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Biomedical subjects

P Nijs

Publications and source records attributed to P Nijs.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Counselling of the climacteric woman. Diagnostic difficulties and therapeutic possibilities.

The psycho(patho)logical disorders during climacteric can only be adequately diagnosed and treated if the gynaecologist also pays clinical attention to the biographically related adaptation troubles of the woman in (peri)menopause. Psychoneurotic and psychosomatic reactions are frequent; psychotic reactions are rarely seen. The anxiety neuroses of this age of life are triggered less by sexual factors, but more by angry impulses. This anxiety can be expressed in a paranoid behaviour. Most adaptation difficulties and psychiatric disorders during menopause can and should be effectively treated by the gynaecologist. Theoretical understanding and practical experience concerning the counselling of psychosomatic patients are indispensable.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

Individual coping style and psychological attitudes during pregnancy and predict depression levels during pregnancy and during postpartum.

Fifty primigravidae were investigated from 30 weeks of gestation until 6 months after delivery to assess the predictive value of individual coping style, conception time and specific psychological changes during pregnancy for the depression levels assessed during the third trimester of pregnancy and 5 days, 6 weeks and 6 months after delivery. The individual coping style is an effective predictor of depression levels during the third trimester of pregnancy and 6 months after delivery, but not for the depression levels 5 days and 6 weeks after delivery. A path analysis revealed that high depressive coping and low social support-seeking predict a longer conception time, which all predict a more important lack of spousal support during pregnancy. Higher depressive coping, a longer conception time and a more important lack of spousal support during pregnancy all predict high depression levels 6 months after delivery. The present findings thus suggest helpful predictors for the psychological adaptation during the transition to parenthood.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

Coping style and preterm labor.

Psychometric tests (State-Trait Anxiety Index and Utrechtse Coping Lijst) were administered to 23 primigravidae hospitalized for preterm labor and to 22 controls in order to investigate whether women with and without preterm labor present a different coping style or (in) effectiveness of this coping and whether the coping style predicts duration of hospitalization and gestational age at delivery. No significant differences in trait anxiety nor in coping style were found between women with and women without preterm labor. However, within the group of women with preterm labor, coping mechanisms are important predictors of course and outcome of the preterm contractions. Palliative coping and social support seeking are protective mechanisms while active coping has an adverse effect upon outcome: an older gestational age at the moment of delivery is for 44% predicted by a higher social support seeking and a lower active coping.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1994

Personality characteristics, psychoendocrinological stress and outcome of IVF depend upon the etiology of infertility.

Personality characteristics, psychoendocrinological stress responses and course and outcome of treatment were investigated in 40 women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). In addition to classification by the major causes of infertility (mechanical infertility or male infertility), the subjects were also divided in two subgroups of 17 women with completely 'normal' menstrual cycles and 23 women with subtle disturbances of their menstrual cycle. These disturbances were due to either minimal endometriosis, luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF) syndrome or luteal phase insufficiency. Women with subtle cycle disturbances have been shown to have a lower pregnancy rate in IVF than women with normal cycles. The correlation of the state anxiety level of the patient in the early follicular phase with negative outcome in IVF is seen to be higher in women with subtle cycle disturbances. Furthermore, prolactin concentrations are always higher in women with subtle cycle disturbances. Our data contribute to the hypothesis that subtle cycle disturbances, i.e. LUF syndrome, luteal phase insufficiency and endometriosis, could be associated with higher psychoendocrinological stress levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Coping and the ineffectiveness of coping influence the outcome of in vitro fertilization through stress responses.

The effect of a coping-ineffectiveness of coping construct and of psychoendocrine stress responses upon the outcome of in vitro fertilization treatment was investigated in 40 women. Women with a high Zung depression score, high active coping, high avoidance, and a high expression of emotion have lower pregnancy rates. The mechanisms for this personality effect are not clear, although the desensitization-stimulation process (FSH, E2 concentrations) seems to be involved. The psychoendocrinological responses to the stress of oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer are important: Women with high anticipatory state anxiety levels and high anticipatory cortisol concentrations have lower pregnancy rates. The influence of prolactin stress concentrations is unclear: Women with high prolactin concentrations seem to have more oocytes but lower fertilization rates.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Coping, ineffectiveness of coping and the psychoendocrinological stress responses during in-vitro fertilization.

The psychoendocrinological stress responses during in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) were investigated in 40 women as a function of a 'coping-ineffectiveness of coping' construct. The results demonstrate an important dissociation between emotional and endocrine stress responses and the existence of relatively independent dimensions of arousal (emotional, prolactin, cortisol). The emotional stress response, i.e. state anxiety levels, are for 34-59% predicted by chronic ineffectiveness of coping, and this both before (anticipation) and after (recovery) the stress of oocyte retrieval (OR) and embryo transfer. The effect of anticipatory stress, i.e. in the follicular phase and before oocyte retrieval or embryo transfer, on prolactin and cortisol release is more important in women with a high chronic ineffectiveness of coping while the effect of oocyte retrieval itself is more important in women who are effective copers. Other prolactin concentrations, i.e. after OR or ET, are for 14-26% predicted by low palliative coping and high avoiding. Other cortisol concentrations, i.e. after OR or ET, are for 13-19% predicted by comforting ideas. The advantages of this 'coping-ineffectiveness of coping' construct are weighed against the 'effectiveness of defenses' construct described by Wolff et al. Psychosom Med 1964; 26: 406-413. It is suggested that these personality dependent stress responses are important for conception rates in spontaneous cycles as well as in stimulated cycles.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

Isolation and partial characterization of an unusual human immunodeficiency retrovirus from two persons of west-central African origin.

An unusual human retrovirus was isolated from two patients with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy who originate from West-Central Africa and are currently residing in Belgium. Although the virus shared a number of the same biological and morphological properties as human immunodeficiency retrovirus type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2, significant antigenic differences could be demonstrated. Several of the viral proteins also differed in molecular weight from the corresponding HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteins. Partial chemical cleavage of the most highly conserved viral proteins resulted in patterns which differed from those of HIV-1 and HIV-2. Furthermore, nucleic acid hybridization experiments were capable of discriminating between the virus types. Sequence analysis of the viral U3 region revealed a unique enhancer organization not found in other immunodeficiency viruses. The data indicated that the new isolate is more closely related to HIV-1 than to HIV-2 but clearly differs in a number of important respects.

Africa, Central↗
PubMed1989

The effect of a specific emotional stressor on prolactin, cortisol, and testosterone concentrations in women varies with their trait anxiety.

The psychological and the hormonal response to a specific emotional stressor (a video film on treatment of infertility, pregnancy, and delivery) was investigated in 30 women and the responses were correlated with their trait anxiety level. The experiment included a resting period before and after the stressor. The psychological response, i.e., the change in state anxiety, was in phase with the stressor and varied with the trait anxiety level. The endocrinological response, i.e., the time courses of prolactin, cortisol, and testosterone, was not in phase but varied with the trait anxiety level. It is suggested that psychological phenomena as anticipation, mental assimilation, and reflection could explain these findings, and that these should be taken into account when investigating the so-called "psychological" infertility.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Impact of facial burns on the family.

At the University Burn Unit in Leuven (Belgium), we have been working for 4 years now with a multidisciplinary reintegration program. Our team consists of a plastic surgeon (head of the unit), a physical therapist, a social worker and a child psychiatrist. We set up family, context-oriented counselling for the families of seriously burned patients. In this paper, we would like to illustrate some aspects of the importance of facial scars in our society as well as the consequences of such scars for the families of patients. These are 2 essential aspects which have to be taken into account so that the counsellors and family do not reach a deadlock. We discuss how this therapy can be applied. Cooperation with the school is a keystone in the application of such therapy. The teacher is involved as a reflection of the feelings of the parents. Via this intermediary they learn how to cope with their feelings and to talk about them. The team has experienced this as an important step in the construction of family therapy.

Adult↗