Resolution of severe psychogenic dysphagia with ECT in an elderly patient.

ABSTRACTIn this report we describe an 82-year female with a longstanding anxiety disorder who developed severe psychogenic dysphagia, leading to hospitalization due to failure to thrive. We describe for the first time the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to successfully manage a patient with pharmacological treatment resistant psychogenic dysphagia.

A Qualitative Study to Explore Patients', Carers' and Health Professionals' Views to Culturally Adapt CBT for Psychosis (CBTp) in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) has an established evidence base and is recommended by the national organizations in United Kingdom and the United States. CBT remains under utilized in low and middle income countries. CBT was developed in the west and it has been suggested that it is underpinned by western values. It therefore follows that to make CBT accessible for non western clients, it needs adapting into a given culture. AIMS: Our aim was to develop guidelines for adapting CBT for psychosis in Pakistan by incorporating the views of the patients, their carers and mental health professionals. METHOD: We conducted a series of qualitative studies in Pakistan to adapt CBT for psychosis (a total of 92 interviews). The data were analyzed by systematic content and question analysis. Analysis started by identifying emerging themes and categories. Themes emerging from the analyses of interviews by each interviewer were compared and contrasted with others interviewers constantly. Triangulation of themes and concepts was undertaken to further compare and contrast the data from the different participating groups. RESULTS: The results of these studies highlighted the barriers in therapy as well as strengths while working with this patient group. Patients and their carers in Pakistan use a bio-psycho-spiritual-social model of illness. They seek help from various sources. Therapists make minor adjustments in therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study will help therapists working with this client group using CBT for psychosis in Pakistan. These results need to be tested through controlled trials.

Clozapine for psychotic disorders in adults with intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Psychosis is three times more common in people with an intellectual disability than in those without an intellectual disability. A low intelligence quotient (IQ) is a defining characteristic for intellectual disability and a risk factor for poor outcome in psychosis. Clozapine is recommended for treatment-resistant psychosis. The effect of psychotropic medication can be different in people with intellectual disability; for example, they may be more prone to side effects. People with an intellectual disability and psychosis form a special subgroup and we wanted to examine if there is randomised controlled trial (RCT) data in this population to support the use of clozapine. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of clozapine for treating adults with a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability and psychosis. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase and eight other databases up to December 2014. We also searched two trials registers, the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's Register of Trials, and contacted the manufacturers of clozapine. SELECTION CRITERIA: RCTs that assessed the effects of clozapine, at any dose, for treating adults (aged 18 years and over) with a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability and psychotic disorder, compared with placebo or another antipsychotic medication. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three review authors independently screened all titles, abstracts and any relevant full-text reports against the inclusion criteria. MAIN RESULTS: Of the 1224 titles and abstracts screened, we shortlisted 38 full-text articles, which we subsequently excluded as they did not meet the inclusion criteria. These studies were not RCTs. Consequently, no studies are included in this Cochrane review. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There are currently no RCTs that assess the efficacy and side effects of clozapine in people with intellectual disabilities and psychoses. Given the use of clozapine in this vulnerable population, there is an urgent need for a RCT of clozapine in people with a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability and psychosis to fill the evidence gap.

Using cognitive behaviour therapy with South Asian Muslims: Findings from the culturally sensitive CBT project.

It has been suggested that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) needs adaptation for it to be effective for patients from collectivistic cultures, as currently CBT is underpinned by individualistic values. In prior studies we have demonstrated that CBT could be adapted for Pakistani patients in Southampton, UK, and for local populations in Pakistan. Findings from these studies suggest that CBT can be adapted for patients from collectivistic cultures using a series of steps. In this paper we focus on these steps, and the process of adapting CBT for specific groups. The adaptation process should focus on three major areas of therapy, rather than simple translation of therapy manuals. These include (1) awareness of relevant cultural issues and preparation for therapy, (2) assessment and engagement, and (3) adjustments in therapy. We also discuss the best practice guidelines that evolved from this work to help therapists working with this population. We reiterate that CBT can be adapted effectively for patients from traditional cultures. This is, however, an emerging area in psychotherapy, and further work is required to refine the methodology and to test adapted CBT.

Frequency of metabolic syndrome in psychiatric patients, is this the time to develop a standardized protocol to reduce the morbidity from an acute care psychiatry unit.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of Metabolic Syndrome among psychiatric patients and to look for the correlation between the two medical conditions. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2013 at the acute care psychiatry in-patient unit at Kingston General Hospital, Ontario, Canada, and comprised adult patients of both genders diagnosed under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. For Metabolic Syndrome, definitions outlined by the International Diabetes Federation were used. The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of presence or absence of the Syndrome and were compared for clinical and demographic characteristics. SPSS 22 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of the 50 patients in the study, 24(48%) were found to have Metabolic Syndrome. Besides, 40 (80%) patients were taking atypical antipsychotics regardless of the diagnosis; 20(83%) among those with the Syndrome, and 20(77%) among those without it. CONCLUSIONS: Patients at high risk of developing metabolic syndrome need to be identified early so that an individualised care plan can be formulated. Identifying the variables to make a management plan is vital.

Protocol for a multi-phase, mixed methods study to develop and evaluate culturally adapted CBT to improve community mental health services for Canadians of south Asian origin.

BACKGROUND: Canadians of South Asian (SA) origin comprise the largest racialized group in Canada, representing 25.6% of what Statistics Canada terms "visible minority populations". South Asian Canadians are disproportionately impacted by the social determinants of health, and this can result in high rates of mood and anxiety disorders. These factors can negatively impact mental health and decrease access to care, thereby increasing mental health inequities. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in its current form is not suitable for persons from the non-western cultural backgrounds. Culturally adapted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CaCBT) is an evidence-based practice. CaCBT is more effective than standard CBT and can reduce dropouts from therapy compared with standard CBT. Thus, CaCBT can increase access to mental health services and improve outcomes for immigrant, refugee and ethno-cultural and racialized populations. Adapting CBT for growing SA populations in Canada will ensure equitable access to effective and culturally appropriate interventions. METHODS: The primary aim of the study is to develop and evaluate CaCBT for Canadian South Asian persons with depression and anxiety and to gather data from stakeholders to develop guidelines to culturally adapt CBT. This mixed methods study will use three phases: (1) cultural adaptation of CBT, (2) pilot feasibility of CaCBT and (3) implementation and evaluation of CaCBT. Phase 1 will use purposive sampling to recruit individuals from four different groups: (1) SA patients with depression and anxiety, (b) caregivers and family members of individuals affected by anxiety and depression, (c) mental health professionals and (d) SA community opinion leaders. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted virtually and analysis of interviews will be informed by an ethnographic approach. Phase 2 will pilot test the newly developed CaCBT for feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness via quantitative methodology and a randomized controlled trial, including an economic analysis. Phase 3 will recruit therapists to train and evaluate them in the new CaCBT. DISCUSSION: The outcome of this trial will benefit health services in Canada, in terms of helping to reduce the burden of depression and anxiety and provide better care for South Asians. We expect the results to help guide the development of better services and tailor existing services to the needs of other vulnerable groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04010890. Registered on July 8, 2019.

Video intervention for the psychiatric waiting room: proof-of-concept randomised controlled trial of RESOLVE (Relaxation Exercise, SOLVing problem and cognitive Errors).

BACKGROUND: The waiting room in psychiatric services can provide an ideal setting for offering evidence-based psychological interventions that can be delivered through electronic media. Currently, there is no intervention available that have been developed or tested in mental health. AIMS: This proof-of-concept study aimed to evaluate a pilot design of RESOLVE (Relaxation Exercise, SOLving problem and cognitiVe Errors) to test the procedure and obtain outcome data to inform future, definitive trials (trial registration at Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02536924, REB Number: PSIY-477-15). METHOD: Forty participants were enrolled and equally randomised to the intervention, RESOLVE plus treatment as usual arm (TAU), or to a control group (TAU only). Those in the intervention group watched RESOLVE in a room adjacent to the waiting area. Participants in the control received routine care. Outcome measures included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluations outcome measure; and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule. These measures were performed by a masked assessor at baseline and at 6-week follow-up. Additionally, we measured the number of contacts with mental health services during the prior 4 weeks. Both intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses were performed. RESULTS: The study proved feasible. We were able to recruit the required number of participants. There was a statistically significant improvement in depression (P < 0.001), anxiety (P < 0.001), general psychopathology (P < 0.001) and disability (P = 0.0361) in favour of the intervention group. People in the intervention group were less likely to contact the service (P = 0.012) post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide preliminary evidence that evidence-based psychosocial interventions can be delivered through electronic media in a waiting-room setting. The outcome data from this study will be used for future definitive trials. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: None.

The current status of culturally adapted mental health interventions: a practice-focused review of meta-analyses.

In recent years, there has been a steadily increasing recognition of the need to improve the cultural competence of services and cultural adaptation of interventions so that every individual can benefit from evidence-based care. There have been attempts at culturally adapting evidence-based interventions for mental health problems, and a few meta-analyses have been published in this area. This is, however, a much debated subject. Furthermore, there is a lack of a comprehensive review of meta-analyses and literature reviews that provide guidance to policy makers and clinicians. This review summarizes the current meta-analysis literature on culturally adapted interventions for mental health disorders to provide a succinct account of the current state of knowledge in this area, limitations, and guidance for the future research.

Preliminary evaluation of a "formulation-driven cognitive behavioral guided self-help (fCBT-GSH)" for crisis and transitional case management clients.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is found to be effective for common mental disorders and has been delivered in self-help and guided self-help formats. Crisis and transitional case management (TCM) services play a vital role in managing clients in acute mental health crises. It is, therefore, an appropriate setting to try CBT in guided self-help format. METHODS: This was a preliminary evaluation of a formulation-driven cognitive behavioral guided self-help. Thirty-six (36) consenting participants with a diagnosis of nonpsychotic illness, attending crisis and the TCM services in Kingston, Canada, were recruited in this study. They were randomly assigned to the guided self-help plus treatment as usual (TAU) (treatment group) or to TAU alone (control group). The intervention was delivered over 8-12 weeks. Assessments were completed at baseline and 3 months after baseline. The primary outcome was a reduction in general psychopathology, and this was done using Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure. The secondary outcomes included a reduction in depression, measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and reduction in disability, measured using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. FINDINGS: Participants in the treatment group showed statistically significant improvement in overall psychopathology (P<0.005), anxiety and depression (P<0.005), and disability (P<0.005) at the end of the trial compared with TAU group. CONCLUSION: A formulation-driven cognitive behavioral guided self-help was feasible for the crisis and TCM clients and can be effective in improving mental health, when compared with TAU. This is the first report of a trial of guided self-help for clients attending crisis and TCM services.

The relationship between childhood trauma and adult psychosis in a UK Early Intervention Service: results of a retrospective case note study.

AIM: There is evidence that childhood trauma is a risk factor for the development of psychosis and it is recommended that childhood trauma is inquired about in all patients presenting with psychosis. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of childhood trauma in patients in the UK Early Intervention Service based on a case note review. METHODS: This is a retrospective case note study of 296 patients in an UK Early Intervention Service. Trauma history obtained on service entry was reviewed and trauma experienced categorized. Results were analyzed using crosstab and frequency analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the sample was 24 years, 70% were male, 66% were White, and 23% Asian (ethnicity not documented in 11% of the sample). Approximately 60% of patients reported childhood trauma, 21% reported no childhood trauma, and data were not recorded for the remaining 19%. Among those reporting trauma, the prevalence of most frequently reported traumas were: severe or repeated disruption (21%), parental mental illness (19%), bullying (18%), absence of a parent (13%), and 'other' trauma (24%) - the majority of which were victimization events. Sixty-six percent of those reporting trauma had experienced multiple forms of trauma. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of childhood trauma (particularly trauma related to the home environment or family unit) was reported. This is consistent with other studies reporting on trauma and psychosis. The main weakness of the study is a lack of a control group reporting experience of childhood trauma in those without psychosis. Guidelines recommend that all patients with psychosis are asked about childhood trauma; but in 19% of our sample there was no documentation that this had been done indicating the need for improvement in assessment.

A survey of eMedia-delivered interventions for schizophrenia used in randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Randomized trials evaluating electronic Media (eMedia) delivery of interventions are increasingly frequent in mental health. Although a number of reviews have reported efficacy of these interventions, none has reviewed the type of eMedia interventions and quality of their description. We therefore decided to conduct a survey of eMedia-delivered interventions for schizophrenia. METHODS: We surveyed all relevant trials reliably identified in the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's comprehensive register of trials by authors working independently. Data were extracted regarding the size of the trial, interventions, outcomes and how well the intervention was described. RESULTS: eMedia delivery of interventions is increasingly frequent in trials relevant to the care of people with schizophrenia. The trials varied considerably in sample sizes (mean =123, median =87, range =20-507), and interventions were diverse, rarely evaluating the same approaches and were poorly reported. This makes replication impossible. Outcomes in these studies are limited, have not been noted to be chosen by end users and seem unlikely to be easy to apply in routine care. No study reported on potential adverse effects or cost, end users satisfaction or ease of use. None of the papers mentioned the use of CONSORT eHealth guidelines. CONCLUSION: There is a need to improve reporting and testing of psychosocial interventions delivered by eMedia. New trials should comply with CONSORT eHealth guidance on design, conduct and reporting, and existing CONSORT should be updated regularly, as the field is constantly evolving.

Attitudes of Canadian psychiatry residents if mentally ill: awareness, barriers to disclosure, and help-seeking preferences.

BACKGROUND: The medical culture is defined by mental illness stigma, non-disclosure, and avoidance of professional treatment. Little research has explored attitudes and help-seeking behaviors of psychiatry trainees if they were to become mentally ill. METHOD: Psychiatry residents (n = 106) from training centres across Ontario, Canada completed a postal survey on their attitudes, barriers to disclosure, and help-seeking preferences in the context of hypothetically becoming mentally ill. RESULTS: Thirty-three percent of respondents reported personal history of mental illness and the frequency of mental illness by year of training did not significantly differ. The most popular first contact for disclosure of mental illness was family and friends (n = 61, 57.5%). Frequent barriers to disclosure included career implications (n = 39, 36.8%), stigma (n = 11, 10.4%), and professional standing (n = 15, 14.2%). Personal history of mental illness was the only factor associated with in-patient treatment choice, with those with history opting for more formal advice versus informal advice. CONCLUSIONS: At the level of residency training, psychiatrists are reporting barriers to disclosure and help-seeking if they were to experience mental illness. A majority of psychiatry residents would only disclose to informal supports. Those with a history of mental illness would prefer formal treatment services over informal services.

Canadian Physicians' Attitudes towards Accessing Mental Health Resources.

Despite their rigorous training, studies have shown that physicians experience higher rates of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicide compared to the general population. An online questionnaire was sent to a random sample of physicians across Canada to assess physicians' knowledge of the incidence of mental illness among physicians and their attitudes towards disclosure and treatment in a hypothetical situation where one developed a mental illness. We received 139 responses reflecting mostly primary care physicians and nonsurgical specialists. The majority of respondents underestimated the incidence of mental illness in physicians. The most important factors influencing respondent's will to disclose their illness included career implications, professional integrity, and social stigma. Preference for selecting mental health treatment services, as either outpatients or inpatients, was mostly influenced by quality of care and confidentiality, with lower importance of convenience and social stigma. Results from this study suggest that the attitudes of physicians towards becoming mentally ill are complex and may be affected by the individual's previous diagnosis of mental illness and the presence of a family member with a history of mental illness. Other factors include the individual's medical specialty and level of experience. As mental illness is common among physicians, one must be conscious of these when offering treatment options.

Protocol for a multicentre study to assess feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness and direct costs of TRIumPH (Treatment and Recovery In PsycHosis): integrated care pathway for psychosis.

INTRODUCTION: Duration of untreated psychosis (time between the onset of symptoms and start of treatment) is considered the strongest predictor of symptom severity and outcome. Integrated care pathways that prescribe timeframes around access and interventions can potentially improve quality of care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A multicentre mixed methods study to assess feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness and analysis of direct costs of an integrated care pathway for psychosis. A pragmatic, non-randomised, controlled trial design is used to compare the impact of Treatment and Recovery In PsycHosis (TRIumPH; Intervention) by comparison between NHS organisations that adopt TRIumPH and those that continue with care as usual (Control). Quantitative and qualitative methods will be used. We will use routinely collected quantitative data and study-specific questionnaires and focus groups to compare service user outcomes, satisfaction and adherence to intervention between sites that adopt TRIumPH versus sites that continue with usual care pathways. SETTING: 4 UK Mental health organisations. Two will implement TRIumPH whereas two will continue care as usual. PARTICIPANTS: Staff, carers, individuals accepted to early intervention in psychosis teams in participating organisations for the study period. INTERVENTION: TRIumPH-Integrated Care Pathway for psychosis that has a holistic approach and prescribes time frames against interventions; developed using intelligence from data; co-produced with patients, carers, clinicians and other stakeholders. OUTCOMES: Feasibility will be assessed through adherence to the process measures. Satisfaction and acceptability will be assessed using questionnaires and focus groups. Effectiveness will be assessed through data collection and evaluation of patient outcomes, including clinical, functional and recovery outcomes, physical health, acute care use. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, 12 and 24 months to measure whether there is an effect and if so, whether this is sustained over time. Outcomes measures at the adopter sites will be compared to their own baseline and against comparator sites. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval was obtained from East of Scotland Research Ethics Service (REC Ref no: LR/15/ES/0091). The results will be disseminated through publications, conference presentations, reports to the organisation. STUDY REGISTRATION: UK Clinical Research Network Portfolio: 19187.

Brief culturally adapted CBT for psychosis (CaCBTp): A randomized controlled trial from a low income country.

Evidence for the effectiveness of Culturally adapted CBT for psychosis in Low And Middle Income Countries (LAMIC) is limited. Therefore, brief Culturally adapted CBT for psychosis (CaCBTp) targeted at symptoms of schizophrenia for outpatients plus treatment as usual (TAU) is compared with TAU. A total of 116 participants with schizophrenia were recruited from 2 hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, and randomized into two groups with 1:1 allocation (CaCBTp plus TAU=59, TAU=57). A brief version of CaCBTp (6 individual sessions with the involvement of main carer, plus one session for the family) was provided over 4months. Psychopathology was measured using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale of Schizophrenia (PANSS), Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS), and the Schedule for Assessment of Insight (SAI) at baseline and end of therapy. Participants in treatment group, showed statistically significant improvement in all measures of psychopathology at the end of the study compared with control group. Participants in treatment group showed statistically significant improvement in Positive Symptoms (PANSS, Positive Symptoms Subscale; p=0.000), Negative Symptoms (PANSS, Negative Symptoms subscales; p=0.000), Delusions (PSYRATS, Delusions Subscale; p=0.000), Hallucinations (PSYRATS, Hallucination Subscale; p=0.000) and Insight (SAI; p=0.007). The results suggest that brief, Culturally adapted CBT for psychosis can be an effective treatment when provided in combination with TAU, for patients with schizophrenia in a LAMIC setting. This is the first trial of CBT for psychosis from outside the western world. These findings need replicating in other low and middle income countries.

Brief culturally adapted CBT (CaCBT) for depression: a randomized controlled trial from Pakistan.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of brief Culturally adapted CBT (CaCBT) for depression when added to Treatment As usual (TAU)-delivered by trained therapists using a manual compared with alone TAU. METHODS: This was an assessor-blinded, randomised controlled clinical trial. Particpants with a diagnosis of depression, attending psychiatry departments of three teaching hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan, were included in the study. We screened a total of 280 patients and randomly allocated 137 of them to CaCBT plus Treatment As Usual (TAU) [Treatment group] or to TAU alone [Control group]. Assessments were completed at baseline, at 3 months and at 9 months after baseline. Reduction in depression score (Hospital Anxiety and Depression-Depression Subscale) at 3 months was primary outcome measure. The secondary outcome measures included anxiety scores (Hospital Anxiety and Depression-Anxiety Subscale), somatic symptoms (Bradford Somatic Inventory), disability (Brief Disability Questionnaire) and satisfaction with the treatment. FINDINGS: A total of 69 participants were randomised to Treatment group and 68 to Control group. Participants in Treatment group showed statistically significant improvement in depression (p=0.000), anxiety (p=0.000), somatic symptoms (p=0.005) and disability (p=0.000). This effect was sustained at 9 months after baseline (Except for disability). Participants in Treatment group also reported higher satisfaction with treatment compared with those in Control group. CONCLUSION: Brief CaCBT can be effective in improving depressive symptoms, when compared with treatment as usual. This is the first report of a trial of Culturally adapted CBT from South Asia and further studies are needed to generalise these findings.

Tardive dyskinesia in a South Asian population with first episode psychosis treated with antipsychotics.

BACKGROUND: Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a side effect of antipsychotic treatment that often only appears after months or years of treatment. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials lasting more than 1 year showed that second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) were associated with an approximately fivefold lower risk of TD compared to haloperidol in patients with chronic schizophrenia. In contrast, there is little research on the risk of TD with other first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs), and this applies especially to their use in the treatment of patients with first episode psychosis (FEP). OBJECTIVES: To determine the severity and point prevalence of TD in a naturalistic sample of patients with FEP in Pakistan treated with FGAs or SGAs. METHODS: This was an observational study. TD was assessed by trained clinicians using the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale. RESULTS: In the total sample (number =86) the mean age of patients was 26 years and the prevalence of TD (Schooler Kane criteria) was 29% with no significant difference between those treated with FGAs and SGAs (31% FGAs versus 26% SGAs; P=0.805). The Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale total score (items 1-7), a measure of the severity of TD, was significantly higher for patients treated with FGAs versus those treated with SGAs (P=0.033). Scores on specific items showed that this reflected higher scores for dyskinesia affecting the muscles of facial expression, as well as of the upper and lower limb, whereas scores did not differ significantly in other body areas. CONCLUSION: FGAs were associated with greater severity, though not prevalence, of TD than SGAs. The study highlights the relatively high rate of TD in Asian FEP patients and the need for clinicians to monitor for this and other potential antipsychotic side effects during treatment.

Antenatal Depression is Not Associated with Low-Birth Weight: A Study from Urban Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Low-birth weight (LBW) (<2500 g) is considered to be a leading cause of cognitive impairment and physical disabilities in children. Incidence of LBW in South Asia has been reported to be as high as 33%. We investigated the association between antenatal depression and LBW in an urban community, in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: A total of 1357 pregnant women in their third trimester were recruited into the study. They were screened for antenatal depression with Edinburgh postnatal depression scale. Self-reporting questionnaire was also used to measure psychological distress. Birth weights of 763 newborns were obtained from the hospital records. RESULTS: We did not find a significant association between antenatal depression and LBW (odds ratio 0.881, 95%CI 0.732-1.060) in mothers attending a charity run hospital in an urban setting in Pakistan. CONCLUSION: Antenatal depression is not associated with LBW in this urban population in Pakistan. However, the prevalence of depression is high during pregnancy. There is a need to develop culturally adapted psychosocial interventions to address the high rates of depression for this population group.

Clozapine reinitiation following a "red result" secondary to chemotherapy.

We describe a case of a patient whose clozapine was discontinued after a "red result" following R-CHOP (rituximab with cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, Oncovin, and prednisolone) chemotherapy for large B-cell lymphoma. In some cases, manufacturers grant permission, on compassionate grounds, for clozapine to be continued or reinitiated following assessment by their consultant hematologist. Other than a recent case report, there is not much literature surrounding this medical issue. However, since the two leading causes of mortality in schizophrenia are cancer and cardiac disease, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Clinicians are reluctant to prescribe clozapine in view of its side-effect profile, despite its proven efficacy for managing treatment-resistant schizophrenia. The alternative is to prescribe two antipsychotics to manage symptoms. This approach may be associated with increased side effects, and evidence for actual benefits is scant. The consequences were disastrous in this case, as the individual not only relapsed following clozapine discontinuation, but the therapy for this treatable form of lymphoma had to be delayed. He was eventually admitted to an inpatient unit after having been stable for 15 years. We managed to stabilize him with olanzapine and aripiprazole which enabled the heme-oncology group to resume R-CHOP therapy with filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor). Even so, he continued to exhibit severe psychotic symptoms, with religious delusions and auditory hallucinations. We therefore applied for permission to rechallenge him on clozapine. Permission was granted when protocol conditions were met, and reinitiation went without any adverse events. The patient's symptoms showed improvement within a few weeks, and the other antipsychotics were discontinued once clozapine was titrated up to 300 mg. The decision to reinitiate clozapine following a red result is not to be taken lightly, but needs to be considered in terms of the risks versus benefits. More literature surrounding this issue would be of great benefit to clinicians, patients, and their families.