[Auditory verbal hallucinations in patients with borderline personality disorder]. / Auditieve verbale hallucinaties bij patiënten met een borderline-persoonlijkheidsstoornis.

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) experienced by patients with a borderline personality disorder (BPD) are considered to be rare, to have a 'pseudo'-quality, and to cause little distress. AIM: To provide an overview of studies of the prevalence and phenomenological characteristics of AVHs in patients with a BPD, and of the ensuing degree of suffering. METHOD: We performed a systematic literature search using PubMed and the Ovid database. RESULTS: 27% of patients with a BPD experience AVH. Phenomenologically, these percepts are indistinguishable from those experienced by patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Hallucinations in several modalities were present in 50% of the patients with BPD. The mean time-span in which AVH were experienced was 17 years, the mean frequency was several minutes per day. The degree of suffering was high and the patient's life was interrupted to a moderate degree. CONCLUSION: AVH and other hallucinations are common in BPD. We advise clinicians to inquire directly whether patients experience them and to provide treatment whenever possible. However, one of the problems is, that evidence-based treatment methods such as antipsychotics, cognitive-behavioural therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation have not yet been studied systematically for this specific patient group.

Suicidality and hospitalisation in patients with borderline personality disorder who experience auditory verbal hallucinations.

BACKGROUND: In patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), about 22-50% experience auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH). However, the impact of these hallucinations on suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, crisis-service interventions, and hospital admissions is unknown. METHODS: In a cross-sectional design, data were collected with the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS) and the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus, as well as from the medical records of a convenience sample of outpatients fulfilling the DSM-IV criteria for BPD. RESULTS: Of the 89 included patients, 27 experienced AVH. In the latter group, the presence of AVH was associated with a significantly higher incidence of suicidal plans and attempts in the month prior to study participation, more hospitalisations, and a shorter interval until hospitalisation. All subscales of the PSYRATS correlated positively with suicide plans, while the phenomenological and emotional subscales also correlated positively with suicide attempts. Moreover, higher scores on the emotional subscale were associated with more hospital admissions. CONCLUSIONS: AVH experienced by patients with BPD might constitute a risk factor for suicide plans and attempts, and hospitalisation. This finding emphasises that this population requires adequate clinical attention, as well as effective treatment for AVH.

[Diagnostic image (272). A boy with discoloured, painful hands]. / Diagnose in beeld (272). Een jongen met verkleurde, pijnlijke handen.

A 6-year-old boy was admittted because of dark discoloured and painful finger tips of both hands, which had developed 2 weeks after playing with bare hands in a ditch with cold water still containing parts of ice. Trench foot of the hands was diagnosed.