Impact of state and trait anxiety severity on retention and phase advancement in an outpatient buprenorphine treatment program.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Comorbid anxiety is common among buprenorphine patients and may lead to poorer outcomes. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and impact of anxiety severity, measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) form Y-1 & Y2 scale, on treatment outcomes (retention and phase advancement) among outpatient buprenorphine-treated patients. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 94 patients admitted to an outpatient buprenorphine treatment program was conducted. Patients were dichotomized into high and low severity groups based upon an STAI State Anxiety (S-Anxiety) and STAI Trait Anxiety (T-Anxiety) score ≥60 and <60, respectively. Associations of anxiety severity on successful phase advancement and retention during the first 90 days of treatment were assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-one of 94 (22%) participants reported high S-Anxiety and had a significantly greater likelihood of phase advancement (OR = 12.80, 95% CI = [1.19, 136.71]) than those with low S-Anxiety. No significant associations were found between either S-Anxiety or T-Anxiety and treatment retention. Current alcohol use and UDS negative test results for THC or amphetamines were each associated with phase advancement. THC negative UDS test results were associated with 90-day treatment retention. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to prior reports, buprenorphine patients with higher state anxiety severity demonstrated similar retention and more rapid phase advancement than those with lower state anxiety severity. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: To our knowledge, this is the first study to quantify current anxiety severity using the STAI scale and evaluate its impact on treatment outcomes among buprenorphine-treated patients.

Catatonia with Psychosis in an 8-Year-Old Child: A Case Report and a Literature Review.

Objective: We present a narrative review of pediatric catatonia and a case report illustrating the complexity of management of psychosis in a child with catatonia. Method: The literature search used the text terms pediatric, catatonia, and antipsychotics and the search engines PubMed and EBSCO. All references from peer-reviewed journals were reviewed for treatment strategies specific to management in children who are also psychotic. Findings. This 8-year-old girl presented with psychotic symptoms which were initially treated with antipsychotics and evolved into life-threatening catatonia that was eventually stabilized with a total daily dose of 46 mg of lorazepam. Lower doses led to recurrence. Once catatonia improved, she tolerated combined benzodiazepine and antipsychotic treatment. Long-term maintenance over 5 years required maintenance treatment with both benzodiazepines and antipsychotics to prevent relapse. Conclusions: The extraordinary doses of benzodiazepines found to be optimal for management of catatonia in this child led to improved alertness and orientation, without evident sedation. Catatonia did not recur with later management of psychosis using neuroleptics when added to lorazepam. The current literature on pediatric catatonia does not provide guidance on dose maintenance or when and if to rechallenge with antipsychotics.

Leveraging the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to Curb Opioid Prescribing in Arkansas.

Effective means of accurately identifying problematic opioid prescribing are needed. Using an iterative approach with the Arkansas State Medical Board Pain Subcommittee, we modified existing opioid prescriber criteria to create seven metrics to be deployed in Arkansas. These included metrics of dose and days' supply, concomitant use of opioid and benzodiazepines, solid dosage units, and numbers of opioid patients and certain opioid prescriptions. Two of these metrics (average MME daily dose per prescription and total oxycodone 30 mg or hydromorphone prescriptions) were weighted by 2, creating a maximum score of 9 of which each prescriber could receive. Twenty prescribers with a score of 7 or greater were identified and referred to the Arkansas State Medical Board Pain Subcommittee for review and subsequent investigation if deemed necessary. Of those 20 prescribers, four were previously investigated and under disciplinary action, and three were under current investigation for misconduct related to prescribing practices. Five prescribers had new investigations opened due to the findings from the metrics, and disciplinary action was taken. Therefore, 12 of the 20 prescribers referred to the Arkansas State Medical Board were deemed worthy of investigation and disciplinary action. The Arkansas opioid prescriber metrics are able to accurately identify prescribers with potentially problematic opioid prescribing.