Ketamine for catatonia: A novel treatment for an old clinical challenge? A systematic review of the evidence.

INTRODUCTION: Catatonia, documented since the 19th century, remains a significant challenge in terms of recognition and treatment. Over the last two decades, ketamine has brought new perspectives to psychiatry, sparking widespread interest. Concurrently, catatonia has attracted heightened scientific attention. Preliminary evidence suggests the therapeutic potential of ketamine for catatonia. METHODS: We systematically searched Medline/PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Lilacs, and Cochrane Library databases, as well as Google Scholar, for studies with ketamine or its enantiomers as intervention for catatonia, with no restrictions to underlying diagnosis, date, language, or study design. RESULTS: Twenty articles were included, encompassing a total of 25 catatonic patients receiving ketamine or esketamine. Predominantly female (61.9 %), with a mean age of 44.4 years, patients mostly exhibited manifestations compatible with the retarded subtype of catatonia. Mood disorders were the most prevalent underlying diagnoses. Ketamine was primarily administered intravenously over a 40-minute period and in multiple-dosing schemes. Mean response and remission rates of catatonic manifestations for the whole sample were 80 % and 44 %, respectively, with no reports of worsening catatonic features or psychotic symptoms. Only one patient discontinued treatment due to intolerable dissociative effects. CONCLUSION: Challenging the conventional contraindication of ketamine in psychotic disorders, current evidence highlights its potential efficacy, particularly in treating catatonia. Pending further research, we advocate reevaluating this contraindication, as it may offer a promising therapeutic option, especially for challenging cases. Preliminary evidence suggests potentially greater benefits for catatonic patients with underlying mood disorders compared to primary psychotic disorders.

Presentation, medical complications and development of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia of hydatidiform mole after intracytoplasmic sperm injection as compared to hydatidiform mole after spontaneous conception - a retrospective cohort study and literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the natural history of hydatidiform mole (HM) after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), emphasizing the clinical and oncological outcomes, as compared to patients who had HM after spontaneous conception (SC). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective historical cohort study of patients with HM followed at the Rio de Janeiro Federal University, from January 1st 2000-December 31st 2020. RESULTS: Comparing singleton HM after SC to those following ICSI there were differences in terms of maternal age (24 vs 34 years, p < 0.01), gestational age at diagnosis (10 vs 7 weeks, p < 0.01), preevacuation human chorionic gonadotropin levels (200,000 vs 99,000 IU/L, p < 0.01), occurrence of genital bleeding (60.5 vs 26.9%, p < 0.01) and hyperemesis (23 vs 3.9%, p = 0.02) at presentation, and time to remission (12 vs 5 weeks, p < 0.01), respectively. There were no differences observed in the cases of twin mole, regardless of the form of fertilization that gave rise to HM, except molar histology with greater occurrence of partial hydatidiform mole (10.7 vs 40.0%, p = 0.01) following ICSI. Univariate logistic regression for occurrence of postmolar GTN after ICSI identified no predictor variable for this outcome. However, after adjusting for maternal age and complete hydatidiform mole histology, multivariable logistic regression showed the risk of GTN with HM after ICSI had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.22 (95%CI:0.05-0.93, p = 0.04), suggesting a possible protective effect when compared to HM after SC. CONCLUSIONS: Singleton HM after ICSI are diagnosed earlier in gestation, present with fewer medical complications, and may be less likely to develop GTN when compared with HM after SC.

Perfil epidemiológico de mortalidade por espinha bífida / Epidemiological profile of mortality from Spina Bifida

Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil epidemiológico nacional de mortalidade por espinha bífida. Métodos: Trata-se de estudo observacional, descritivo, de série temporal, a partir de dados obtidos da plataforma eletrônica do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde entre os anos de 2005 e 2015. Resultados: Nesse período, as proporções de óbitos infantis relacionados à espinha bífida diminuíram. As Regiões Sul e Sudeste mantiveramse abaixo da média nacional, e as demais permaneceram acima, corroborando o maior apoio técnico nas regiões consideradas referências em saúde no país. As maiores diminuições proporcionais nos coeficientes de mortalidade infantil ocorreram no Nordeste e no Centro-Oeste, de 351,55 a 155,56 e de 809,52 a 290,32, respectivamente. Isso pôde ser justificado por essas duas regiões apresentarem maiores proporções de óbitos. Conclusão: Com a atenuação de outras causas de mortalidade infantil, as malformações evidenciaram-se. O acompanhamento pré-natal, a adoção de estilo de vida saudável pelas gestantes e a prevenção dos fatores de risco para defeitos de fechamento do tubo neural, sobretudo pela suplementação com ácido fólico, merecem destaque na redução do número de óbitos infantis e na perpetuação da vida.

Objective: To evaluate the national epidemiological profile of mortality from Spina Bifida. Methods: This is an observational, descriptive study of a time series, based on data obtained from the electronic platform of the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS) between 2005 and 2015. Results: In this period, the proportions of infantile deaths related to spina bifida decreased. The Southern and Southeastern regions remained below the national average, while the others remained above, resulting in a greater technical support from the regions considered health references in the country. The largest proportional decreases in infant mortality coefficients took place in the Northeast and Midwest, from 351.55 to 155.56, and from 809.52 to 290.32, respectively. This can be justified by the fact that these two regions have higher proportions of deaths. Conclusion: Because of the attenuation of other causes of infant mortality, the malformations were evidenced. Prenatal follow-up, the adoption of a healthy lifestyle by pregnant women, and the prevention of risk factors for neural tube defects, especially through folic acid supplementation, shall be highlighted for the reduction in the number of infant deaths, and for perpetuation of life