Sensitivity and specificity of the Distress Thermometer for depression in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Receiving a new diagnosis of breast cancer is a distressing experience that may precipitate an episode of major depressive disorder. Efficient screening methods for detecting depression in the oncology setting are needed. This study evaluated the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) of the single-item Distress Thermometer (DT) for detecting depression in women newly diagnosed with Stage I-III breast cancer. METHODS: We assessed 321 patients (of 345 consecutive patients) at the time of their pre-surgical consultation at a Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program. Patients were administered the DT along with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-Item Depression Module (PHQ-9) as a gold standard diagnostic assessment of depression status. RESULTS: Mean DT scores (11-point scale, 0-10) were significantly higher for depressed versus non-depressed patients (8.1 versus 4.4). In ROC analyses the DT showed strong discriminatory power relative to the PHQ-9-derived diagnosis of depression, with an area under the curve of 0.87. Patient age, education, marital status and stage of disease resulted in similar operating characteristics. A score of 7 represented the optimal trade-off between sensitivity (0.81) and specificity (0.85) characteristics for detecting depression. CONCLUSIONS: The single-item DT performs satisfactorily relative to the PHQ-9 for detecting depression in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. A cutoff score of 7 on the DT possesses the optimal sensitivity and specificity characteristics. The strength of these findings suggests that a careful psychosocial evaluation should follow a positive screen.

Methylphenidate and Memory and Attention Adaptation Training for Persistent Cognitive Symptoms after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

The purpose of this multicenter, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of two cognitive rehabilitation interventions (Memory and Attention Adaptation Training (MAAT) and Attention Builders Training (ABT)), with and without pharmacological enhancement (ie, with methylphenidate (MPH) or placebo), for treating persistent cognitive problems after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Adults with a history of TBI at least 4 months before study enrollment with either objective cognitive deficits or subjective cognitive complaints were randomized to receive MPH or placebo and MAAT or ABT, yielding four treatment combinations: MAAT/MPH (N=17), ABT/MPH (N=19), MAAT/placebo (N=17), and ABT/placebo (N=18). Assessments were conducted pre-treatment (baseline) and after 6 weeks of treatment (post treatment). Outcome measures included scores on neuropsychological measures and subjective rating scales. Statistical analyses used linear regression models to predict post-treatment scores for each outcome variable by treatment type, adjusting for relevant covariates. Statistically significant (P<0.05) treatment-related improvements in cognitive functioning were found for word-list learning (MAAT/placebo>ABT/placebo), nonverbal learning (MAAT/MPH>MAAT/placebo and MAAT/MPH>ABT/MPH), and auditory working memory and divided attention (MAAT/MPH>ABT/MPH). These results suggest that combined treatment with metacognitive rehabilitation (MAAT) and pharmacotherapy (MPH) can improve aspects of attention, episodic and working memory, and executive functioning after TBI.

Posttraumatic stress disorder in primary care: prevalence and relationships with physical symptoms and medical utilization.

OBJECTIVE: This study estimates the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and describes the relationships among PTSD status and health indices in a civilian primary care patient sample. METHODS: Participants (N = 232) completed a paper-and-pencil survey of life events, PTSD symptoms, physical symptoms and health functioning. Utilization was assessed from medical records. RESULTS: Nine percent of the participants met the criteria for full PTSD (based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria) and another 25% were defined as partial PTSD. The full-PTSD group evidenced higher rates of medical utilization, more intense physical symptoms and poorer health functioning than the no-PTSD group. The partial-PTSD group more closely resembled the full-PTSD group. CONCLUSIONS: This study, although limited by sample size and diagnosis by questionnaire vs. diagnostic interview, suggests research directions for enhancing our understanding of PTSD among civilian primary care patients and for developing appropriate interventions that can be conducted in the primary care setting.

Distress, psychiatric syndromes, and impairment of function in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Emotional distress and psychiatric syndromes are prevalent in the breast cancer population at large. However, to date there is a paucity of literature specifically concerning presurgical breast cancer patients. METHODS: The authors assessed 236 newly diagnosed patients at the time of their presurgical consultation at the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. RESULTS: Of patients in this study, 41% rated their distress in the clinically significant range on the Distress Thermometer (ie, >5, 0-10 scale). Nearly one-half (47%) of patients met established thresholds for positivity on 1 or more screens for distress or psychiatric disorders. Prevalence rates were 11% for major depression (60% of these patients were moderately severe to severely depressed) and were 10% for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Emotional symptoms markedly interfered with daily function in both groups. Of depressed patients, 56% were already taking a psychotropic medication, yet they still met screening criteria for major depression. CONCLUSIONS: Emotional distress and psychiatric syndromes (major depression and PTSD) were prevalent in this population. Markedly impaired function was evident for both depressed and PTSD patients. Future research should refine current screening procedures and develop interventions to better address emotional distress and psychiatric disorders in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

Exposure utilization and completion of cognitive behavioral therapy for PTSD in a "real world" clinical practice.

This study assessed rates of imaginal exposure therapy (ET) utilization and completion of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a clinical setting and examined variables associated with CBT completion. Using a clinical definition, the completion rate of CBT was markedly lower than rates reported in randomized trials. CBT completion was inversely related to severity of overall pretreatment measures of PTSD, avoidance, hyperarousal, depression, impaired social functioning, and borderline personality disorder. Regression yielded avoidance and depression as unique predictors of completion. Most dropouts occurred before starting imaginal ET, although initiating ET was associated with greater likelihood of completion. Results highlight methodological differences between research and practice notions of treatment completion and the need for further study of variables influencing CBT completion in practice settings.

Treatment of late-onset OCD following basal ganglia infarct.

Current consensus on the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in the form of exposure and response prevention (ERP). However, the generalizability of these methods to elderly populations remains largely undocumented. This clinical case study examines the effectiveness of medications and intensive, inpatient ERP in an elderly patient with onset of OCD following basal ganglia infarcts. There was a dramatic reduction from baseline to follow-up in both obsessions and compulsions with Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale [YBOCS; Goodman et al., 1989] total scores decreasing by over 20 points. These gains were maintained up to 1 year post-treatment. Age-specific issues and the application of standard therapeutic methods to elderly clients are discussed.