Considerable evidence demonstrating a relationship between stress and immune function is accumulating and a complex chain of biologic and psychologic processes are involved. An extensive network of central nervous system and endocrine system processes may be involved in the modulation of the immune system in response to stressors.

BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to investigate the level of psychologic distress after trauma and intensive care unit (ICU) stay, memory from the ICU, and predictors for psychologic distress at 12 months. METHODS Prospective single center study in a trauma referral center for Eastern and Southern Norway. Participants were 150 trauma patients treated in an ICU for > 24 hours. Assessments w...

OBJECTIVES Pain hypervigilance--a strong attentional bias toward pain--is thought to accompany chronic pain and modulate pain management. Its usefulness as predisposing factor for the development and maintenance of pain has been discussed. The aim of our study was to demonstrate the predictive power of hypervigilance for the development of acute postoperative pain. METHODS Fifty-four young ma...

There is abundant clinical evidence that depression occurs with high frequency among chronic pain patients. When compared with other serious medical disorders, the prevalence of depression in chronic pain appears high. The fundamental reason for this association is unknown. Theories have attempted to explain the link between pain and depression in terms of psychologic mechanisms. Other theories...

The U.S. Supreme Court, in Furman v. Georgia (1972), held that the death penalty is constitutional only when applied on an individualized basis. The resultant changes in the laws in death penalty states fostered the involvement of psychiatric and psychologic expert witnesses at the sentencing phase of the trial, to testify on two major issues: (1) the mitigating factor of a defendant's abnormal...

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to provide a comprehensive profile of a representative sample of patients with acute low back pain drawn from the primary care setting. A secondary aim was to determine whether patient characteristics are associated with pain intensity or disability at the initial consultation. METHODS A total of 1172 consecutive patients with acute low back pain presenting to clin...

Abstract Objective Women with breast cancer (BCA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are at increased of developing complications when exposed to potentially cardiotoxic therapy. The benefit aggressive CVD factor modification reduce adverse treatment-related psychologic biologic effects is not well established. Methods Using a single group pre-test, post-test design, 33 women BCA rec...

BACKGROUND Excellent patient compliance to periodontal maintenance is absolutely necessary for successful long-term therapy. However, absolute (100%) compliance is rare, having been reported as low as 16%. Although social, behavioral, cultural, and economic factors have been implicated as determinants in patterns of compliance, the influence of personality characteristics on attitudes remains t...

PURPOSE Fatigue is an underevaluated cancer-related and treatment-related symptom. We analyzed fatigue in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT). METHODS AND MATERIALS A total of 117 patients were enrolled (mean age, 58 years). Radiation therapy (median dose, 66 Gy) was given with either exclusive or postoperative intent in 52 and 65 patients, respectively. Chemotherapy (C...