The effect of anxiety, psychopathological symptoms and personality traits on response to treatment in male patients with anogenital warts: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

In the era of precision medicine, identification of possible predictive factors of clinical response to treatment is fundamental. This need is particularly strong for anogenital warts (AGW), because there are several treatment modalities with different clearance and recurrence rates. However, data regarding the effect of mental health parameters on response to treatment in patients with AGW are lacking.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the association between patients' mental health parameters and AGW treatment outcomes.

METHODS

This was a single-centre, prospective study that included newly diagnosed male patients with AGW. At their initial visit, all patients completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) questionnaires, which evaluate anxiety, psychopathological manifestations and personality traits, respectively. All patients received cryotherapy until clearance of lesions and were followed up for 18 months for detection of recurrences.

RESULTS

The study included 167 male patients. The mean number of days for AGW clearance was 89 ± 65. During the 18-month follow-up, 28% of participants showed a recurrence, after a mean number of 150 ± 132 days. No statistically significant association was detected between questionnaires scores and (a) time needed for AGW clearance, (b) time until 1st recurrence and (c) number of recurrences.

CONCLUSION

If confirmed, our findings indicate that we may not need to modify our AGW treatment plan according to a patient's mental health profile.

Metabolic indices, energy and macronutrient intake according to weight status in a rural sample of 17-year-old adolescents

INTRODUCTION

With adolescent health a priority on the WHO agenda, research into the diet, weight status and metabolic profile of adolescents is indicated. The present study aimed to assess the diet and metabolic parameters of a rural sample of adolescents.

METHODS

One hundred adolescents (17 years of age) were recruited from schools in Nea Madytos, Thessaloniki, Greece. Two previous-day food recalls were collected for each participant, and weight, height, waist circumference, serum lipids and fasting glucose levels were measured. The prevalence of underweight/overweight, central obesity, dyslipidemia and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) were calculated.

RESULTS

Overweight was present in half the boys (51.2%) and one-fifth of the girls (21.3%). In the total sample 7.1% were underweight and another 7.1% were diagnosed with central obesity. Boys had an increased risk of abdominal obesity (OR:1.405, CI:0.7-2.8), IFG (OR:1.200, CI:0.3-4.9) and elevated triglycerides (OR:1.514, CI:1.0-2.4) and serum cholesterol levels (OR:1.806, CI:1.1-3.1). Central obesity increased the chances of IFG (OR:8.000, CI:1.6-39.1) and doubled the prevalence of dyslipidemia (OR:2.190, CI:0.5-9.1). Under-reporting of energy was found among overweight participants and was further verified by an inverse relationship between BMI and the ratio of energy intake to energy expenditure. Adolescents identified a dietary pattern high in fats in lieu of protein.

CONCLUSIONS

Irrespectively of their weight status, teenagers consume a high fat diet; therefore, dietary counseling, as a means of preventive medicine, should be applied to all weight categories. In addition, the prevalence of obesity in a rural sample of adolescents appears to be higher compared with the whole of Greece.