events are associated with the metabolic syndrome in cross-sectional studies, but prospective studies addressing this issue are rare and limited. We therefore evaluated whether the number of stressful life events is associated with incident metabolic syndrome. We assessed the association between the number of stressful life events experienced in the 5 years up until baseline and incident metabolic syndrome after 6.

Are metformin, statin and aspirin use still associated with overall mortality among colorectal cancer patients with diabetes if adjusted for one another?

Background: Metformin, statin and aspirin use seem associated with decreased mortality in cancer patients, though, without adjusting for one another. Independent associations of these drugs with overall mortality after colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis within glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) users were assessed.

Methods: Patients starting GLDs before CRC diagnosis (1998-2011) were selected from the Eindhoven Cancer Registry linked with the PHARMO Database Network.

Explaining psychological insulin resistance in adults with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: The roles of diabetes distress and current medication concerns. Results from Diabetes MILES--Australia.

Aims: To investigate the contribution of general and diabetes-specific emotional wellbeing and beliefs about medicines in the prediction of insulin therapy appraisals in adults with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes.

Methods: The sample included Diabetes MILES-Australia cross-sectional survey participants whose primary diabetes treatment was oral hypoglycaemic agents (N=313; 49% women; mean±SD age: 57±9 years; diabetes duration: 7±6 years). They completed validated measures of beliefs about the 'harm' and 'overuse' of medications in general (BMQ General); 'concerns' about and 'necessity' of current diabetes medications (BMQ Specific); negative insulin therapy appraisals (ITAS); depression (PHQ-9); anxiety (GAD-7), and diabetes distress (DDS-17).

Prevalence and Profile of Poststroke Subjective Cognitive Complaints.

Background: Subjective cognitive complaints (SCCs) are common after stroke, but detailed information about how SCCs differ between patients with stroke versus stroke-free individuals is not available. We evaluated the prevalence and profile of the 2 SCC components (content and worry) in patients 3 months after stroke versus controls using both a generic and a stroke-specific instrument.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, 142 patients were compared to 135 controls (matched at group level on age, sex, and estimate of premorbid intelligence quotient).

Response rates for patient-reported outcomes using web-based versus paper questionnaires: comparison of two invitational methods in older colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Improving questionnaire response rates is an everlasting issue for research. Today, the Internet can easily be used to collect data quickly. However, collecting data on the Internet can lead to biased samples because not everyone is able to access or use the Internet.

Aerobic interval training and continuous training equally improve aerobic exercise capacity in patients with coronary artery disease: the SAINTEX-CAD study.

Background: Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation increases peak oxygen uptake (peak VO₂), which is an important predictor of mortality in cardiac patients. However, it remains unclear which exercise characteristics are most effective for improving peak VO₂ in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Proof of concept papers comparing Aerobic Interval Training (AIT) and Moderate Continuous Training (MCT) were conducted in small sample sizes and findings were inconsistent and heterogeneous.

Patient-reported outcomes in primary care patients with COPD: psychometric properties and usefulness of the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ). A cross-sectional study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease with considerable consequences for patients' daily lives. The Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) was designed to measure these consequences in daily practice. Although the CCQ is widely used, its original structure has never been tested.

Azithromycin maintenance treatment in patients with frequent exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COLUMBUS): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Macrolide resistance is an increasing problem; there is therefore debate about when to implement maintenance treatment with macrolides in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aimed to investigate whether patients with COPD who had received treatment for three or more exacerbations in the previous year would have a decrease in exacerbation rate when maintenance treatment with azithromycin was added to standard care.

Methods: We did a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centre trial in The Netherlands between May 19, 2010, and June 18, 2013.

Dyadic coping and relationship functioning in couples coping with cancer: a systematic review.

Objectives: Cancer not only affects the patient but also the partner. In fact, couples may react as a unit rather than as individuals while coping with cancer (i.e.

Predictors of changes in health status between and within patients 12 months post left ventricular assist device implantation.

Background: Improving patient-reported outcomes (e.g. health status) has become an important goal in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy, in addition to reducing mortality and morbidity.

Colorectal cancer, diabetes and survival: epidemiological insights.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with pre-existing diabetes have significantly lower rates of overall survival compared with patients without diabetes. Against this backdrop, the American Diabetes Association and American Cancer Society in 2010 reviewed the scientific literature concerning diabetes and cancer. One of the key issues identified for further investigation was the need for a better understanding of whether diabetes influences cancer prognosis above and beyond the prognosis conferred by each disease state independently.

Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin and depression in patients with chronic heart failure.

Depression adversely affects prognosis in heart failure (HF) patients. Inflammation is indicated as potential biological pathway in this co-morbidity. Since increased levels of the cytokine Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) are predictive for HF prognosis, and recently indicated in patients with major depression, this study examined the association of serum NGAL levels with symptoms of depression in patients with HF.

Prevalence of psychological distress in elderly hypertension patients in primary care.

Background: Recent guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention advocate the importance of psychological risk factors, as they contribute to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, most previous research on psychological distress and cardiovascular factors has focused on selected populations with cardiovascular disease.

Aim: The primary aim was to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and Type D personality in elderly primary care patients with hypertension.

The COMPlaints After Stroke (COMPAS) study: protocol for a Dutch cohort study on poststroke subjective cognitive complaints.

Background: Although many studies have assessed poststroke objective cognitive impairment, only a few have evaluated patients' subjective cognitive complaints (SCC). Although these SCC are found to be common in the early and chronic phases after stroke, knowledge about their risk factors, course over time, differences with healthy controls and their diagnostic relevance is limited. The aim of the COMPlaints After Stroke (COMPAS) study is therefore to determine the possible risk factors, prognosis, time course and predictive value of SCC in the first 2 years after stroke.

Endothelial dysfunction is associated with a greater depressive symptom score in a general elderly population: the Hoorn Study.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction (ED), low-grade inflammation (LGI) and oxidative stress (OxS) may be involved in the pathobiology of depression. Previous studies on the association of these processes in depression have yielded contradictory results. We therefore investigated comprehensively, in a population-based cohort study, the association between ED, LGI and OxS on the one hand and depressive symptoms on the other.

Development of a smoking abstinence self-efficacy questionnaire.

Background: Self-efficacy beliefs are an important determinant of (changes in) health behaviors. In the area of smoking cessation, there is a need for a short, feasible, and validated questionnaire measuring self-efficacy beliefs regarding smoking cessation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the psychometric properties of a six-item questionnaire to assess smoking cessation self-efficacy.

Validation of the Turkish version of the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Depression is a common co-morbid health problem in patients with diabetes that is underrecognised. Current international guidelines recommend screening for depression in patients with diabetes. Yet, few depression screening instruments have been validated for use in this particular group of patients.

Limited effect of screening for depression with written feedback in outpatients with diabetes mellitus: a randomised controlled trial.

Aims/hypothesis: The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a screening procedure for depression (SCR) vs care as usual (CAU) in outpatients with diabetes. The primary outcome measured was depression score and the secondary outcomes were mental healthcare consumption, diabetes-distress and HbA(1c).

Materials And Methods: In a multicentre parallel randomised controlled trial, 223 outpatients with diabetes, who had an elevated depression score, were randomly assigned to SCR (n = 116) or CAU (n = 107), using computer generated numbers.

Depressive symptoms are associated with physical inactivity in patients with type 2 diabetes. The DIAZOB Primary Care Diabetes study.

Background: Depression is a common complication of type 2 diabetes, associated with poor disease outcomes such as impaired glycaemic control, cardiovascular disease and increased mortality. The mechanisms behind these associations are unclear. Depression might contribute to poor disease outcomes through decreased physical activity.