ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Suicide is one of the most largely preventable causes of death worldwide. The aim of the STRONG study is to assess the effectiveness of a specific intervention (an extended Safety Planning Intervention) called iFightDepression-SURVIVE (iFD-S) in suicidal attempters by changes in psychosocial functioning. As secondary outcomes, quality of life, cognitive performance, clinical state and neuroimaging correlates will be considered. OBJECTIVE: To describe the rationale and design of the STRONG study, an extension of the SURVIVE study, a national multicenter cohort about on prevention in suicidal attempters. METHODS: The STRONG study is a two-year clinical trial. A total sample of 60 patients will be randomly allocated to two arms: a group will receive a iFD-S and treatment as usual (TAU) (n=30 treatment group), while another group will exclusively receive TAU (n=30 control group). There will be three study points: baseline; 3-month; and 6-month follow-up assessments, all of which will include rater-blinded evaluation of psychosocial functioning, quality of life, clinical state, cognitive performance and neuroimaging acquisition. RESULTS: It is expected to obtain data on the efficacy of iFD-S in patients who have committed a suicide attempt. CONCLUSION: Results will provide insight into the effectiveness of IFD-S in suicidal attempters with respect to improvements in psychosocial functioning, quality of life, cognition, and neuroimaging correlates. CLINICAL TRIALS ID: NCT05655390.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Even though an increase in the number of hospital admissions for manic and depressive periods at certain times of the year is reported in bipolar disorder (BD), mood symptoms do not show a seasonal variation. We aimed to find out the possible causes of increased hospital admissions of BD patients in certain periods of the year. METHODS: The study was carried out in four centers in Turkey. The patient group consisted of 41 persons with a diagnosis of BD in remission. The healthy control (HC) group consists of 37 persons. The selected evaluation times are fall equinox (September 23), spring equinox (March 21), summer solstice (June 21) and winter solstice (December 21). For mood symptoms, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Young Mania Rating Scale; for functioning Functioning Assessment Short Test; for neurocognition Stroop Test (ST) and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), for biological rhythm Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, and Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire were used. RESULTS: In terms of mood symptoms no seasonal variation was found. Across all four periods of assessment of BD group, statistically significant variation was only observed in the instant recall, learning and recognition domains of RAVLT and word test and color test domains of ST; however, it was not sufficient to distinguish the BD group separating from the control group. CONCLUSIONS: In terms of mood symptoms, psychosocial functionality, biological rhythm, neurocognition, no seasonal variation was demonstrated that could distinguish the BD group from the HC group.