Predictors of inpatient suicide in an Irish psychiatric service, a longitudinal case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: Inpatient suicide remains difficult to predict. This study aimed to identify individual patient predictors to help identify those at greater risk. METHODS: This case-control study was undertaken in an independent mental health service in Ireland. Cases were drawn from all admissions to the service between March 2004 and February 2019. Controls were matched for date of admission. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Thirty-three cases of inpatient suicide were compared to 132 controls. The inpatient suicide rate was 76.2 per 100,000 admissions. The rate of inpatient suicide fell in line with national rates despite less restrictive practices being implemented in the service. Males accounted for 66% of cases. Hanging was the most common method of suicide overall and among male patients, and drowning was the most common among females. Male gender, tertiary referral, an adverse psychosocial event during admission, a period of absence without leave and expressing hopelessness were identified as independent risk factors for inpatient suicide. Substance use, involuntary detention, family history of suicide, and number of previous admissions were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: While not highly sensitive, a period of absence without leave, tertiary referral and hopelessness are important predictors of inpatient suicide risk that treating teams should consider in care planning.

Outcome of First-admission Depression Treated in a Specialized Mood Disorders Service.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have described the treatment or outcome of depression in specialized mood disorders units (MDUs). Previous studies have focused on cohorts of patients with highly treatment-resistant illness who are likely to have a poor prognosis even with intensive treatment. This study describes the treatment and medium-term outcomes of a cohort of first-admission depressed patients with less treatment-resistant illness treated in a specialized MDU. METHODS: A cohort of 137 consecutive first-admission depressed patients, referred to an MDU over 2 years, were interviewed using standardized schedules and followed up prospectively from admission for ∼18 months to describe baseline characteristics, treatment, outcome, and predictors of outcome. Times to recovery and recurrence were evaluated using survival analyses and predictors of outcome were examined using bivariate and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: On admission, 75% of the 137 patients had depression that had been found to be resistant to pharmacological treatment, and 34% had been chronically depressed (>2 y). Over half of the patients had likely maladaptive personality traits and one third had at least 1 comorbid psychiatric disorder. By discharge, a significantly higher proportion of the patients were being prescribed very high (P<0.01) or high doses (P<0.05) of antidepressants, augmentation therapy (P<0.001), or a combination of antidepressants (P<0.001) or were engaged in individual psychotherapy (P<0.001), compared with baseline. With intensive treatment, 62% of the patients recovered by 6 months and 76% by 12 months, with 83% overall recovering and patients found to be asymptomatic during almost 60% of the follow-up period. However, 48% suffered a recurrence over the course of the follow-up. Chronicity of mood episodes (P<0.01) and the presence of psychiatric comorbidity (P<0.05) predicted recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective, naturalistic, medium-term study describes better outcomes, in terms of recovery and symptomatology over time, in a cohort of first-admission depressed patients than previous first-admission studies after continuous, intensive treatment, although the proportion of patients who experienced recurrences remained high.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder and Comorbid Affective Disorder: A Pilot Matched Control Trial.

This study examined whether acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) enhances treatment as usual (TAU) in improving treatment outcomes in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and comorbid affective disorder. Fifty-two participants were included in the study, of whom 26 were patients with AUD and either depression or bipolar disorder treated with ACT group therapy in parallel with TAU (inpatient integrated treatment) and 26 were matched controls who had received TAU alone. Drinking and craving outcomes were total alcohol abstinence, cumulative abstinence duration (CAD) and Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) scores at 3 and 6 months postintervention. Affective and anxiety outcomes were Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) scores at these follow-ups. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were similar in both groups. Retention rates were high: 100% of the ACT group were followed up at 3 and 6 months; 92.3% and 84.6% of the TAU alone group were followed up at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Patients in the ACT group reported significantly higher CAD at 3 and 6 months, significantly lower BDI and BAI scores at 3 and 6 months, and significantly lower OCDS scores at 3 months, than those who received only TAU. No other significant differences in treatment outcomes were found between the groups. ACT provides added benefit to TAU in improving drinking, craving, depression and anxiety outcomes in patients with AUD and comorbid affective disorder. Most treatment improvements were sustained over a 6-month follow-up period.

Mauling of the "Celtic Tiger": clinical characteristics and outcome of first-episode depression secondary to the economic recession in Ireland.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of studies describing clinical characteristics and outcome of patients who present with mood disorders related to economic recession. AIMS: To describe a cohort of patients admitted with first-episode depression related to the Irish economic recession and compare this cohort with all other first-episode depressives admitted during the same time period (2009-2010). METHODS: A cohort of 137 patients admitted with first-episode depression to an independent university teaching hospital was prospectively identified and followed up from admission over 2 years (mean follow-up 430 days, s.d. 176 days). The cohort was divided into "Celtic Tiger" (patients with first-episode depression secondary to the economic recession) and non-Celtic Tiger control patients (other first-episode depressed patients). Both groups were compared in terms of clinical characteristics at baseline and outcome over follow-up. RESULTS: The number of admissions due to first depressive episodes were higher in recession years 2009/10 than in pre-recession years 2008/9. Celtic Tiger patients were predominantly male and more severely depressed with more marked suicidal ideation (χ(2), p<0.001) than control patients. They were more likely to recover (χ(2), p=0.013), less likely to recur (χ(2), p<0.001) and had faster time to recovery (log rank, p<0.001) and slower time to full recurrence (log rank, p=0.001). The Celtic Tiger patients spent more time asymptomatic and less time at full and subthreshold depression levels over follow-up. LIMITATIONS: Study setting of centre specializing in affective disorders treatment, retrospective nature of follow-up after initial prospective interview and lack of patient follow-up interview. CONCLUSION: The study describes a subgroup of patients with severe depression associated with economic recession with likely high suicide risk but very favourable outcome.

'Over the counter' (OTC) opiate abuse treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Over the counter (OTC) medication abuse is an increasing public health concern. We studied the clinical profiles, treatment and prevalence of patients admitted with OTC opiate abuse. METHOD: Using a specially designed demographic form, the records of patients admitted to St. Patrick's Hospital, a 280 bed inpatient mental health and addiction treatment facility in Dublin, with a diagnosis of harmful OTC opiate abuse or opiate dependency as defined in ICD-10 were reviewed retrospectively. All patients diagnosed with OTC opiate abuse (ICD F11.1) or dependency (ICD F11.2) on admission to our centre were included in the study. Patients with a diagnosis of primary illicit opiate misuse were excluded. RESULTS: Approximately 1% (n=20) of inpatients admitted in a year were diagnosed with OTC opiate abuse. The average daily codeine intake was 261.0 mg per person. Some 75% percent (n=15) of the inpatients experienced OTC opiate withdrawal and were treated with protocol driven withdrawal regimes for an average of 16.10 days. The female: male ratio was nearly 2:1 with an average age of 49.2 years. Patients tended to have co-morbid psychiatric (n=19, 95%), physical (n=17,85%) and polysubstance (n=13,65%) illness. CONCLUSIONS: OTC opiate abuse is a significant problem which is largely covert in nature with serious co-morbidity and frequent complications including withdrawal symptoms which require treatment. Results of this study suggest that further research is warranted in this area.