The prevalence of poor sleep quality in the general population in China: a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies.

BACKGROUND: The high prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQ) in the general population leads to negative health outcomes. Since estimates of PSQ prevalence in the Chinese general population vary widely, this meta-analysis aimed to refine these estimates and to identify moderating factors. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was undertaken in both international (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and EMBASE) and Chinese (Wanfang, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases) databases from inception to 23 November 2023. Studies were required to have used standard scales such as the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The pooled prevalence of PSQ and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed to identify sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: In 32 studies with a combined 376,824 participants, the pooled prevalence of PSQ was 19.0% (95% CI 15.8-22.8%; range 6.6-43.6%). Across 22 studies that reported PSQI data, the pooled mean score was 4.32 (95%CI 3.82-4.81; SD = 0.502). The pooled mean sleep duration across 8 studies was 7.62 (95% CI 7.23-8.00; SD = 0.194) hours. Subgroup analyses showed that lower education (Q = 4.12, P = 0.042), living in less developed regions (Q = 60.28, P < 0.001), and lower PSQI cutoff values (Q = 9.80, P = 0.007) were significantly associated with PSQ. Meta-regression analyses showed that study quality was inversely associated with estimated PSQ prevalence (ß = - 0.442, P = 0.004). LIMITATIONS: Although measures such as subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed, substantial heterogeneity remained. Information related to sleep quality, such as comorbid physical diseases or psychiatric disorders, substance use, occupational types, and employment status, were not reported in most studies. CONCLUSION: One in five people in the general population of China may have PSQ and people with lower education or living in western regions may be more susceptible.

Pain trajectories and their associations with cognition among older adults: a 10-year cohort study from network perspective.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the associations between pain trajectories and cognitive function in older adults. This study explored the associations between pain trajectories and different cognitive domains in older adults from a network perspective. METHODS: Data on pain trajectories were derived from the Health and Retirement Study between 2010 and 2020 using latent class growth analyses. Measurements of key cognition domains, including memory, attention, calculation, orientation and language, were included. Linear regression and network analysis were performed to evaluate the associations between different pain trajectories and cognition. RESULTS: A total of 9,551 older adults were included in this study and three trajectories of pain were identified. After controlling for the covariates, persistent severe pain trajectory was associated with poorer overall cognition, memory and calculation ability when compared to mild or non-persistent pain trajectory. In the pain and cognition network model, memory (expected influence (EI) = 0.62), language (EI = 0.58) and calculation (EI = 0.41) were the most central domains. CONCLUSIONS: Pain trajectories appeared stable over time among older adults in this study. Severity of persistent pain was an important risk factor for poor cognition, especially in relation to memory and calculation domains. Interventions targeting memory, language and calculation domains might be useful in addressing cognitive decline in older adults with persistent pain.

COVID-19 and Sleep Problems: A Perspective from Bibliometric Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the containment measures for COVID-19 have affected sleep quality in the population. This study explored sleep-related research from a bibliometric perspective to provide an overview of the research outputs in this field. METHODS: Original and review articles were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database from December 2019 to 7 Aug 2023. R package "bibliometrix" was used to summarize the number of articles of authors, institutions, and countries; count the citations of the articles, and generate a Three-Fields Plot. VOSviewer software was applied to visualize the collaboration network among authors and institutions, and to conduct a co-occurrence analysis of keywords. RESULTS: A total of 4,499 articles on COVID-19 and sleep, and 25,883 articles on non-COVID-19 and sleep were included. Sleep related articles were mainly published by authors from China, the USA, and Italy. For COVID-19 and sleep research, Huazhong University of Science was the most productive institution. The Psychiatry Research was the most influential journal across the different subject categories of this field. "Mental health", "anxiety", and "depression" were the most common keywords, while "sleep quality" and "quality of life" were the likely topic areas in terms of future research directions. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide a comprehensive perspective for researchers to understand the wider landscape of both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 sleep-related research area.

Prevalence of insomnia and its association with quality of life in caregivers of psychiatric inpatients during the COVID-19 pandemic: a network analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies on sleep problems among caregivers of psychiatric patients, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, are limited. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of insomnia symptoms (insomnia hereafter) among caregivers of psychiatric inpatients during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the association with quality of life (QoL) from a network analysis perspective. METHODS: A multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted on caregivers of inpatients across seven tertiary psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units of general hospitals. Network analysis explored the structure of insomnia using the R program. The centrality index of "Expected influence" was used to identify central symptoms in the network, and the "flow" function was adopted to identify specific symptoms that were directly associated with QoL. RESULTS: A total of 1,101 caregivers were included. The overall prevalence of insomnia was 18.9% (n = 208; 95% CI = 16.7-21.3%). Severe depressive (OR = 1.185; P < 0.001) and anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.099; P = 0.003), and severe fatigue (OR = 1.320; P < 0.001) were associated with more severe insomnia. The most central nodes included ISI2 ("Sleep maintenance"), ISI7 ("Distress caused by the sleep difficulties") and ISI1 ("Severity of sleep onset"), while "Sleep dissatisfaction" (ISI4), "Distress caused by the sleep difficulties" (ISI7) and "Interference with daytime functioning" (ISI5) had the strongest negative associations with QoL. CONCLUSION: The insomnia prevalence was high among caregivers of psychiatric inpatients during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in those with depression, anxiety and fatigue. Considering the negative impact of insomnia on QoL, effective interventions that address insomnia and alteration of sleep dissatisfaction should be developed.

Hikikomori: A perspective from bibliometric analysis.

AIMS: Hikikomori is a common phenomenon reported in Japan and many other countries. However, the broad trends of the research publications on hikikomori are unclear. Therefore, this study examined the patterns of research on hikikomori using bibliometric analysis. METHODS: Relevant publications were searched in Web of Science. Bibliometric analyses were performed with CiteSpace, R and VOSviewer. RESULTS: In total, 297 publications on hikikomori met the eligibility criteria. The International Journal of Social Psychiatry (IF = 10.461) published the most papers (K = 17, or 5.7%) on hikikomori. Takahiro A. Kato from Kyushu University (41; 13.8%; H-index = 18) was the most influential author, while Takahiro A. Kato (total link strength [TLS]: 235), Alan R. Teo (TLS: 157), and Masaru Tateno (TLS: 153) separately had the strongest research collaboration with other researchers. Of all countries that published on hikikomori, Japan had the highest number of publications (K = 91). The keywords "United States" and "psychiatric diagnosis" received the most attention between 2013 and 2015, whereas "health" and "autism spectrum disorder" received the most attention in 2021 and 2022. CONCLUSIONS: Peer-reviewed research publications on hikikomori are growing rapidly and the research trends in this field are also changing.

[Impact of the type of hematopoietic stem-cell transplant on quality of life and psychopathology]. / A haematopoeticus ossejt-transzplantáció hatása az életminoségre és a pszichés tünetekre.

Background and purpose:

Despite the decrease in transplant-related mortality, patients who receive hematopoietic stem-cell transplants often suffer from short-and long-term morbidities, poorer quality of life, and psychosocial functioning deficits. Several studies have compared the quality of life and affective symptoms of patients after undergoing autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplants. Some studies have reported similar or greater quality of life impairments in allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell recipients, but the findings have been inconsistent. Our purpose was to examine the influence of the type of hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation on the quality of life and affective symptoms of patients.

The study sample comprised 121 patients with various hematological diseases who underwent hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation at St. István and St. László Hospitals, Budapest. The study had a cross-sectional design. Quality of life was evaluated using the Hungarian version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Bone Marrow Transplant scale (FACT-BMT). Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed using Spielberger’s State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Beck Dep­ression Inventory (BDI), respectively. Basic sociodemographic and clinical variables were also recorded. Comparisons between autologous and allogeneic recipients were analyzed using a t-test when the variables were normally distributed and a Mann–Whitney U test otherwise. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors that contributed to the quality of life and the affective symptoms in each group.

Quality of life (p=0.83) and affective symptoms (pBDI=0.24; pSSTAI=0.63) were similar between the autologous and allogeneic transplant groups. The BDI scores of allogeneic transplant patients indicated mild depression, but their STAI scores were similar to those of the general population. Allogeneic transplant patients with symptoms of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) experienced more severe clinical conditions (p=0.01), poorer functional status (p<0.01) and received more immunosuppressive treatment (p<0.01) than those without graft versus host disease. Patients suffering from graft versus host disease experienced more severe depression (p=0.01), and constant anxiety (p=0.03) than those without graft versus host disease. Quality of life was affected by depressive and anxiety symptoms and psychiatric comorbidity in both the alloge­neic and autologous groups.

Graft versus host disease-related severe somatic complaints seemed to influence the allogeneic transplant patients’ quality of life by inducing depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Use of the 33-Item Hypomania Checklist (HCL-33) to Distinguish Bipolar Disorder From Major Depressive Disorder in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BD) is often misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder (MDD) in older patients. This study examined the psychometric properties of the 33-item Hypomania Checklist (HCL-33) and its accuracy to differentiate BD from MDD among older adults. METHOD: A total of 215 depressed older patients were recruited; 107 were diagnosed with BD (71 with BD-type I and 36 with BD-type II) and 108 with MDD. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to explore the factor structure of the HCL-33. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to test the internal consistency. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to measure test-retest reliability. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to generate the optimal cut-off value to differentiate between BD and MDD. RESULTS: Two factors were identified in the PCA analysis accounting for 33.9% of the total variance. The Cronbach's alpha value for the HCL-33 was 0.912, with 0.922 for factor I and 0.664 for factor II. The test-retest reliability was excellent (ICC: 0.891). The optimal cut-off of the HCL-33 total score for discriminating between MDD and BD was 14, with a sensitivity of 88.8% and specificity of 82.4%. CONCLUSION: The HCL-33 had satisfactory reliability and validity and could be used to distinguish BD from MDD in older adults.

Sleep Disturbances and Their Association With Quality of Life in Older Psychiatric Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

AIMS: The negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep quality of clinically stable psychiatric patients is unknown. This study examined the prevalence of sleep disturbances and their association with quality of life (QOL) in clinically stable older psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This multicenter, cross-sectional study involved older patients attending maintenance treatment at outpatient departments of four major psychiatric hospitals in China. Patients' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. Sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and QOL were assessed with the Insomnia Severity Index, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and 2 items of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief version, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the independent associations of socio-demographic and clinical variables with sleep disturbances, while the association between sleep disturbances and QOL was explored with analysis of covariance. RESULTS: A total of 941 patients were recruited. The prevalence of sleep disturbances was 57.1% (95% CI: 53.9-60.2%). Analysis of covariance revealed that QOL was significantly lower in patients with sleep disturbances compared to those without. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sleep disturbances were positively and independently associated with more severe depressive symptoms (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.26-1.37). Compared to patients with major depressive disorder, those with other psychiatric diagnoses had a significantly higher prevalence of sleep disturbances (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.00-2.08). CONCLUSION: Sleep disturbances were common among clinically stable older psychiatric patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the negative association with QOL, this subpopulation needs regular assessment and timely treatment to reduce their sleep disturbances and improve their QOL.

Network Analysis of Depression, Anxiety, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Insomnia, Pain, and Fatigue in Clinically Stable Older Patients With Psychiatric Disorders During the COVID-19 Outbreak.

OBJECTIVES: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profound negative effects on the mental health of clinically stable older patients with psychiatric disorders. This study examined the influential nodes of psychiatric problems and their associations in this population using network analysis. METHODS: Clinically stable older patients with psychiatric disorders were consecutively recruited from four major psychiatric hospitals in China from May 22 to July 15, 2020. Depressive and anxiety syndromes (depression and anxiety hereafter), insomnia, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), pain, and fatigue were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire, General Anxiety Disorder, Insomnia Severity Index, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - Civilian Version, and Numeric Rating Scales for pain and fatigue, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 1063 participants were included. The network analysis revealed that depression was the most influential node followed by anxiety as indicated by the centrality index of strength. In contrast, the edge connecting depression and anxiety was the strongest edge, followed by the edge connecting depression and insomnia, and the edge connecting depression and fatigue as indicated by edge-weights. The network structure was invariant by gender based on the network structure invariance test (M = .14, P = .20) and global strength invariance tests (S = .08, P = .30). CONCLUSIONS: Attention should be paid to depression and its associations with anxiety, insomnia, and fatigue in the screening and treatment of mental health problems in clinically stable older psychiatric patients affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prevalence of Suicidality and its Association with Quality of Life in Older Patients with Clinically Stable Psychiatric Disorders in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

AIMS: The pattern of suicidality in older patients with psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic is not clear. This study examined the prevalence of suicidality and its association with quality of life (QOL) among older clinically stable patients with psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted from May 22 to July 15, 2020, among four major tertiary psychiatric hospitals in China. Suicidality was assessed by asking 3 standardized questions. Depressive symptoms, pain, and QOL were assessed with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-brief version, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 1063 clinically stable patients participated and completed the assessment. The prevalence of suicidality was 11.8% (95% CI: 9.9%-13.7%) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that poor treatment adherence (P = .009, OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.17-2.96) and perceived illness worsening during the COVID-19 outbreak (P = .02, OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.15-3.73), being diagnosed with major depressive disorder (P < .001, OR = 2.79, 95% CI: 1.68-4.64), PHQ-9 total score (P < .001, OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.15-1.24) and NPRS total score (P = .002, OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.06-1.29) were associated with higher risk of suicidality. After controlling for covariates, older psychiatric patients with suicidality had lower QOL compared to those without (F(1, 1063) =16.5, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Suicidality was common in older patients with clinically stable psychiatric disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering its negative impact on QOL and personal suffering, routine screening and preventive suicide measures should be implemented for older psychiatric patients.

Weekly patterns of suicide and the influence of alcohol consumption in an urban sample.

Background and purpose: The weekly fluctuation in suicide rates is influenced by several factors including sex, psychiatric illness and alcohol dependence. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of current alcohol use on suicid. Methods: Data on sex, date of death, results of blood and/or urine alcohol tests and history of alcohol dependence in suicide victims over the 1997-2002 period were retrieved from a forensic database in two cities in Chuvash Republic. Results: Over the six-year study period, 1,379 suicides were committed, 59% of them under the influence of alcohol. The peak incidence for men and women regardless of previous alcohol consumption was on Wednesdays and Mondays, respectively. The overall suicide rate was highest on Mondays and lowest on Thursdays. Both sexes were less likely to commit suicide during holidays than on weekends or workdays while intoxicated with alcohol. Conclusion: In this urban sample, the distribution of suicide across weekdays only partly followed the international pattern. The peak incidence of suicide showed sex difference, with the highest incidence for women on Mondays and for men on Wednesdays. The higher suicide rate on workdays might be accounted for by work-related stress, while the lower rate on weekends could be explained that people usually drink alcohol in the comforting company of family or friends, which reduces psychological tension and suicidal ideation. The majority of men consumed alcohol before committing suicide, regardless of the day of the week, while this observation was true for women only on Fridays and Sundays. Alcohol consumption greatly contributes to suicidal behavior in Chuvash Republic.

Sleep Disturbances and the Risk of Incident Suicidality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies.

OBJECTIVE: The association between sleep disturbances and suicidality is not well understood partly because of the variability in research results. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the predictive value of sleep disturbances for incident suicidality. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases for studies examining sleep disturbances and incident suicidality. Cohort studies were screened following a registered protocol, and the eligible ones were meta-analyzed. RESULTS: Seven studies comprising 1,570,181 individuals at baseline, with 1407 attempting suicide and 1023 completing suicide during follow-up, were included. Individuals with baseline sleep disturbances had a significantly higher incidence of suicidality than did those without (relative risk = 2.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.45-3.24, I2 = 82.50%, p < .001). The risk of an incident suicide attempt was 3.54-fold higher (95% CI = 3.07-4.09, I2 = 0%, p = .44), whereas the risk of incident completed suicide was 1.80-fold higher (95% CI = 1.32-2.44, I2 = 59.33%, p = .01) in individuals with baseline sleep disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: Incident suicide attempts and deaths are higher among people with sleep disturbances. Regular screening and preventive measures should be undertaken for people with sleep disturbances to prevent progression into suicide attempts and deaths.Clinical Trial Registration:CRD42019136397.

Oral health in patients with dementia: A meta-analysis of comparative and observational studies.

OBJECTIVE: Poor oral health is common in dementia, but findings of epidemiological studies have been inconsistent. This meta-analysis examined oral health in patients with dementia diagnosed according to standardized diagnostic criteria. METHODS: Six international databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) were searched from their commencement date until 8 November 2018. Oral health was measured by the Remaining Teeth (RT) and Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) Index. The mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of DMFT Index total and component scores were calculated using a random-effect model. RESULTS: Twenty-four studies were included for analyses. The pooled DMFT Index was 23.48 (95% CI: 22.34, 24.62), while the pooled score for each component was 2.38 (95% CI: 1.56, 3.20) in decayed teeth (DT), 18.39 (95% CI: 15.92, 20.87) in missing teeth (MT), 2.29 (95% CI: 0.62, 3.95) in filled teeth (FT), and 11.59 (95% CI: 9.14, 14.05) in RT. Compared to controls, people with dementia had significantly a higher DMFT Index total score (MD = 3.80, 95% CI: 2.21, 5.39, p < 0.00,001), and significantly lower number of RT (MD = -3.15, 95% CI: -4.23, -2.06, p < 0.00,001). Subgroup analyses revealed that higher DMFT Index score was significantly associated with year of survey (>2010), study design (case-control study), percentage of females (≤54.3), and the Mini Mental State Examination score (≤18.2). Higher MT score was significantly associated with study design (cross-sectional study), and lower FT score was significantly associated with year of survey (>2010). CONCLUSIONS: Oral health was significantly poorer in people with dementia compared with controls. Regular screening and effective treatment should be implemented for this population.

Prevalence of problematic Internet use and its association with quality of life among undergraduate nursing students in the later stage of COVID-19 pandemic era in China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of problematic Internet use (PIU) in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era is not known. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of PIU among baccalaureate nursing students (hereafter: nursing students) in the post-COVID-19 era. METHODS: A total of 1070 nursing students were consecutively invited to participate in this study from the nursing schools of five universities. PIU and quality of life (QOL) were assessed using the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), respectively. t Tests, χ2 , tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare basic demographic and clinical characteristics between participants with and without PIU. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine independent correlates. RESULTS: The prevalence of PIU was 23.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 20.7%-25.8%). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that second- (p = .024) and third-year (p = .012) students were more likely to suffer from PIU compared with first year students. Students with more severe depressive (p = .014) and anxiety symptoms (p = .011) were independently and significantly associated with more severe PIU. After controlling for covariates, nursing students with PIU had a lower overall QOL score (p = .002). CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Problematic Internet use (PIU) was common among nursing students in the post-COVID-19 era. Considering the negative impact of PIU on QOL and academic performance, regular screening should be conducted and effective interventions implemented for nursing students with PIU. This was the first study on the prevalence of PIU among nursing students in the post-COVID-19 era. The findings of this study could help health professionals and education authorities to understand the patterns of PIU and its influence on QOL among nursing students and to allocate health resources and develop effective measures to reduce the risk of PIU in this population.

Worldwide prevalence of suicide attempt in pregnant and postpartum women: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

PURPOSE: Past suicide attempts (SA) are a major contributor to suicide. The prevalence of SA in pregnant and postpartum women varied significantly across studies. Therefore, this meta-analysis was conducted to examine the prevalence of SA and its mediating factors in this population. METHODS: Relevant articles published in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Medline complete, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database (CNKI), Chinese Wanfang and Chongqing VIP database were systematically searched from inception to March 28, 2019. Titles, abstracts and full texts were reviewed independently by three researchers. Studies were included if they reported data on SA prevalence or provided relevant data that enabled the calculation of SA prevalence. Data were extracted by two researchers and checked by one senior researcher. The random-effects model was used to analyze data by the CMA 2.0 and Stata 12.0, with the high degree of statistical heterogeneity present. The primary outcomes were prevalence of SA with 95% CI during pregnancy and during the first-year postpartum. RESULTS: Fourteen studies covering 6,406,245 pregnant and postpartum women were included. The pooled prevalence of SA was 680 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval 0.10-4.69%) during pregnancy and 210 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval 0.01-3.21%) during the first-year postpartum. Data source was significantly associated with prevalence of SA in the subgroup analysis (pregnancy, p < 0.001; the first-year postpartum, p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of SA is not high in pregnant and postpartum women. Due to the potential loss of life and negative impact of SA on health outcomes, however, careful screening and effective preventive measures should be implemented for this population.

Hungarian Psychiatrists' Recognition, Knowledge, and Treatment of Catatonia.

DSM-5 introduced a number of modifications to the catatonic syndrome, which is now closer to Kahlbaum's original concept. The aim of the present study was to assess residents' and qualified psychiatrists' knowledge, experience and views about the treatment of catatonia in acute psychiatric care in Budapest, Hungary. Authors approached all psychiatric units that provide acute psychiatric care (N = 11) in Budapest and invited all psychiatrists and residents, who consented, to participate in the survey, completing a 13 items questionnaire. Ninety-eight fully qualified and trainee psychiatrists completed the questionnaire. Although 84.7% of the participants rated their knowledge of catatonia as moderate or significant, there were a number of obvious mistakes in their answers. Most catatonic signs and symptoms were not identified by almost 50% of the respondents and the frequency of catatonia was also underestimated. The views of the majority of the participants reflected the Kraepelinian concept, in which catatonia is primarily associated with schizophrenia. Although benzodiazepines are widely recommended as a first line treatment for catatonia, only 69.4% of participants chose them as a treatment option. In view of its clinical importance, catatonia deserves more attention in the education and training of medical students and psychiatric residents.

The Prevalence of Burnout and its Associations with Demographic Correlates and Quality of Life among Psychiatric Nurses in China.

This study examined the prevalence of burnout and its association with quality of life (QOL) among psychiatric nurses in China.Ten psychiatric hospitals were included. Burnout and QOL were measured using standardized instruments. Altogether, 1449 nurses completed the assessment. The mean scores of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA) were 11.87 (SD = 6.72), 6.98 (SD = 5.71) and 22.06 (SD = 8.67), respectively. Of the participants, 59.8% (95% CI: 57-62%) experienced burnout; with 23.3% (95% CI: 21-25%) in EE, 14.6% (95% CI: 13-16%) in DP and 45.1% (95% CI: 43-48%) in PA. Psychiatric nurses who reported burnout had lower QOL in social (F (1, 1448) = 86.20, P < 0.001), physical (F (1, 1448) = 170.46, P < 0.001), psychological (F (1, 1448) = 205.63, P < 0.001), and environmental (F (1, 1448) = 120.24, P < 0.001) domains. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that alcohol users (P = 0.04; OR = 1.29, 95%CI: 1.01-1.64 in model 1 and P = 0.03; OR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.04-1.69 in model 2) were significantly more susceptible to burnout, while senior nurses (P = 0.007; OR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.53-0.91) and nurses with longer work experience (P = 0.02; OR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.53-0.91) were less likely to develop burnout. Burnout is common in psychiatric nurses in China. In light of its negative impact on health and QOL, there is an urgent need for regular screening as well as effective preventive measures and interventions to reduce burnout within this at-risk occupational group.

The prevalence of agranulocytosis and related death in clozapine-treated patients: a comprehensive meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Clozapine treatment increases the risk of agranulocytosis, but findings on the epidemiology of agranulocytosis have been inconsistent. This meta-analysis examined the prevalence of agranulocytosis and related death in clozapine-treated patients. METHODS: A literature search in the international (PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE) and Chinese (WanFang, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Sinomed) databases was conducted. Prevalence estimates of agranulocytosis and related death in clozapine-treated patients were synthesized with the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis program using the random-effects model. RESULTS: Thirty-six studies with 260 948 clozapine-treated patients published between 1984 and 2018 were included in the meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of agranulocytosis and death caused by agranulocytosis were 0.4% (95% CI 0.3-0.6%) and 0.05% (95% CI 0.03-0.09%), respectively. The prevalence of agranulocytosis was moderated by sample size, study quality, year of publication, and that of data collection. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of clozapine-associated agranulocytosis is low. Agranulocytosis-related death appears rare.

Adjunctive Fluvoxamine for Schizophrenia: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: This was a meta-analysis of double-blind, randomized controlled trials that examined the therapeutic effects and tolerability of adjunctive fluvoxamine versus placebo for schizophrenia. METHODS: The Review Manager, Version 5.3, was used to analyze data. RESULTS: Five double-blind randomized controlled trials (N = 284) covering 145 patients on adjunctive fluvoxamine and 139 patients on placebo were included in the analyses. Meta-analyses of total psychopathology, and negative, positive, and depressive symptoms did not show significant differences between the fluvoxamine and placebo groups. Two studies examined the effects of adjunctive fluvoxamine on cognitive functioning with mixed findings. Fluvoxamine was superior over placebo in lessening weight gain and metabolic abnormalities. Although fluvoxamine led to more discontinuation, no significant group differences were found regarding adverse drug reactions. CONCLUSIONS: There was inconsistent evidence for the therapeutic effect of adjunctive fluvoxamine on cognitive functions and preliminary evidence for alleviating metabolic syndrome caused by clozapine. More studies are needed to explore further the effectiveness of adjunctive fluvoxamine for schizophrenia.

Comparison of Sleep Disturbances Between Older Nursing Home Residents in High- and Low-Altitude Areas.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study compared sleep disturbances between older adults living in nursing home located in high- and low-altitude areas and explored the association between sleep disturbances and quality of life (QoL). METHOD: In total, 207 participants living in a high-altitude area and 437 participants in a low-altitude area were included. Sleep disturbances (ie, difficulty in initiating sleep, difficulty in maintaining sleep, and early morning awakening) were measured using standardized questions. The independent demographic and clinical correlates of sleep disturbances in high-altitude area were examined using multiple logistic regression analyses. Each type of sleep disturbance was entered as the dependent variable separately, while those with significant group differences in the univariate analyses (ie, male gender, married status, age and depressive symptoms) were entered as independent variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of any type of sleep disturbances in the whole sample was 26.09%, with 41.54% in the high-altitude area and 18.76% in the low-altitude area. Physical, psychological, social, and environmental QoL domains were negatively associated with sleep disturbances in high-altitude area. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that male gender and married status were less likely to have sleep disturbances, while those with more severe depressive symptoms were more likely to have sleep disturbances in high-altitude area. CONCLUSION: Sleep disturbance is common among older nursing home residents in high-altitude areas. Considering the negative impact of sleep disturbance on QoL, regular screening and treatment strategies need to be developed directly for this population.