Prevalence and clinical correlates of flunitrazepam-related complex sleep behaviors.

AIM: Complex sleep behaviors (CSB) are often associated with the use of hypnotic drugs. This study investigated the prevalence and correlates of CSB among psychiatric patients who were given flunitrazepam. METHODS: From June 2011 to May 2012, a total of 268 psychiatric outpatients who had received flunitrazepam for at least 3 months were enrolled. Data on occurrence of CSB, demographic characteristics, flunitrazepam dosage and duration of use, psychiatric diagnoses, physical illnesses, and alcohol use were collected. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the clinical correlates of CSB. RESULTS: Sixty-six participants (24.6%) reported experiencing CSB. Logistic regression analysis showed that a high dosage (>2 mg/day) of flunitrazepam (odds ratio [OR] = 1.941, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.090-3.455, P = 0.024) and alcohol use (OR = 1.948, 95%CI = 1.023-3.709, P = 0.042) were significantly associated with the occurrence of CSB. Sex, age, duration of flunitrazepam use, psychiatric diagnoses, and physical illnesses were not significantly associated with the occurrence of CSB. CONCLUSION: CSB among flunitrazepam users should be monitored routinely, especially among those receiving a high dosage who also consume alcohol.

Social interaction and drug attitude effectiveness in patients with schizophrenia.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between dosage of paliperidone and drug attitude, and also clarify the factors associated with drug attitude, using Intention-to-Treat (ITT) analysis. Three hundred thirty-one patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, who prescribed paliperidone between April 2008 and April 2009, from 10 hospitals in Taiwan were enrolled. By structural equation modeling, inpatient/outpatient status associated with occupation status, sex, and score on the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGIS) Scale. The score on the Personal and Social Performance (PSP) Scale associated with occupation status, inpatient/outpatient status, and the score on the CGIS Scale. The scores on the DAI-10 associated with the score on the PSP Scale and age. Good drug attitude and medication adherence significantly related to good social interaction. We should enhance the drug attitude and medication adherence of patients with schizophrenia who have poor social interaction to improve the outcome of schizophrenia.

Relationship between Difficulty in Emotion Regulation and Internet Addiction in College Students: A One-Year Prospective Study.

This prospective study evaluated the predictive effect of difficulty in emotion regulation on the occurrence and remission of Internet addiction (IA) and determined whether IA has a role in changing emotion regulation among college students during a follow-up period of 1 year. A total of 500 college students (262 women and 238 men) were recruited. In baseline and follow-up investigations, the levels of IA and difficulty in emotion regulation were evaluated using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), respectively. The results indicated that the subscale of impulse control difficulties on the DERS predicted the incidence of IA during the follow-up period of 1 year in male participants (t = -2.875, p = 0.005), whereas no subscale on the DERS predicted the remission of IA. IA did not predict the change in difficulties in emotion regulation. The subscale of impulse control difficulties on the DERS predicted the occurrence of IA in the college students and warrants early intervention.