Prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder, its clinical characteristics and psychiatric comorbidities in patients admitted to a plastic surgery outpatient clinic.

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), its clinical features, and comorbidities in patients applying for plastic and reconstructive surgery. METHOD: Five-hundred and seventy nine participants who applied to the plastic and reconstructive surgery outpatient clinic completed a sociodemographic data form, and were subjected to the Body Perception Scale (seventy-nineBPS), Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS), TEMPS-A Temperament Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Participants who scored 135 or more on the BPS were included in a psychiatric interview. Next, the participants diagnosed with BDD were compared with participants with a high BPS scores but without a BDD diagnosis, along with a control group. RESULTS: The prevalence of BDD among all patients attending the plastic surgery outpatient clinic was found to be 4.7%, whereas the prevalence was 8.6% among those specifically seeking cosmetic procedures. The mean SAAS, BDI, TEMPS-A depressive, and anxious scores were higher in the BDD group compared to the controls (p < 0.001). The difference in the mean SAAS, BDI, TEMPS-A depressive, and anxious scores of the patients with a high BPS scores and the control group was comparable to the difference observed between the BDD and control groups. A regression analysis revealed that the SAAS and depressive temperament scores have an effect on the BPS score. CONCLUSION: The significantly high comorbidity of BDD in patients seeking plastic and reconstructive surgery underscores the importance of identifying these patients to prevent unnecessary surgical procedures.

Comparison of the Clinical and Treatment Characteristics of Patients Undergoing Electroconvulsive Therapy for Catatonia Indication in the Context of Gender.

The aim of this study was to compare in the context of gender both clinical diagnosis and disease-related differences and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)-related differences in data and efficacy in hospitalized patients with catatonic signs and symptoms. Data from 106 patients who received ECT with catatonia indication were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical data of male (n = 58) and female (n = 48) patients were compared. Hospitalization documents and outpatient files, sociodemographic and clinical data form, Clinical Global Improvement scores used by the ECT unit in the follow-up of patients who received ECT were used in the study. It was seen that the mean age of women at the onset of ECT was higher than in men and the presence of prolonged seizures was more common than men. In men, it was found out that the average number of sessions with the onset of clinical response to treatment was higher than the average of women. The distribution of diagnoses by gender showed that the presence of schizophrenia diagnosis in men and of bipolar disorder in women were significantly more frequent compared to the opposite sex. It was found out that there were no significant differences between genders in terms of response rate to ECT. Our study is important for being the first study in the literature investigating the gender differences in ECT used for catatonia. However, gender is not a distinctive factor in the effectiveness of treatment, there are some important differences between male and female patients showing signs and symptoms of catatonia and undergoing ECT.

Evaluation of IGF-1 as a novel theranostic biomarker for schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: In the current study, we aimed to investigate fasting plasma levels of glucose, insulin, growth hormone, IGF-1, and lipid profile in remission schizophrenia patients, treatment resistant schizophrenia patients and healthy controls and to determine whether IGF-1 levels can be used as a theranostic biomarker in schizophrenia. METHODS: Sixty-two patients under remission from schizophrenia, sixty-five treatment-resistant patients with schizophrenia and sixty-two healthy controls were included in the study. All patients were recruited and evaluated over 11 months. Symptoms at the time of evaluation were assessed twice using BPRS, PANSS, CGI, and GAF scales by an experienced psychiatrist in accordance with Andreaseen's remission criteria and TRIPS group resistance criteria. Blood samples were collected from all participants to determine fasting glucose, LDL, HDL, Triglyceride, Total Cholesterol, fasting, insulin, GH and IGF-1 levels. RESULTS: Fasting blood glucose levels were found to be higher in patients with schizophrenia than in healthy controls. Moreover, LDL levels of the treatment sensitive group were higher than that of the treatment resistant group while they were not significantly different from the healthy controls. IGF-1 levels were lower in the treatment sensitive group than in both treatment resistant and healthy control groups. IGF-1, LDL and age of disease onset were found to be significantly associated with treatment resistance in a regression model. DISCUSSION: In the present study, remitted patients with schizophrenia could be distinguished from treatment-resistant patients and healthy controls with serum IGF-1, fasting glucose and LDL levels. In addition, we found that smoking and age of disease onset together with IGF-1 levels could significantly predict resistance to treatment.

Evaluation of the effect of shift working and sleep quality on semen parameters in men attending infertility clinic.

We aimed to evaluate the effect of shift work on semen parameters together with the effect of sleep quality in men attending infertility clinic. The participants were divided into two groups as follows: 104 shift worker men (Group 1) and 116 nonshift worker men (Group 2). Groups were compared in terms of semen parameters, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores. A higher rate of oligozoospermia and poor sleep quality and a lower mean normal morphology percentage was observed in shift workers than nonshift workers (p = .006, .039 and .036 respectively). In addition, a positive correlation was seen between sleep duration and sperm concentration, while a negative correlation was found between sleep latency and total sperm count. Shift working together with high PSQI score was also a significant association with oligozoospermia when controlling for the other variables of age, total testosterone, DASS-21 stress score, smoking and varicocele (OR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.03-4.34 and OR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.01-1.39 respectively). In this study, infertile shift workers had a lower percentage of normal morphology and higher rates of oligozoospermia and poor sleep quality. Considering that shift workers have lower sleep quality, it seems that shift working negatively affects the circadian rhythm.

The association between neurocognitive functioning and clinical features of borderline personality disorder

Objective: To investigate the relationship between neurocognitive profiles and clinical manifestations of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Methods: Forty-five patients diagnosed with BPD and 35 healthy volunteers were included in the study. The BPD group was evaluated with the Borderline Personality Inventory for dissociative, impulsivity and suicidal dimensions. The Verbal Memory Processes Test and the Cambridge Neurophysiological Assessment Battery were administered to both the BPD and healthy control groups. Results: BPD patients differed from controls in sustained attention, facial emotion recognition, and deteriorated verbal memory function. A model consisting of the Dissociative Experiences Scale - Taxon (DES-T), motor impulsivity and Scale for Suicidal Behavior scores explained 52% of the variance in Borderline Personality Inventory scores. It was detected that motor impulsivity, decision-making and recognizing sadness may significantly predict DES-T scores, and response inhibition and facial emotion recognition scores may significantly predict impulsivity. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that the disassociation, impulsivity, and suicidality dimensions are sufficient to represent the clinical manifestations of BPD, that they are related to neurocognitive differences, and that they interact with clinical features.