IntroductionGastrointestinal symptoms are very common in the general population. Many of them coincide with mental disorders (especially with neuroses, stress-related disorders, somatisation disorders, autonomic dysfunction, and anxiety) that are associated with psychological trauma, conflicts, and difficulties with interpersonal relationships.AimAssessment of the association between gastrointestinal complaints and stressful situations in relationships, among patients admitted to day hospital for neurotic and behavioural disorders.Material and methodsAnalysis of the likelihood of co-occurrence of abdominal symptoms and stressful situations, reported by patients before admission, in a large group of subjects treated with psychotherapy.ResultsGastrointestinal symptoms were highly prevalent in the studied group (they were reported by 40–50% of patients). The most common complaints in women were: loss of appetite (52%), nausea (49%), and constipation and flatulence (45%). In men the most prevalent symptoms were: loss of appetite (47%), heartburn (44%), and flatulence (43%). Functional gastrointestinal symptoms (especially vomiting in cases of nervousness in females or heartburn in males) were significantly associated with greater likelihood of current difficulties in interpersonal relationships, such as conflicts with partner/spouse or parent.ConclusionsThe results suggest that in many cases symptoms of anxiety disorders or somatisation disorders coexisted with irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia.

1. Personality background examined with the use of KON-2006 seems to be an important risk factors of pseudo-cardiac symptoms being part of or accompanying neurotic syndromes. 2. In women especially strong appeared associations of tachycardia and Sense of being in danger, Exaltation, Asthenia and Conviction of own resourselessness. 3. In men pain in heart area was substantially associated with Sense of being overloaded. Probably pseudocardiac symptom cure may be attained by psychotherapeutic treatment aimed at its background - at elimination of neurotic personality dysfunctions.

Cel pracyNadciśnienie tętnicze jest chorobą, w przebiegu której mogą pojawić się powikłania narządowe. Niniejsze badanie porównuje różne cechy osobowości u pacjentów z nadciśnieniem tętniczym, u których stwierdzono lub też nie przerost lewej komory serca i sztywność dużych naczyń tętniczych.MetodaGrupa badana składała się z 93 osób (47 mężczyzn i 46 kobiet) z rozpoznanym nadciśnieniem tętniczym pierwotnym. U każdego z pacjentów wykonano pomiar wskaźnika masy lewej komory serca (LVMI) oraz prędkości fali tętna (PWV). Uzyskane wartości liczbowe posłużyły jako wskaźniki powikłań narządowych nadciśnienia tętniczego w obrębie serca oraz dużych naczyń tętniczych. Do oceny cech osobowości uczestników badania wykorzystano trzy narzędzia psychometryczne: NEO-FFI, DS14 oraz EAS.WynikiPacjenci, u których stwierdzono podwyższone wartości wskaźnika PWV wykazywali istotnie niższe wyniki w porównaniu z osobami, u których wykryto prawidłowe wartości tego wskaźnika w następujących skalach: NEO-FFI Neurotyczność (18 vs. 27,5; p=0,018), DS14 Negatywna emocjonalność (11,5 vs. 17; p=0,035) oraz EAS Strach (10 vs. 13; p=0,004). Uczestnicy badania, u których stwierdzono przerost lewej komory serca (podwyższone wartości wskaźnika LVMI) uzyskiwali niższe wyniki w skali otwartość na doświadczenie inwentarza NEO-FFI niż pacjenci, u których wskaźnik LVMI miał wartość prawidłową (23 vs. 26; p=0,027).WnioskiWyniki niniejszego badania sugerują, że istnieją istotne różnice w zakresie cech osobowości u pacjentów, którzy w przebiegu nadciśnienia tętniczego rozwijają lub też nie powikłania narządowe w obrębie serca i dużych naczyń tętniczych.

A b s t r a c tBackground: Patients in various areas of medicine report symptoms that are unexplained by other medical reasons than psychological/psychiatric. Some of them urgently seek treatment due to cardiovascular complaints, mostly rapid heart rate, palpitations and chest pain. Typical cardiac investigations, usually showing no organic reasons for these conditions, bring little information about stressful life events and psychological predispositions of these patients. Identification of coexistence of "cardiac" symptoms with other symptoms typical for neurotic disorders and difficult life circumstances may facilitate not only psychiatric diagnosis but also evaluation by cardiologists, primary care physicians, and other specialists. Aim:To determine the psychosocial context of psychogenic "pseudocardiac" symptoms and their coexistence with other symptoms in patients with neurotic disorders. Methods:Medical records of patients from the years 1980-2002 that included self-administered questionnaires transformed into an anonymised database were examined. An analysis of the relationship between symptoms reported in the Symptom Checklist and biographical circumstances described in the Life Inventory before admission to a psychotherapy day clinic for patients with neurotic disorders was performed using simple logistic regression with estimation of odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. Results:The symptoms of tachycardia/palpitations and chest pain were very common, present in most subjects, and were significantly associated with such circumstances as suboptimal conflict solving by passive aggression or quarrels, uncertainty in the relationship, a sense of being inferior to the partner, and poor financial situation. In addition, these "pseudocardiac" symptoms were also associated with such childhood reminiscences as origin from a large low income family, feeling that the family of origin was inferior to others, and experience of parental hostility or lack of support. Conclusions:Physicians of all specialties who deal with patients experiencing pseudocardiac symptoms should expect their psychological background and perform a simple interview to identify the presence of adverse biographical circumstances described above. Identification and discussing these difficult experiences with the patients may help to convince them to seek psychological support or psychotherapy.

Aim of the study: Chronic exposure to high blood pressure may lead to the development of hypertensionmediated organ damage (HMOD). This study compares styles and strategies of coping with stress in hypertensive patients with arterial stiffness or left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and in individuals with hypertension, but without HMOD.Material and methods: Each study participant (n=93) underwent the following procedures: clinical assessment, echocardiography, pulse wave velocity measurement and psychological testing. Blood pressure in the study group was measured using ABPM method. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was assessed to identify patients with arterial stiffness. Left ventricular mass index was measured to diagnose LVH. Each patient was also assessed using three psychometric tools: PSS-10, CISS and Brief COPE.Results: Subjects with arterial stiffness (increased PWV) scored significantly lower than patients with normal PWV in three scales: CISS Avoidance-oriented coping (median values: 39 vs. 41.5; p=0.042), Brief COPE Self-distraction (median values: 1.5 vs. 2; p=0.013) and Brief COPE Venting (median values: 1 vs. 1.5; p=0.037). Individuals with LVH had significantly lower results in Brief COPE Use of emotional support scale than hypertensive subjects with normal left ventricular mass index (median values: 1.5 vs. 2; p=0.041).Discussion: In our study group, hypertensive patients with HMOD preferred different coping styles and strategies than individuals with hypertension, but without vascular and cardiac damage. The mechanism underlying these differences is probably complex.Conclusions: HMOD may be associated with coping styles and strategies, but further research is necessary to fully understand the results of this study.