S2k Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pruritus – update – short version

Associated with a host of different diseases, pruritus is a cardinal symptom that poses an interdisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Over time, that symptom may progress independently of the initial cause, thus losing its function as a warning sign and turning into a clinically relevant disease of its own. In Germany, approximately 13.5 % of the general population are affected by chronic pruritus, with an incidence of 7 %. All forms of chronic pruritus require targeted treatment consisting of (a) diagnosis and management of the underlying disease, (b) dermatological treatment of primary or secondary (for example, dry skin, scratch lesions) symptoms, (c) symptomatic antipruritic treatment, and (d) psychological/psychotherapeutic treatment in case of an underlying or associated psychological or psychosomatic condition. Medical care of patients with chronic pruritus should therefore include an interdisciplinary approach, in particular with respect to diagnosis and therapy of the underlying disease as well as in terms of the management of treatment and adverse events. The objective of the present interdisciplinary guidelines is to define and standardize diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in patients with chronic pruritus. This is a short version of the current S2 guidelines on chronic pruritus. The long version may be found at www.awmf.org .     

Global meaning and meaning-related life attitudes: exploring their role in predicting depression, anxiety, and demoralization in cancer patients

Goal of work  

While significance of the concept of meaning in understanding adaptation to cancer is widely accepted, it has been little studied, especially in longitudinal data. This study aims to clarify the role of global meaning and meaning-related life attitudes (death acceptance and goal seeking) in predicting different aspects of psychological and existential distress by reference to a specified research model.     

The E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM62 and inflammation-induced skeletal muscle atrophy

Introduction

ICU-acquired weakness (ICUAW) complicates the disease course of critically ill patients. Inflammation and acute-phase response occur directly within myocytes and contribute to ICUAW. We observed that tripartite motif–containing 62 (TRIM62), an E3 ubiquitin ligase and modifier of inflammation, is increased in the skeletal muscle of ICUAW patients. We investigated the regulation and function of muscular TRIM62 in critical illness.

Methods

Twenty-six critically ill patients with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores ≥8 underwent two skeletal muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis at median days 5 and 15 in the ICU. Four patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery served as controls. TRIM62 expression and protein content were analyzed in these biopsies. The kinetics of Trim62, Atrogin1 and MuRF1 expression were determined in the gastrocnemius/plantaris and tibialis anterior muscles from mouse models of inflammation-, denervation- and starvation-induced muscle atrophy to differentiate between these contributors to ICUAW. Cultured myocytes were used for mechanistic analyses.

Results

TRIM62 expression and protein content were increased early and remained elevated in muscles from critically ill patients. In all three animal models, muscular Trim62 expression was early and continuously increased. Trim62 was expressed in myocytes, and its overexpression activated the atrophy-inducing activator protein 1 signal transduction pathway. Knockdown of Trim62 by small interfering RNA inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin 6 expression.

Conclusions

TRIM62 is activated in the muscles of critically ill patients. It could play a role in the pathogenesis of ICUAW by activating and maintaining inflammation in myocytes.

Trial registration

Current Controlled Trials ID: ISRCTN77569430 (registered 13 February 2008)

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13054-014-0545-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Partial liberalization of visiting policies and ICU staff: a before-and-after study

Purpose

To investigate possible psychological distress among staff after partial liberalization of visiting policies in intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods

We surveyed eight Italian ICUs planning to increase daily visiting to at least 8 h. Participants completed the Maslach–Jackson Burnout Inventory and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory before policy change (T0), after 6 months (T1) and 12 months (T2). At T0 and T2, their opinions on the new policy were solicited. Analyses were adjusted for main known confounders (age, gender, centre, educational and marital status, experience in ICU, baseline level of burnout or anxiety, and mortality rate).

Results

Baseline response rate was 89 % (230/258); 198 subjects (77 %) responded at T0 and T2, whereas 184 (71 %) participated in all three phases. High burnout levels were identified in 34.5 % of participants at T0 and 42.6 % at T2 (adjusted p = 0.001). All three phases showed a predominance of high burnout among nurses (adjusted p = 0.002). State and trait anxiety scores remained stable (adjusted p = 0.100 and 0.288, respectively). Most participants viewed the change positively at T0 (doctors 81.7 %; nurses 67.7 %) and T2 (doctors 87.0 %; nurses 62.7 %). At T2, 129 participants made comments (180 positive, 136 negative). Subjects with high burnout were more likely to comment negatively (p = 0.011).

Conclusions

Partial liberalization of ICU visiting policies was associated over the course of a year with a small but significant increase in staff members’ burnout levels. Nonetheless, doctors and nurses viewed the policy positively, maintaining this opinion after 1 year. Negative views were strongly correlated with burnout.