Inflammatory processes linked to major depression and schizophrenic disorders and the effects of polypharmacy in psychiatry: evidence from a longitudinal study of 279 patients under therapy.

Over the past 2 decades, polypharmacy has become the de-facto standard of acute treatment in psychiatry where patients with psychiatric disorders receive a multiple medication regimen. There is growing evidence for a potential link between major psychiatric disorders and inflammatory processes. Combining these two aspects aims at avoiding polypharmacy attempts among patients with inflammatory activation through alternative treatment strategies. In this study, we addressed the following questions: (1) to what extent can polypharmacy be explained through the factors "diagnosis", "previous history", "severity at baseline", "age", "gender", and "psychiatrist in charge"; (2) what are the differences between polypharmacy and monotherapy regarding efficacy and side effect profiles; and (3) what amount of between-patient variance is explainable by the natural antibody immunoglobulin M (IgM) within each diagnostic group. This naturalistic longitudinal study was comprised of 279 patients under therapy with a clinical diagnosis of depressive (ICD-10: "F3x.x"; n = 195) or schizophrenic disorders (ICD-10: "F2x.x"; n = 84). The study protocol included (1) assessment of previous history by the SADS Syndrome Check List SSCL-16 (lifetime version); (2) repeated measurements over 5 weeks assessing the time course of improvement by the Hamilton Depression Scale HAM-D and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale PANSS, along with medication and unwanted side effects through the Medication and Side Effects Inventory MEDIS; and (3) the collection of blood samples from which DNA and serum were extracted. The association between inflammatory response system and psychiatric disorders was detailed by fitting multi-layer Neural Net (NN) models to the observed data ("supervised learning"). The same approach was used to set up prediction models of side effects. Our data showed that polypharmacy was omnipresent. Yet the various polypharmacy regimens had no advantage over monotherapy: we even found slightly larger baseline score reductions under monotherapy, independent of primary diagnoses and for comparable baseline severities. Most patients experienced unwanted side effects. The close link between side effects and treatment regimen was revealed by a linear model in which the mere number of drugs explained a significant (p < 0.001) proportion of the observed variance. As to the inflammatory response system: For the F2 patients, our NN model identified a 22.5% subgroup exhibiting a significant correlation of r = 0.746 (p = 0.0004) between global schizophrenia scores and IgM levels, along with a correct prediction of response of 94.4%, thus explaining 55.7% of the observed between-patient variance. For the F3 patients, our NN model identified a 19.6% subgroup exhibiting a significant correlation of r = 0.644 (p = 0.00003) between global depression scores and IgM levels, along a correct prediction of response of 89.6%, thus explaining 41.4% of the observed between-patient variance. Polypharmacy is omnipresent in today's acute treatment of psychiatric disorders. Given the large proportion of patients with unwanted side effects and the strong correlation between side effects and the number of drugs, polypharmacy approaches are not equally suited for every patient. In terms of efficacy, there are no advantages of polypharmacy over monotherapy. Most notably, our study appears to have cleared the way for the reliable identification of a subgroup of patients for whom the inflammatory response system is a promising target of therapeutic intervention.

Prescription patterns in patients with schizophrenia in Japan: First-quality indicator data from the survey of "Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in psychiatric treatment (EGUIDE)" project.

BACKGROUND: Guideline for Pharmacological Therapy for Schizophrenia was published by the Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2015. "Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in psychiatric treatment (EGUIDE)" project aimed to standardize medical practice using quality indicators (QIs) as indices to evaluate the quality of medical practice. In this study, we have reported the quality indicator values of prescription before the beginning of the guideline lectures in the EGUIDE project to ascertain the baseline status of treating patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: A cross-sectional, retrospective case record survey was conducted, involving 1164 patients with schizophrenia at the time of discharge. We checked all types and dosage of psychotropic drugs. RESULTS: Forty-three percent of patients had antipsychotic polypharmacy, and substantial concomitant medication was observed (antidepressants; 8%, mood stabilizers: 37%, anxiolytics or hypnotics: 68%). CONCLUSIONS: In the results obtained in this study, we plant to report changes in the effectiveness of education in the EGUIDE project near the future.

The edges of human performance in psychiatry.

Developing a realistic multifactorial model of human performance in psychiatry will better inform interventions targeting clinician overwork and burnout, which contribute to risk and error in medicine. This heralds a new approach, allowing better detection by individuals, colleagues and automated systems, to responding to degraded performance in psychiatry.

The prevalence and odds of anxiety and depression in children and adults with hidradenitis suppurativa: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder. Previous studies have yielded divergent results on the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with HS. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this meta-analysis was to provide a pooled estimate of the prevalence and odds of depression/anxiety in patients with HS. METHODS: Search for and extraction of relevant literature without restrictions from 5 databases (Cochrane Database, EMBASE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Science Direct) were performed. Pooled meta-analyses were made by using random-effects models. RESULTS: Meta-analyses of 28 studies of depression in HS and 12 of anxiety showed a prevalence of 21% (95% CI [17-25]) of depression and 12% (95% CI [6-17]) of anxiety in patients with HS, with very wide variations in both cases. Analysis of case-control studies showed an association between depression and HS (odds ratio, 1.99 95% CI [1.63-2.43]) and between anxiety and HS (odds ratio, 1.97 95% CI [1.65-2.35]). LIMITATIONS: The results of this meta-analysis are conditioned by the limitations of the studies included and by differences in patient populations, methodologic approach, and data available. CONCLUSION: Patients with HS have a high burden of depression and anxiety. Our results show that clinicians need to be vigilant for the presence of depression or anxiety and to refer patients when appropriate.

Acne vulgaris and risk of depression and anxiety: A meta-analytic review.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown an association of acne vulgaris with depression and anxiety, but a quantitative review has not yet been conducted. OBJECTIVE: We sought to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis that elucidates the association of acne vulgaris with depression and anxiety. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of literature published before October 1, 2019 from the PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases was conducted. We used a metaanalytic approach to perform a random effects analysis comparing individuals with and without acne. Subgroup analyses between studies included age, study setting, and geographic region. RESULTS: Forty-two studies were included. We found a significant association of acne vulgaris with depression (r = 0.22 [95% confidence interval 0.17-0.26, P < .00001]) and anxiety (r = 0.25 [95% confidence interval 0.19-0.31, P < .00001]). Subgroup analyses and comparisons showed moderating influences based on factors including age, study setting, and geographic region. LIMITATIONS: Inconsistency between publications regarding acne and outcome ascertainment, data reporting, and studies with no control group posed considerable barriers to synthesizing all available published literature. CONCLUSIONS: Because of an increased risk for depression and anxiety, clinicians should pursue aggressive treatment of acne and consider psychiatric screening or referrals.

Predictors of Disagreement Between Diagnoses From Consult Requesters and Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry.

We evaluated disagreement between reported symptoms and a final diagnosis of depression, anxiety, withdrawal, psychosis, or delirium through regression models assessing individual and combined diagnoses. Highest disagreement rates were reported for services classified as others (88.2%), general surgery (78.5%), and bone marrow transplant (77.7%). Disagreement rates varied widely across different diagnoses, with anxiety having the highest disagreement rate (63.3%), whereas psychosis had the lowest disagreement rate (10.6%). When evaluating kappa coefficients, the highest agreement occurred with diagnoses of withdrawal and psychosis (0.66% and 0.51%, respectively), whereas anxiety and depression presented the lowest values (0.31% and 0.11%, respectively). The best-performing predictive model for most outcomes was random forest, with the most important predictors being specialties other than the ones focused on single systems, older age, lack of social support, and the requester being a resident. Monitoring disagreement rates and their predictors provides information that could lead to quality improvement and safety programs.

DSM-5. ¿La incorporación definitiva de la psiquiatría en la medicina? / DSM-5: the definitive inclusion of psychiatry in medicine?

DSM-5 is a significant factor in promoting the "remedicalization" of psychiatry as the focus of psychiatric knowledge, developed by the evidence-based medicine movement, shifted from the clinically-based biopsychosocial model to a research-based medical model. DSM-5 purposes are 1]clinical: diagnosis, prevention, early identification, management, outcome, assessment of improvement; 2] clinical research: etiology, course, effective treatments, cost-effective treatments, reliability and validity and utility of diagnosis; 3] a worldwide common language of diagnostic criteria used by mental health professionals; and 4] to improve communication with users of services, caregivers, and society in general. In the absence of a "gold standard" there are two basic questions still without answers 1] what kind of entities are psychiatric disorders?; and 2] How to integrate the multiple explanatory perspectives of psychiatric illness?.

[The 10-year findings from the FondaMental Academic Center of Expertise for Schizophrenia (FACE-SZ): Review and recommendations for clinical practice]. / Centres Experts Schizophrénie, un outil pour le soin et la recherche : retour sur 10 ans d'expérience.

OBJECTIVES: The present article is a synthesis of the first 10 years of follow-up of the FondaMental Academic Center of Expertise for Schizophrenia (FACE-SZ) cohort. METHODS: More than 700 community-dwelling stabilized subjects have been recruited and evaluated to date. The mean age was 32 years with 75 % males, the mean illness duration was 11 years, the mean age at illness onset was 21 years, the mean duration of untreated psychosis was 1.5 years and 55 % were current daily tobacco smokers. RESULTS: The major findings of the FACE-SZ cohort may be summarized as follows: the metabolic syndrome is twice more frequent in schizophrenia as compared to the general population and is not correctly assessed and treated; cognitive disturbances have been found in benzodiazepine consumers and in patients with chronic low-grade peripheral inflammation; major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common current comorbid condition in about 20% of the subjects at the evaluation. MDD is associated with impaired quality of life and with increased nicotine dependency in SZ daily tobacco smokers. Improving depression and negative symptoms may be the most effective strategies to improve quality of life in schizophrenia; the duration of untreated psychosis is much longer in cannabis smokers and in subjects with an age at illness onset<19 years. Adherence to treatment is diminished in subjects who report a subjective negative feeling after treatment intake independent of objective side effects (extrapyramidal syndrome and weight gain). Akathisia has been found in 18% of the subjects and has been associated with antipsychotic polytherapy. CONCLUSIONS: In the light of these results, some recommendations for clinical care may be suggested. The early detection of schizophrenia should be specifically increased in adolescents and/or cannabis smokers. All patients should be administered a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at the beginning of the illness and after stabilization under treatment. Improving metabolic parameters and lifestyle (diet and physical activity) should be reinforced. The benefit/risk ratio of benzodiazepine and antipsychotic polytherapy should be regularly reevaluated and withdrawn as soon as possible. If MDD remains underdiagnosed and undertreated, improving depression may strongly improve the quality of life of SZ subjects. In the end, Cognitive Remediation Therapy and anti-inflammatory strategies should be more frequently included in therapeutic strategies.

Drug-drug Interactions in Psychiatric Practice, Part 1: Reasons, Importance, and Strategies to Avoid and Recognize Them.

This column begins a series exploring drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with a special emphasis on psychiatric medications. As explained in this column, this topic is important for multiple reasons. First, a large percentage of the population is receiving psychiatric medications. Second, these patients are likely to be on multiple medications which means that they are at risk for an adverse DDI. Third, DDIs may occur but not be recognized even though they have significant health care consequences for the patient. Fourth, these consequences can range from a catastrophic outcome to more everyday clinical problems involving a myriad of presentations as enumerated in this column. Also discussed in this column is the fact that all drugs, including psychiatric medications, interact on the basis of their pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics rather than their therapeutic use. Therefore, psychiatric medications may interact with medications prescribed for nonpsychiatric reasons as well as with other psychiatric medications. Tables are included that explain reasons for multiple medication use and principles to follow to minimize the risk of adverse DDIs.

[Psychiatry and palliative care, collaboration for the benefit of the patient]. / Psychiatrie et soins palliatifs, une collaboration au service du patient.

As palliative care units continue to develop, the provision of end-of-life care for patients with a chronic mental illness needs to be addressed. Aside from the somatic comorbidities to which these patients are particularly exposed and in view of the specificity of psychiatric treatment, the forms of end-of-life support for a patient with schizophrenia are described here, based on the experience of a psychiatric unit in the Var region.

Transtornos psiquiátricos na medicina estética: a importância do reconhecimento de sinais e sintomas / Psychiatric disorders in aesthetic medicine: the importance of recognizing signs and symptoms

Transtornos psiquiátricos são amplamente evidenciados em pacientes que buscam tratamentos estéticos. Apesar de não configurarem necessariamente uma contraindicação para a realização de procedimentos, o reconhecimento desses sintomas pelo profissional tende a contribuir para o fortalecimento da relação profissional-paciente e para um melhor prognóstico, reduzindo as chances de insatisfação, complicações e agravos nos sintomas psiquiátricos, além de evitar complicações legais. No presente artigo, os transtornos psiquiátricos mais comuns no domínio cosmético e estético foram apresentados e discutidos, assim como as orientações para o reconhecimento de sintomas e de manuseio destes pacientes por profissionais de saúde.

Psychiatric disorders are widely reported in patients seeking aesthetic treatments. Although they are not necessarily a contraindication for procedures, the recognition of these symptoms by the professional tends to strengthen the professional-patient relationship, thus leading to a better prognosis. This reduces the chances of dissatisfaction, complications, and aggravation of psychiatric symptoms, in addition to avoiding legal complications. In this article, the most common psychiatric disorders arising in cosmetic and aesthetic treatment are presented and discussed, as well as guidelines for recognizing the symptoms and managing these patients.

Educational needs of epileptologists regarding psychiatric comorbidities of the epilepsies: a descriptive quantitative survey.

Psychiatric disorders are relatively frequent comorbidities in epilepsy and they have an impact on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. This is a report from the Task Force on Education of the ILAE Commission on Neuropsychiatry based on a survey about educational needs of epileptologists regarding management of the psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy. The Task Force designed a quantitative questionnaire to survey the self-perceived confidence of child and adult epileptologists and psychiatrists in managing major psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy to identify: (1) critical areas of improvement from a list of skills that are usually considered necessary for effective management of these conditions, and (2) the preferred educational format for improving these skills. A total of 211 respondents from 36 different countries participated in the survey. Confidence and usefulness scores suggest that responders would most value education and training in the management of specific clinical scenarios. Child neurologists identified major Axis I disorders, such as mood and anxiety disorders, while adult neurologists identified attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder as key areas. Both adult and child neurologists identified screening skills as the priority. Psychiatrists mainly valued specific training in the management of psychiatric complications of epilepsy surgery or psychiatric adverse events of antiepileptic drugs. Sessions during congresses and face-to-face meetings represent the preferred educational format, while e-learning modules and review papers were chosen by a minority of respondents. Results of this survey identify key areas for improvement in managing the psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy and suggest specific strategies to develop better training for clinicians involved in epilepsy care.

Application of network methods for understanding mental disorders: pitfalls and promise.

Galvanized with the availability of sophisticated statistical techniques and large datasets, network medicine has emerged as an active area of investigation. Following this trend, network methods have been utilized to understand the interplay between symptoms of mental disorders. This realistic approach that may provide an improved framework into understanding mental conditions and underlying mechanisms is certainly to be welcomed. However, we have noticed that symptom network studies tend to lose sight of the fundamentals, overlook major limitations embedded in study designs, and make inferences that are difficult to justify with current findings. There is concern that disregarding these flaws may halt the progress of the network approach in psychiatry. Therefore, in this paper, we first attempt to identify the pitfalls: (1) a reductionist understanding of medicine and psychiatry, thereby inadvertently reintroducing the dichotomy of medicine (lung cancer) and psychiatry (depression), (2) a shortsighted view of signs and symptoms, (3) overlooking the limitations of available datasets based on scales with embedded latent class structures, (4) overestimating the importance of the current findings beyond what is supported by the study design. By addressing current issues, the hope is to navigate this rapidly growing field to a more methodologically sound and reproducible path that will contribute to our understanding of mental disorders and its underlying mechanisms.

[On the legalization debate of non-medical cannabis consumption : Position paper of the German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics]. / Zur Legalisierungsdebatte des nichtmedizinischen Cannabiskonsums : DGPPN-Positionspapier.

Calls are increasing for the legalization of cannabis. Some legal experts, various politicians, political parties and associations are demanding a change in drug policy. The legalization debate is lively and receiving wide coverage in the media. The German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN) comments on the most important questions from a medical scientific perspective: can cannabis consumption trigger mental illnesses, what consequences would legalization have for the healthcare system and where is more research needed?

Psychiatry and the dying prisoner.

Due to the growing number of ageing prisoners in the American correctional system, penal institutions are increasingly caring for patients with chronic and potentially terminal medical conditions. To address this problem states have attempted sentencing reform initiatives and adopted compassionate release programmes; however, these efforts have failed to significantly reduce the number of elderly or seriously ill inmates. Correctional mental health services are now called upon to aid in the care of prisoners at the end of life. This article presents the common elements of prison hospice programmes and the role psychiatry plays in this multidisciplinary effort. The right-to-die movement holds future implications for correctional mental health professionals. The historical and legal background of this international movement is presented with particular attention given to landmark cases and statutes protecting institutionalized patients.

A Prescription for "Deprescribing" in Psychiatry.

The term "deprescribing," initially coined in geriatric medicine, describes a process of pharmacologic regimen optimization through reduction or cessation of medications for which benefits no longer outweigh risks. Burgeoning rates of polypharmacy, growing appreciation of long-term adverse effects, and a focus on patient-centered practice present specific indications for deprescribing in psychiatry. A strong therapeutic alliance, appropriate timing, and consideration of the meaning of medication for the patient must accompany the following established elements: review of all medications, identification of medications that could be ceased or reduced, collaborative planning of the deprescribing regimen, and provision of review and support to the patient and caregivers. The authors discuss how deprescribing might be adapted for and implemented in psychiatry, identify potential barriers, and make recommendations for future directions.