A 6-month follow-up study on response and relapse rates following an acute trial of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with major depression.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the post-acute effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in patients with major depression. The present study focused on the 6-month follow-up of a sample of patients with major depression, after the completion of an acute 4 weeks rTMS trial, with the aim of evaluating response (in terms of sustained and late response) and relapse rates. METHODS: Following the completion of an acute trial of rTMS (T0-T4), 31 drug-resistant depressed patients (bipolar or unipolar) entered a naturalistic follow-up period of 6 months, with three timepoints (T5, T6, and T7) during which they were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Young Mania Rating Scale. RESULTS: Results showed that in the 6 months following an acute transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) trial, a higher rate of late responders was observed among previously acute TMS nonresponders (63.64%, 7 out of 11) compared to the rate of relapse among those who had acutely responded to TMS (10%, 2 out of 20). In addition, an overall high rate of maintained response (90%) was observed. CONCLUSION: Present findings seem to support the possibility of obtaining a clinical response also after the end of an acute TMS trial in patients with major depression. The concomitant low rate of relapse observed at the end of follow-up along with a high rate of maintained response provides further support to the post-acute efficacy of TMS. Nonetheless, further controlled studies, with larger samples and longer follow-up observation, are needed to confirm the reported results.

Exploring characteristics associated with first benzodiazepine prescription in patients with affective disorders and related diagnoses.

OBJECTIVE: In patients with affective disorders, benzodiazepines (BZDs) are frequently administered at the onset, sometimes inappropriately. We sought to identify clinical variables associated with first BZD prescription in a large sample of patients with affective disorders. METHODS: Four hundred sixty patients with mood or anxiety disorders attending different psychiatric services were assessed comparing those who received BZD as first treatment (BZD w/) and those who did not (BZD w/o). RESULTS: More than one third (35.7%) of the total sample had received BZDs as first prescription. In relation to mood disorders, BZD w/ subjects more frequently (a) had not a psychiatrist as first therapist, (b) had anxious symptoms at onset, (c) had adjustment disorder as first diagnosis, (d) were treated as outpatients. In relation to specific diagnoses, (a) personal decision of treatment for major depressive disorder, (b) outpatient status for bipolar disorder and (c) longer duration of untreated illness for adjustment disorder were more frequently associated with first BZD prescription. For anxiety disorders, the presence of stressful life events and the diagnoses of panic disorder or specific phobias were more frequently observed in BZD w/ patients. CONCLUSION: Patients with affective disorders frequently received BZDs as first prescription with significant differences between and within mood and anxiety disorders.

Shared Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Italian Case Report.

Shared obsessive-compulsive disorder (S-OCD) has seldom been reported in the literature, whereas shared psychotic disorder has been described since the end of 19th century. The aim of this report was to describe a case of S-OCD in a married couple. A 38-year-old OCD patient, after several pharmacological trials, eventually improved when a combination of escitalopram and risperidone was prescribed. During his symptoms' remission, his wife started developing the same OCD symptoms. She was prescribed escitalopram, but, given her inconsistent compliance, it was difficult to obtain full effectiveness of the pharmacological treatment. The case showed several common features with S-OCD. Obsessions and delusions could be considered as extremes of the same spectrum-an option recognized by the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition within the "OCD with poor insight" category-and S-OCD could represent the continuum between OCD and psychotic conditions. Additional investigation is required to better understand psychotic and nonpsychotic shared disorders.

Clinical characterization of Italian suicide attempters with bipolar disorder.

IntroductionBipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic, highly disabling condition associated with psychiatric/medical comorbidity and substantive morbidity, mortality, and suicide risks. In prior reports, varying parameters have been associated with suicide risk. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate sociodemographic and clinical variables characterizing Italian individuals with BD with versus without prior suicide attempt (PSA). METHODS: A sample of 362 Italian patients categorized as BD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM IV-TR) was assessed and divided in 2 subgroups: with and without PSA. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were compared between prior attempters and non-attempters using corrected multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). RESULTS: More than one-fourth of BD patients (26.2%) had a PSA, with approximately one-third (31%) of these having>1 PSA. Depressive polarity at onset, higher number of psychiatric hospitalizations, comorbid alcohol abuse, comorbid eating disorders, and psychiatric poly-comorbidity were significantly more frequent (p<.05) in patients with versus without PSA. Additionally, treatment with lithium, polypharmacotherapy (≥4 current drugs) and previous psychosocial rehabilitation were significantly more often present in patients with versus without PSA. CONCLUSIONS: We found several clinical variables associated with PSA in BD patients. Even though these retrospective findings did not address causality, they could be clinically relevant to better understanding suicidal behavior in BD and adopting proper strategies to prevent suicide in higher risk patients.

Prevalence of suicide attempt and clinical characteristics of suicide attempters with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a report from the International College of Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders (ICOCS).

OBJECTIVE: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with variable risk of suicide and prevalence of suicide attempt (SA). The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of SA and associated sociodemographic and clinical features in a large international sample of OCD patients. METHODS: A total of 425 OCD outpatients, recruited through the International College of Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders (ICOCS) network, were assessed and categorized in groups with or without a history of SA, and their sociodemographic and clinical features compared through Pearson's chi-squared and t tests. Logistic regression was performed to assess the impact of the collected data on the SA variable. RESULTS: 14.6% of our sample reported at least one SA during their lifetime. Patients with an SA had significantly higher rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders (60 vs. 17%, p<0.001; particularly tic disorder), medical disorders (51 vs. 15%, p<0.001), and previous hospitalizations (62 vs. 11%, p<0.001) than patients with no history of SA. With respect to geographical differences, European and South African patients showed significantly higher rates of SA history (40 and 39%, respectively) compared to North American and Middle-Eastern individuals (13 and 8%, respectively) (χ2=11.4, p<0.001). The logistic regression did not show any statistically significant predictor of SA among selected independent variables. CONCLUSIONS: Our international study found a history of SA prevalence of ~15% in OCD patients, with higher rates of psychiatric and medical comorbidities and previous hospitalizations in patients with a previous SA. Along with potential geographical influences, the presence of the abovementioned features should recommend additional caution in the assessment of suicide risk in OCD patients.

Differentiating multiple vs single lifetime suicide attempters with bipolar disorders: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The risk of suicide in Bipolar Disorder (BD) has been estimated up to 20-30 times higher compared with the general population. Previous suicide attempts (SAs) represent a well-established risk factor for further attempts and for death by suicide in patients with psychiatric disorders. However, little is known about the socio-demographic and clinical profile of BD patients with a history of multiple SAs (MSAs). The present study sought to characterize BD patients with MSAs versus single suicide attempt (SSA) within a large Italian sample. METHODS: An original sample of 354 bipolar patients, recruited at the University Clinic and related community services at the Department of Psychiatry, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico of Milan (Italy), was screened for the presence of previous SAs (n=95). Socio-demographic and clinical variables were then compared between patients with multiple vs single lifetime suicide attempts. RESULTS: Bipolar patients with MSAs versus SSA had longer bipolar illness duration (26.9±12.6 vs 21.2±12.8years; p=0.05), and more frequently lived alone (38.5% vs 17.2%; p<0.05), had more than one psychiatric comorbidity (39.3% vs 17.5%; p=0.04), and utilized substance ingestion (e.g., overdose) (78.6% vs 47.2%, p=0.009), although the latter was the most common suicide attempt method in both groups. CONCLUSION: Present findings suggest different socio-demographic and clinical characteristics in bipolar patients with MSAs versus SSA. Further investigation is needed to confirm reported data.

Italian patients with more recent onset of Major Depressive Disorder have a shorter duration of untreated illness.

BACKGROUND: Previous investigation on the duration of untreated illness (DUI) in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) revealed a different latency to first antidepressant treatment, with adverse consequences in terms of outcome for individuals with a longer DUI. Recent reports, moreover, documented a reduced DUI, as observed with the passage of time, in patients with different psychiatric disorders. Hence, the present study was aimed to assess DUI and related variables in a sample of Italian patients with MDD as well as to investigate potential differences in subjects with onset before and after 2000. METHODS: An overall sample of 188 patients with MDD was assessed through a specific questionnaire investigating DUI and other variables related to the psychopathological onset and latency to first antidepressant treatment, after dividing them in two different subgroups on the basis of their epoch of onset. RESULTS: The whole sample showed a mean DUI of approximately 4.5 years, with patients with more recent onset showing a significantly shorter latency to treatment compared with the other group (27.1±42.6 vs 75.8±105.2 months, P<.05). Other significant differences emerged between the two subgroups, in terms of rates of onset-related stressful events and benzodiazepine prescription, respectively, higher and lower in patients with more recent onset. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a significant DUI reduction in MDD patients whose onset occurred after vs before 2000, along with other relevant differences in terms of onset-related correlates and first pharmacotherapy. Further studies with larger samples are warranted to confirm the present findings in Italy and other countries.

Cognitive Performance in Euthymic Patients with Bipolar Disorder vs Healthy Controls: A Neuropsychological Investigation.

OBJECTIVES: Cognitive impairment may affect patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD) beyond the acute episodes, qualifying as a potential endophenotype. However, which cognitive domains are specifically affected in euthymic patients with BD and the potential influence of confounding factors (e.g., age and concomitant pharmacological treatment) are still a matter of debate. The present study was, therefore, conducted to assess cognitive performance across specific domains in euthymic bipolar patients, not older than 50 years (to avoid potential age-related bias) versus healthy controls (HCs). METHODS: A cognitive task battery, including the Wisconsin Card Test, Span Attention Test, Tower of London, Trail Making Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Matrices Scores and N-Back, was administered to 62 subjects (30 bipolar patients and 32 matched HCs) and differences between the groups analyzed. RESULTS: Bipolar patients performed significantly worse than HCs in the Span Forward task, in the expression of Verbal Fluency Test (Category) and in the N-Back task (all p<.05), with marginal differences between BD I and BD II patients. CONCLUSION: The present study pointed out significant differences in terms of cognitive performance between euthymic bipolar patients and HCs, supporting the notion that specific cognitive functions may remain impaired even after the resolution of the acute episodes in subjects suffering from BD. Future studies on larger samples are warranted to confirm the present results and further explore potential differences in cognitive impairment across specific bipolar subtypes.

Access and latency to first antipsychotic treatment in Italian patients with schizophrenia and other schizophrenic spectrum disorders across different epochs.

BACKGROUND: The duration of untreated illness (DUI) is a measure to express the latency to first psychopharmacological treatment: it differs among psychiatric disorders, being influenced by several illness-intrinsic and environmental factors. The present study aimed to assess differences in DUI and related variables in patients with schizophrenia (SKZ) versus other schizophrenic spectrum disorders (SSDs) across different epochs. METHODS: 101 SKZ or SSD patients were assessed with respect to DUI and related variables through clinical interview and questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients with SKZ showed earlier ages of onset, first diagnosis and first antipsychotic treatment compared with patients with other SSDs (F = 11.02, p < 0.001; F = 12.68, p < 0.001; F = 13.74, p < 0.001, respectively) who showed an earlier access to benzodiazepines than SKZ patients (F = 6.547; p < 0.05). Dividing the total sample by the epoch of onset (before 1978; between 1978-2000; after 2000) showed a significantly later age of onset in patients with onset within the two most recent epochs (F = 7.46; p < 0.001) and a reduced DUI across epochs (from 144 to 41 to 20 months, on average; F = 11.78, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Schizophrenic patients showed earlier onset and longer DUI compared with patients with other SSDs. Data on the total sample showed a later age of onset and a reduced DUI across epochs.

Reduced duration of untreated illness over time in patients with schizophrenia spectrum, mood and anxiety disorders.

AIMS: Psychiatric disorders represent highly impairing conditions, often underdiagnosed and undertreated, with a conspicuous duration of untreated illness (DUI). Given that social and cultural factors influence the DUI and assuming that progress in diagnosis and treatment determines a reduced latency to pharmacotherapy, we assessed and compared DUI and related variables in a large sample of psychiatric patients (n = 562) whose onset occurred within three different a priori-defined epochs. METHODS: Two temporal cut-offs were established - the year 1978, when Law 180 (redefining standards for mental care) was introduced in Italy, and the year 2000 - in order to divide patients into three subgroups: onset before 1978, onset 1978-2000 and onset after 2000. RESULTS: A significant difference in terms of age at onset, age at first diagnosis and age at first treatment was observed in patients with onset 1978-2000 and in those with onset after 2000. In addition, a significant reduction of the DUI was found across epochs (onset before 1978: 192.25 ± 184.52 months; onset 1978-2000: 77.00 ± 96.63 months; and onset after 2000: 19.00 ± 31.67 months; P < 0.001). Furthermore, the proportion of patients with onset-related stressful events, use of benzodiazepines and neurological referral was found to be significantly different between the three epochs (χ(2) = 23.4, P < 0.001; χ(2) = 9.92, P = 0.007; χ(2) = 16.50, P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Present data indicate a progressive, statistically significant reduction of latency to treatment and other related changes across subsequent epochs of onset in patients with different psychiatric disorders. Future studies will assess specific changes within homogeneous diagnostic subgroups.

Wake-promoting pharmacotherapy for psychiatric disorders.

Medications promoting wakefulness are currently used in psychopharmacology in different contexts and with different objectives. In particular, they may be used for the treatment of syndromes that primarily show significant impairment in alertness/wakefulness (e.g., excessive sleepiness and other sleep disorders) as well as for the symptomatic treatment of different neuropsychiatric disorders that, in turn, are not exclusively characterized by sleep-wake disturbances (like mood disorders, for instance). In addition, several psychotropic compounds, including some antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, and anxiolytics have well-established sedating side effects that may go beyond the therapeutic target and require the symptomatic use of wake-promoting agents. Even though such a clinical scenario reflects millions of individuals affected (alterations of wakefulness have a prevalence rate of 20-43% in the general population), relatively few pharmacotherapies are available, mainly including compounds with psychostimulating effects, such as methylphenidate, modafinil, and armodafinil and some amphetaminic agents. In light of their side effects and potential for abuse, such compounds have received FDA approval only for a limited number of psychiatric disorders. Nonetheless, their clinical application has recently become more widespread, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy, treatment-resistant depression, bipolar disorder, shift work sleep disorder, schizophrenia, and addictions. Wake-promoting agents have different mechanisms of action, peculiar clinical strengths and specific limitations, with novel drugs in the field under extensive investigation. The present review is aimed to provide an updated overview of the aforementioned compounds as well as investigational drugs in the field, in terms of mechanism of action, indications and use in clinical practice.

Augmentative transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in poor responder depressed patients: a follow-up study.

OBJECTIVES: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation technique that has received increasing interest in the area of mood disorders over the last several years. While acute, double-blind, sham-controlled studies have already reported positive findings in terms of efficacy and safety for tDCS, follow-up data are lacking. This need prompted the present follow-up study, which assesses post-acute effects of tDCS (no maintenance stimulation was performed), in the mid-term, in a sample of major depressives. METHODS: After completing an acute, open trial of tDCS, 23 outpatients with either major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder entered a naturalistic follow-up (T1) with clinical evaluations at one week (T2), 1 month (T3), and 3 months (T4). A quantitative analysis of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) total scores, through repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) (T1-T4) and paired t-test for comparing specific time points (T1-T2, T2-T3, and T3-T4), was performed. In addition, a qualitative analysis on the basis of treatment response and remission (HAM-D) was performed. RESULTS: Even though a progressive reduction of follow-up completers was observed from T2 to T4 (95.6% at T2, 65.2% at T3, and 47.8% at T4), the antidepressant effects of acute tDCS persisted over 3 months in almost half of the sample. Of note, no post-acute side effects emerged during the follow-up observation. The most frequent causes of drop-out from this study included major modifications in therapeutic regimen (30%) and poor adherence to follow-up visits (17%). CONCLUSIONS: In this mid-term, open, follow-up study, tDCS showed mixed results. Further controlled studies are urgently needed to assess its effects beyond the acute phase.

Characterizing impulsivity profile in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Impulsivity represents a key dimension in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), in relation to outcome and course. It can be assessed through the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), which explores three main areas: attentional, motor, and nonplanning. Present study was aimed to assess level of impulsivity in a sample of OCD patients, in comparison with healthy controls, using the BIS. METHODS: Seventy-five OCD outpatients, 48 of them having psychiatric comorbidities and 70 healthy controls, were assessed through the BIS, and their scores were analyzed using Student's t-test for independent samples, on the basis of demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: BIS total scores were significantly higher (P: 0.01) in patients compared to controls, with no difference between pure and comorbid patients. Attentional impulsivity scores were significantly higher than controls in patients with pure (P < 0.001) and comorbid OCD (P < 0.001), without differences among them. Patients with multiple OC phenotypes showed higher, though statistically non significant, total and attentional scores, compared to single phenotype patients. In addition, patients with comorbid major depressive disorder had higher, though statistically non significant, total and attentional scores, compared to patients with comorbid bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and other disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Present findings showed higher impulsivity levels in OCD patients versus controls, particularly in the attentional area, and ultimately suggest a potential cognitive implication.

Partial Response to Antidepressant Treatment: The Role of Nutraceutical Compounds.

Objective: Depression represents one of the most severe psychiatric disorders, characterized by low mood episodes, as well as loss of interest. Major Depressive Episodes (MDE) treatment relies primarily on monoaminergic prescriptions. However, although the presence of many antidepressant medications, their efficacy is still partial. A promising intervention to improve antidepressant treatment may be the use of adjunctive nutraceuticals. Aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of a N-Acetyl-cysteine, S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine and Folic acid's combination for the treatment of depressive symptoms in a sample of MDE patients. Method: Fifty outpatients with a MDE diagnosis in the context of different psychiatric disorders such as Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Anxiety disorders, and Personality disorders were recruited. The sample was divided into different groups based on the nutraceutical administration: a) concurrently with an AD (starter group); b) add-on to an already prescribed treatment; c) single treatment. Results: A significant reduction of CGI-Severity and Improvement scores from baseline to the end of treatment was found. Moreover, the starter group showed a significantly greater CGI-Improvement score compared to the other groups. Ninety-four percent of patients did not show any side effects. Conclusions: The present study showed promising results for the use of nutraceuticals in the add-on treatment of MDE. Those compounds may be considered a versatile, tolerable, and effective add-on treatment for the reduction of depressive symptoms impact and for improving the functioning of patients affected by MDE.

Antidepressants in bipolar disorder: Analysis of correlates overall, and in BD-I and BD-II subsamples.

BACKGROUND: Clinical therapeutic approaches to Bipolar Disorders (BDs) include diverse pharmacotherapies, targeting different symptomatic BD presentations. To date, guidelines about pharmacological treatment of BDs have focused on short-term treatment of mood episodes, at the expense of longer-term treatment, especially for (the most common) predominantly depressive polarity patients. METHODS: A database of BD-I and BD-II patients was collected between 2013 and 2019 at the University Psychiatric Clinic of Ospedale Policlinico and Ospedale Luigi Sacco of Milan. Only patients in euthymic phases (no current mood episode) were included in the study. We then analyzed socio-demographic and clinical characteristic overall and in the subgroup BD-I and BD-II, comparing patients taking vs. not taking ADs. RESULTS: Our results showed that approximately 1/3 of BD patients between acute episodes took ADs, also among patients from the subgroup with BD-I, especially those first presenting with a depressive episodes, and those with a most recent depressive (as opposed to elevated, irritable, or mixed) polarity episode. LIMITATIONS: Although patients included in our study were primarily in follow up for Bipolar Disorder, use of ADs could be explained by other comorbidities, such as Anxiety or Eating Disorders. CONCLUSIONS: These data shed light on how managing depressive symptoms is a very important aspect of treating BDs, highlighting the need for wider and more specific studies on the use of ADs in BDs.

Antipsychotic use in Northern Italian inter-episode bipolar disorder patients: considering both second- and first-generation agents.

Evidence supports increasing antipsychotic use in bipolar disorder, especially second-generation antipsychotics. However, data regarding first-generation antipsychotic contemporary use are limited. We studied 380 Northern Italian bipolar disorder inter-episode patients, grouped according to current antipsychotic use, stratified by bipolar subtype (BDI vs. BDII). Furthermore, we compared first-generation antipsychotic users vs. non-users. In our sample (n = 357), 81.8% were taking antipsychotics (74% second-generation antipsychotics, 24.1% first-generation antipsychotics), with antipsychotic use in BDI significantly more prevalent than in BDII (85.2% vs. 72.0%). Overall, antipsychotic users vs. non-users had higher rates of hypo/manic last episode, lifetime psychiatric hospitalization, psychosis, and current psychotropic use, but lower rates of anxiety disorder main comorbidity and current antidepressant use. First-generation antipsychotic use rates (30.3% in BDI vs. 6.5% in BDII) were associated with more frequently being unpartnered, having elevated first/last episodes, higher lifetime hospitalization, involuntary commitment, psychosis, and psychosocial rehabilitation rates, and more current psychotropic use, but lower Global Assessment Functioning scores and less current antidepressant use. Bipolar disorder patients had robust antipsychotic (second-generation antipsychotic > first-generation antipsychotic) use, consistently with previous reports. FGAs were still prescribed for a substantial group of patients, likely suffering from severe bipolar disorder. Prescriptions need to be monitored to assess their appropriateness and adherence to evidence-based recommendations.

Differential core pharmacotherapy in bipolar I versus bipolar II disorder and European versus American patients not in a syndromal episode.

Assess bipolar disorder subtype and treatment location effects on bipolar disorder core pharmacotherapy. Outpatients not in a syndromal episode referred to the University of Milan and Stanford University Bipolar Disorder Clinics were assessed with SCID for the fourth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mood Disorders, and the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder Affective Disorders Evaluation, respectively. Prevalence and clinical correlates of antidepressant, antipsychotic, and mood stabilizer use, in aggregate and individually, were compared in bipolar I (BDI) versus II (BDII) patients in Milan/Stanford and in Milan versus Stanford patients, stratified by subtype. Milan/Stanford pooled BDI versus BDII patients significantly more often took antipsychotic (69.8 versus 44.8%), mood stabilizers (68.6 versus 57.7%), and valproate (40.1 versus 17.5%), and less often took antidepressants (23.1 versus 55.6%) and lamotrigine (9.9 versus 25.2%). Milan versus Stanford patients (stratified by bipolar disorder subtype) significantly more often took antipsychotic (BDI and BDII), antidepressants (BDII), and valproate (BDII), and less often took lamotrigine (BDI). Research regarding bipolar disorder core pharmacotherapy relationships with bipolar subtype and treatment location is warranted to enhance clinical management.

Efficacy of oral trazodone slow release following intravenous administration in depressed patients: a naturalistic study.

BACKGROUNDS: Up to date, no studies in literature assessed the efficacy of a treatment schedule including i.v. trazodone followed by its oral administration. In light of this lack of evidence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of trazodone, administered first i.v. and then orally in a sample of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients. METHODS: Thirty four patients underwent i.v. administration of trazodone (75-100 mg in 250 mL of saline) for 1 week. During the second week, oral extended-release formulation (150-300 mg per day) was added to the i.v. administration. Finally, extended-release trazodone was orally administration at doses of 150-300 mg per day. Psychometric scales were performed at baseline (T0), after 2 weeks (T1), 6 weeks (T2), after 3 months (T3), and 6 months (T4). RESULTS: The total sample included 34 subjects (14 males and 20 females). There was a statistically significant decrease in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale total scores from T0 to T1 (t=9.06; df=33), from T1 to T2 (t=4.96; df=29), from T2 to T3 (t=4.08; df=19), and from T3 to T4 (t=2.25; df=19); in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale total scores from T0 to T1 (t=8.79; df=33) and from T1 to T2 (t=5.61; df=29); in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale total scores from T0 to T1 (t=9.30; df=33), from T1 to T2 (t=5.69; df=29), and from T2 to T3 (t=3.16; df=19). CONCLUSIONS: This finding confirms previous results on depression with concomitant anxiety symptoms: focusing on trazodone prolonged-release formulation, available data documented its efficacy in MDD.

Does initial use of benzodiazepines delay an adequate pharmacological treatment? A multicentre analysis in patients with psychotic and affective disorders.

It is established that delayed effective pharmacotherapy plays a significant role in the overall burden of psychiatric disorders, which are often treated with symptomatic drugs, that is benzodiazepines (BZDs), in relation to their rapid onset of action and safety, despite long-term side effects. We aimed to assess the influence of initial treatment with BZDs on the duration of untreated illness (DUI) and whether specific sociodemographic and clinical factors could influence the choice of BZDs as first treatment in 545 patients affected by schizophrenia, mood and anxiety spectrum disorders. Statistical analyses (one-way analysis of variance and χ) were carried out to compare patients who used BZDs as first treatment (BZD w/) and those who did not (BZD w/o). The overall DUI, irrespective of diagnosis, resulted in significantly longer in BZD w/ versus w/o patients, who also experienced more frequently anxious/depressive symptoms at onset. Furthermore, BZD w/ patients more frequently autonomously decided to look for treatment (mainly refering to psychologists or general practitioners) and experimented more frequently phobias, than BZD w/o ones. The present findings suggest that initial BZDs treatment may prolong the overall DUI, although their prescription seems to be influenced by specific sociodemographic and clinical factors. Further studies are needed to confirm the present findings.

Which factors influence onset and latency to treatment in generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Anxiety disorders are common, comorbid, and disabling conditions, often underdiagnosed and under-treated, typically with an early onset, chronic course, and prolonged duration of untreated illness. The present study aimed to explore the influence of sociodemographic and clinical factors in relation to onset and latency to treatment in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A total of 157 patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis of PD (n=49), GAD (n=68), and OCD (n=40) were recruited, and epidemiological and clinical variables were collected through a specific questionnaire. Statistical analyses were carried out to compare variables across diagnostic groups. PD, GAD, and OCD patients showed a duration of untreated illness of 53.9±81.5, 77.47±95.76, and 90.6±112.1 months, respectively. Significant differences between groups were found with respect to age, age of first diagnosis, age of first treatment, family history of psychiatric illness, onset-related stressful events, benzodiazepine prescription as first treatment, antidepressant prescription as first treatment, and help-seeking (self-initiated vs. initiated by others). Patients with GAD, PD, and OCD showed significant differences in factors influencing onset and latency to treatment, which may, in turn, affect condition-related outcome and overall prognosis. Further studies with larger samples are warranted in the field.