Reported Improvement (reported + improvement)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Development of prosaccade and antisaccade task performance in participants aged 6 to 26 years

PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001
C. Klein
There are few studies on the development of oculomotor functions during childhood. B. Fischer, M. Biscaldi, and S. Gezeck (1997) reported improvement of antisaccade task performance between ages 6 and 16 years. The present study is a replication and extension of those results. In three age groups (6,7, 10,11, 18,26 years), saccades during pro- and antisaccade tasks with 200-ms gap and overlap and during a fixation task were measured. Adults exhibited faster saccades and less prosaccades during the antisaccade tasks than 10,11-year-old children; these two groups had faster saccades during all tasks and less prosaccades during the anti- and the fixation task than 6,7-year-old subjects. Both children groups made more express saccades than adults. Results suggest different degrees of age-related improvement for different saccadic parameters, the effects being greatest for prosaccade inhibition during the antisaccade task and in line with the assumed protracted development of prefrontal functions. [source]


Endolymphatic Sac Decompression as a Treatment for Meniere's Disease

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 8 2005
William F. Durland Jr MD
Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: Endolymphatic sac decompression is a surgical treatment option for patients with medically intractable Meniere's disease. However, effectiveness is debated because published data show great variability. Outcome-based research studies are useful in incorporating the patient's perspective on the success of treatment. To further assess effectiveness of endolymphatic sac decompression, we performed a prospective study to examine both symptom-specific and general health outcomes. Study Design: Prospective, observational outcome study. Methods: Nineteen patients with endolymphatic sac decompression responded to symptom-specific questionnaires and the Medical Outcomes Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) before and after surgery. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 58 months with a mean duration of 50 months. Results: Overall measures of physical health were significantly improved following endolymphatic sac decompression (P = .04), whereas overall measures of mental health were unchanged (P = .74). Role Physical and Social Functioning scores were significantly improved following endolymphatic sac decompression (P = .04 and P = .03, respectively). Study patients scored significantly lower (P < .05) than SF-36 normative data in 6 of 10 categories before endolymphatic sac decompression but patient scores were not significantly different from normal scores in all but one category (General Health) following endolymphatic sac decompression. The mean number of vertigo episodes was significantly reduced from an average of 8.3 times per month to an average of 2.6 times per month following endolymphatic sac decompression (P = .006). Ninety-five percent of patients (18 of 19 patients) reported improvement in symptoms (frequency, duration, or intensity) of vertigo and 37% (7 of 19 patients) reported complete resolution of vertigo. Conclusion: Endolymphatic sac decompression significantly improved perception of physical health, as well as symptom-specific outcomes, in patients with medically intractable Meniere's disease. [source]


An audit of the value of patch testing and its effect on quality of life

CONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 5 2003
P. N. Woo
We have assessed the value of patch testing from the patient's perspective and examined the impact of patch testing on their quality of life (QoL). 140 patients were recruited over 5 months. 2 questionnaires were designed to investigate the patient's views on patch testing. The 1st questionnaire was completed at the final visit to the clinic and the 2nd was posted 6 weeks later. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire was completed on both occasions. There was a significant improvement of the DLQI score in all patch-tested subjects (P = 0·003). Patients with involvement of the trunk had worse QoL. At the 4-day visit, 77 patients (55%) expressed the opinion that patch testing had been helpful. 6 weeks later, 71 patients replied. 47 patients were diagnosed as having allergic contact dermatitis: 87% of them found that patch testing had been useful, 91% were able to avoid the allergen(s) and 57% reported improvement/clearing in their skin condition. 58% of the 24 patients with negative results also found that patch testing had been beneficial. Overall, patient perception was that they understood verbal information (92%) better than written information (76%). Patch testing is beneficial to patients, leading to improved QoL. Patient perception was that they understood verbal advice better than written information. [source]


Effects of Weight Loss Intervention on Erectile Function in Older Men with Type 2 Diabetes in the Look AHEAD Trial

THE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 1pt1 2010
Rena R. Wing PhD
ABSTRACT Introduction., Overweight men with diabetes often report erectile dysfunction (ED), but few studies have examined effects of weight loss on this problem. Aim., This study examined 1-year changes in erectile function (EF) in overweight/obese men with type 2 diabetes participating in the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) trial. Methods., Participants in Look AHEAD were randomly assigned to a control condition involving diabetes support and education (DSE) or to intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) involving group and individual sessions to reduce weight and increase physical activity. Men from five of the clinical sites in Look AHEAD completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) at baseline (N = 372) and at 1 year (N = 306) (82%). Main Outcome Measures., Changes in EF as reported on the EF subscale of the IIEF. Results., At 1 year, the ILI group lost a greater percent of initial body weight (9.9% vs. 0.6 %) and had greater improvements in fitness (22.7% vs. 4.6%) than DSE. EF improved more in ILI (17.3 ± 7.6 at baseline; 18.6 ± 8.1 at 1 year) than in DSE (18.3 ± 7.6 at baseline; 18.4 ± 8.0 at 1 year); P = 0.04 and P = 0.06 after adjusting for baseline differences. Using established norms for none (i.e., normal EF), and three grades (i.e., mild, moderate, and severe) ED, 8% of men in ILI reported a worsening of EF from baseline to 1 year, 70% stayed in the same category, and 22% reported improvements. In contrast, 20% of DSE reported worsening, 57% stayed in the same category, and 23% improved (P = 0.006). Conclusion., In this sample of older overweight/obese diabetic men, weight loss intervention was mildly helpful in maintaining EF. Wing RR, Rosen RC, Fava JL, Bahnson J, Brancati F, Gendrano INC, Kitabchi A, Schneider SH, and Wadden TA. Effects of weight loss intervention on erectile function in older men with type 2 diabetes in the look AHEAD trial. J Sex Med 2010;7:156,165. [source]