Effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for comorbid depression and anxiety in pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial.

Pregnant women are at high risk of mood and anxiety disorders, and options for non-pharmacological treatment are limited. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has strong evidence among people with mood and anxiety disorders, but limited studies reported the effectiveness of MBCT on perinatal comorbid conditions. This study aimed to examine the effects of an 8-week MBCT intervention on pregnant women with comorbid depression and anxiety. In this randomized controlled study, 38 pregnant women with a diagnosis of depression and varying levels of comorbid anxiety disorders were randomly assigned to either MBCT or a control group. Scores on the Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and Scales of Psychological Wellbeing were used as outcome measures at baseline, after MBCT, and through 1-month follow-up. Intent to treat analyses provided preliminary evidence that MBCT can be effective in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms and in enhancing the use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies and psychological well-being. Improvements in outcomes were maintained 1 month. Results provide cross-cultural support for MBCT as a treatment for depression and anxiety in pregnant women. This brief and non-pharmacological treatment can be used to improve maternal psychological health.

Inclusion of the fracture level in short segment fixation of thoracolumbar fractures.

Short segment posterior fixation is the preferred method for stabilizing thoracolumbar fractures. In case of significant disruption of the anterior column, the simple short segment construct does not ensure adequate stability. In this study, we tried to evaluate the effect of inclusion of the fractured vertebra in short segment fixation of thoracolumbar fractures. In a prospective randomized study, eighty patients with thoracolumbar fractures treated just with posterior pedicular fixation were randomized into two groups receiving either the one level above and one level below excluding the fracture level (bridging group), or including the fracture level (including group). Different clinical and radiological parameters were recorded and followed. A sum of 80 patients (42 patients in group 1 and 38 patients in group 2) were enrolled in the study. The patients in both the groups showed similar clinical outcome. There was a high rate of instrumentation failure in the "bridging" group. The "bridging" group showed a mean worsening (29%) in kyphosis, whereas the "including" group improved significantly by a mean of 6%. The significant effect of the "including" technique on the reduction of kyphotic deformity was most prominent in type C fractures. In conclusion, inclusion of the fracture level into the construct offers a better kyphosis correction, in addition to fewer instrument failures, without additional complications, and with a comparable-if not better-clinical and functional outcome. We recommend insertion of screws into pedicles of the fractured thoracolumbar vertebra when considering a short segment posterior fixation, especially in Magerl type C fractures.

Comparison Between Acrylic Cage and Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Cage in Single-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, single-blind randomized-controlled clinical study. OBJECTIVE: To compare polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage with a novel Acrylic cage to find out which fusion cage yielded better clinical outcomes following single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: ACDF is considered a standard neurosurgical treatment for degenerative diseases of cervical intervertebral disks. There are many options, including bone grafts, bone cement, and spacers made of titanium, carbon fiber, and synthetic materials, used to restore physiological disk height and enhance spinal fusion, but the ideal device, which would provide immediate structural support and subsequent osteointegration and stability, has not been identified yet. To overcome this, we designed a new, inexpensive Acrylic cage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 64 patients were eligible to participate and were randomly allocated to undergo ACDF either with Acrylic interbody fusion cage filled with bone substitute (n=32) or PEEK cage (n=32). Nurick's grading was used for quantifying the neurological deficit. Clinical and radiologic outcome was assessed preoperatively, immediately after surgery, and subsequently at 2, 6, and 12 months of follow-up using Odom's criteria and dynamic radiographs (flexion-extension) and computed tomography scans, respectively. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant improvement in the clinical outcomes of the Acrylic cage group compared with the PEEK cage group (mean difference: -0.438; 95% confidence interval, -0.807 to -0.068; P=0.016). There was a statistically significant difference in disk space height increase between the 2 groups at the 6- and 12-month follow-up. The Acrylic cage achieved higher fusion rate (good fusion) than the PEEK cage (96.9% vs. 93.8%). Intervertebral angle demonstrated a significant difference among the 2 treated groups throughout the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the use of Acrylic cage is associated with good clinical and radiologic outcomes and it can be therefore a good substitute for bone graft and other cages in ACDF.

Comparison of the efficacy of azathioprine and rituximab in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) often follows a relapsing course. As disability in NMOSD is attack-related, effective treatments are needed. We aimed to compare the efficacy of azathioprine (AZA) and rituximab (RIT) as maintenance therapy in NMOSD patients. An open, randomized clinical trial was conducted during September 2015 to December 2016, in Isfahan, Iran. Initially, 100 NMOSD patients were approached, 86 entered the study, and 68 cases completed the trial. All patients had a relapsing-remitting course with expanded disability extended scale (EDSS) ≤7 (median 2.75, range = 0-7). Patients were randomized into two groups, which did not differ according to age, gender distribution, and disease duration. In the AZA group, 35 patients [20 aquaporin-4 (AQP4)-IgG positive] were started on 50 mg/day oral AZA and increased to 2-3 mg/kg/day (with oral prednisolone as adjunctive therapy). In the RIT group, 33 patients (13 aquaporin-4-IgG positive) received 1 g intravenous rituximab and repeated 2 weeks later and then every 6 months. Annualized relapse rate (ARR) was measured as the primary outcome and EDSS as the secondary outcome after 12 months of intervention. The mean ARR [standard deviation (SD)] in the AZA group decreased from 1 (0.38) to 0.51 (0.55) (P value <0.001) and in the RIT group decreased from 1.30 (0.68) to 0.21 (0.42) (P value <0.001). ARR after intervention minus ARR before intervention [mean (SD)] was 1.09 (0.72) in RIT group and 0.49 (0.59) in AZA group (P value <0.001). EDSS after intervention minus EDSS before intervention [mean (SD)] was 0.98 (1.14) in RIT group and 0.44 (0.54) in AZA group (P value <0.001). Nineteen patients (54.3%) in AZA group and 26 patients (78.8%) in RIT group became relapse-free after intervention (P value = 0.033). AZA and RIT can both effectively decrease ARR and EDSS in NMOSD patients. RIT was significantly more effective than AZA treatment. Trial Registration Name of registry: clinicaltrials.gov; ID: NCT03002038; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03002038 .