Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Body Weight,Image and Self-Esteem Evaluation questionnaire in patients with severe mental disorders

Objective

Clinicians need brief and valid instruments to monitor the psychosocial impact of weight gain in persons with psychiatric disorders. We examined the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Body Weight, Image and Self-Esteem Evaluation (B-WISE) questionnaire in patients with severe mental disorders.

Method

The data come from a naturalistic, cross-sectional, validation study conducted at 6 centres in Spain. A total of 211 outpatients with severe mental disorders, 118 with schizophrenia and 93 with bipolar disorder, were evaluated using the B-WISE, the Visual Analogue Scale for Weight and Body Image, and the Clinical Global Impression–Severity (CGI-S). The body mass index was also obtained.

Results

The principal component analysis confirms 3 components explaining 50.93% of the variance. The Cronbach α values for B-WISE scales ranged between .55 and .73. Significant Pearson correlations were found between B-WISE total score and CGI-S (r = − 0.25; P < .001) and Visual Analogue Scale for Weight and Body Image (r = 0.47; P < .001). The B-WISE discriminates among patients with mild, moderate, and severe mental disorders according to CGI-S scores (F = 6.52; P < .005). Body mass index categorization significantly influenced total B-WISE scores (F = 3.586, P < .050). The B-WISE score corresponding to the 5th and 10th percentiles was 22.

Conclusions

We were able to demonstrate that the Spanish version of the B-WISE is a valid instrument for assessing psychosocial impact of weight gain in patients with severe mental disorders in daily clinical practice.     

The use of a portable gamma camera for preoperative lymphatic mapping: a comparison with a conventional gamma camera

Purpose  

Planar lymphoscintigraphy is routinely used for preoperative sentinel node visualization, but large gamma cameras are not always available. We evaluated the reproducibility of lymphatic mapping with a smaller and portable gamma camera.     

Relationship between upper airway diseases,exhaled nitric oxide,and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine

Objective: The “united airway disease” concept is based on the bidirectional interaction between asthma and rhinitis. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between upper airway diseases and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), as well as their association with the fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and atopy in patients with persistent symptoms suggestive of asthma requiring methacholine challenge testing (MCT) to confirm asthma diagnosis. Methods: A cross-sectional prospective study was carried out in adult patients with persistent asthma-like symptoms and negative bronchodilator testing. FeNO and MCT were performed in all patients. Asthma was confirmed based on the presence of suggestive symptoms and MCT results. Associated upper airway diseases included allergic rhinitis, nonallergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), and aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). Results: The study included 575 patients; asthma was confirmed in 32.3%, and FeNO values ≥ 50 ppb were found in 27% of the patients. Elevated FeNO was significantly associated to AERD. The prevalence of atopy in asthma patients was 86.6%. Atopy was present in 90.4% of patients with asthma and FeNO levels ≥ 50 ppb. A significant association was found between AERD, asthma, and FeNO ≥ 50 ppb. Conclusions: Patients with symptoms suggestive of asthma but negative bronchodilator testing are commonly seen in usual practice. In this population, the association of high FeNO levels and BHR to atopy, as well as to AERD, suggests the presence eosinophilic inflammation in both the upper and lower airways and supports the “one airway” hypothesis.