Mental Health Symptoms and Service Use in Depressed and Anxious Minors at the Onset of COVID-19 in a County Clinic Serving a Predominantly Hispanic Population.

OBJECTIVE: The study's primary aim was to compare the utilization rates of services by minors with depression/anxiety in a county mental health clinic before (from December 1, 2019, to March 15, 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (from March 16 to June 30, 2020). The secondary aim was to study demographics and psychiatric symptomatology. METHODS: Service utilization rates were estimated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify significant predictors of worsening psychiatric symptoms, anxiety, and change in the frequency of therapy between the pre-COVID-19 period and the COVID-19 period. RESULTS: Service utilization rates increased during the pandemic period. During the pandemic, the presence of mood symptoms, suicidal ideation, and relationship conflicts predicted worsening psychiatric symptoms. In addition, the presence of preexisting sleep problems and physical health issues that continued during COVID-19 exhibited correlations with worsening psychiatric symptoms during COVID-19. COVID-related stressors and physical health issues were associated with anxiety; suicidal ideation predicted a change in the frequency of therapy. CONCLUSIONS:  Prospective studies to recognize risk factors for worsening mental health in minors with psychiatric illness during a crisis are warranted to identify and allocate services to the high-risk groups.

A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial of Reminder-Focused Positive Psychiatry in Adolescents With Comorbid Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of reminder-focused positive psychiatry (RFPP) on attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, vascular-function, inflammation and well-being of adolescents with comorbid ADHD and PTSD. METHODS: After obtaining informed-consent, 11 adolescents were randomized to RFPP (n = 5) or trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) (n = 6). Eight participants (RFPP: n = 4, TF-CBT: n = 4) completed the twice-weekly intervention for a 6-week trial. The RFPP intervention was inclusive of positive psychiatry interventions on (1) traumatic reminders and (2) avoidance and negative cognition. Vascular function measured as temperature rebound, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, ADHD Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham (SNAP) Questionnaire, Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5-Child/Adolescent Version (CAPS-CA), and neuropsychiatric-measures were measured at baseline and 6 weeks. Subjects were followed for 12 months. The study was conducted from September 2016 to June 2018. RESULTS: A significant improvement in CAPS-CA, SNAP scores, and vascular function of both RFPP and TF-CBT groups was noted at follow-up, but was more-robust in the RFPP group (P < .05). At the sixth week, a significant increase in PERMA, gratitude, resilience, and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory scores and a significant decrease in homocysteine and C-reactive protein levels in the RFPP group, but not the TF-CBT group, were noted (P < .05). At 12-month follow-up, there was no psychiatry hospitalization or suicide ideation reported in either group. A continuation of significant improvement in CAPS-CA and SNAP scores in both groups was noted but was more robust in the RFPP group (P < .05). Similarly, a continuation of significant increase in PERMA, gratitude, resilience and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory scores was noted in the RFPP group but not in the TF-CBT group (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: RFPP is associated with improvement in core PTSD and ADHD symptoms, decrease in inflammation, and increase in well-being, vascular function, and posttraumatic growth, as well as a favorable long-term clinical outcome. This finding highlights the importance of the dual role of RFPP in addressing vulnerability symptoms as well as enhancing well-being in youth with comorbid ADHD and PTSD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04336072.

The effect of stimulants on irritability in autism comorbid with ADHD: a systematic review.

Introduction: While there is a very high rate of comorbidity of autism and ADHD, there are controversies about prescribing stimulants in children with autism. This is a systematic review about the effect of stimulants on irritability in children with both autism and ADHD. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to study the possible effect of stimulants on irritability in autism and ADHD using the databases of PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and ScienceDirect in September 2018. Eligible clinical trials of stimulants in the treatment of Autism and ADHD without restriction of language were included. The primary outcome was irritability score. The full texts of relevant articles were studied, and their references were scanned for any possible related article. Results: Out of 1,315 citations, there were 26 relevant articles. Of the relevant articles, 16 were not interventional studies and were excluded. There were 10 interventional studies. None of them considered irritability as a main outcome. Also, none of them studied the effect of stimulants on irritability in autism plus ADHD. Current uncontrolled evidence about the association of stimulants with irritability is controversial. Conclusion: The current evidence is not enough to support or discourage the effect of stimulants on irritability in children and adolescents with both autism and ADHD. Well-designed controlled clinical trials need to be conducted for this ignored research area.

The Long-Term Clinical Outcome of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder With Impaired Coronary Distensibility.

OBJECTIVE: Coronary Distensibility Index (CDI) impairments reflect endothelial-dependent process associated with vulnerable-plaque composition. This study investigated the relation of impaired CDI with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their predictive value for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). METHODS: This study involved 246 patients (age = 63 [10] years, 12% women) with (n = 50) and without (n = 196) PTSD, who underwent computed tomography angiography to determine coronary artery disease and CDI. Extent of coronary artery disease was defined as normal, nonobstructive (<50% luminal stenosis), and obstructive (>50%). Incidence of MACE, defined as myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death, was documented during a mean follow-up of 50 months. Survival regression was employed to assess the longitudinal association of impaired CDI and PTSD with MACE. RESULTS: A significant inverse correlation between CDI and Clinical Global Impression Severity scale of PTSD symptoms was noted (r = .81, p = .001). CDI was significantly lower in patients with PTSD (3.3 [0.2]) compared with those without PTSD (4.5 [0.3]), a finding that was more robust in women (p < .05). Covariate-adjusted analyses revealed that the relative risk of MACE was higher in patients with PTSD (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.34-3.14) and those with impaired CDI (HR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.27-3.01, per standard deviation lower CDI value). There was also a significant interaction between PTSD and impaired CDI (HR = 3.24, 95% CI = 2.02-5.53). CONCLUSIONS: Impaired CDI is strongly associated with the severity of PTSD symptoms. Both impaired CDI and PTSD were independently associated with an increased risk of MACE during follow-up, and evidence indicated an interaction between these two factors. These findings highlight the important role of CDI in identifying individuals with PTSD at risk for MACE.