Long-acting injectable risperidone as an option in first-episode psychosis
ABSTRACT FROM: Subotnik KL, Casaus LR, Ventura J, et al. Long-acting injectable risperidone for relapse prevention and control of breakthrough symptoms after a recent first episode of schizophrenia: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry 2015;72:822–9. What is already known on this topic Appropriate use of antipsychotic medications for people experiencing early episode psychosis is critical for symptom control and for shaping attitudes towards medication as a support to recovery.1 Risperidone is an effective medication in treating early episode psychosis2 and long-acting injectable risperidone may increase earl...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - April 20, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Covell, N. H. Tags: Electronic pages Source Type: research
Some augmentation strategies improve outcome but increase discontinuation in adults with treatment-resistant depression
ABSTRACT FROM: Zhou X, Ravindran AV, Qin B, et al. Comparative efficacy, acceptability, and tolerability of augmentation agents in treatment-resistant depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Clin Psychiatry 2015;76:e487–98. What is already known on this topic? Several strategies have been proposed for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), including dose optimisation, switching to another therapeutic class or combination/augmentation regimens,1 however, it is still not known how the different strategies compare with each other. Zhou and colleagues specifically examined augmentation str...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - April 20, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Andrade, C. Tags: Electronic pages Source Type: research
Which role for brexpiprazole, a new dopamine D2 partial agonist, in the treatment of schizophrenia?
ABSTRACT FROM: Correll CU, Skuban A, Ouyang J, et al. Efficacy and safety of brexpiprazole for the treatment of acute schizophrenia: a 6-Week Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Am J Psychiatry 2015;172:870–80. What is already known on this topic Despite the availability of different antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia, in clinical practice it is somewhat of a struggle to identify an antipsychotic medication for individual patients that they are willing to adhere to. Brexpiprazole is a new molecular entity that is a dopamine receptor partial agonist that differs from aripiprazole in term...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - April 20, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Citrome, L. Tags: Electronic pages Source Type: research
Comment on: 'Reports of recovery in chronic fatigue syndrome may present less than meets the eye
Dear Editor, Friedberg and Adamowicz reviewed our paper about recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) after treatment in the PACE trial.1–3 We write in order to correct some errors of fact and interpretation in their review. The authors suggest that we did not use any measures of patients’ perceptions of recovery. In fact we used the patient-rated clinical global impression change score of their overall health,4 which included those who rated their overall health as ‘much’ and "very much better", and which was one of the five criteria counting towards recovery. In their account of our paper, th...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: White, P. D., Chalder, T., Sharpe, M. Tags: Letter Source Type: research
Health promotion coaching for obese individuals with serious mental illnesses produces clinically significant reductions in cardiovascular risks up to 18 months
ABSTRACT FROM: Bartels SJ, Pratt SI, Aschbrenner KA, et al. Pragmatic replication trial of health promotion coaching for obesity in serious mental illness and maintenance of outcomes. Am J Psychiatry 2015;172:344–52. What is already known on this topic Individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMI) experience premature morbidity and mortality, largely as a consequence of increased cardiovascular risk resulting from illness, treatment and lifestyle. A growing body of research demonstrates lifestyle changes can improve fitness and reduce weight and cardiovascular risks among this disproportionately vulnerable group. F...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Yarborough, B. J. Tags: Miscellaneous Source Type: research
Preschool hyperactivity increases costs into early adulthood
ABSTRACT FROM: Chorozoglou M, Smith E, Koerting J, et al. Preschool hyperactivity is associated with long-term economic burden: evidence from a longitudinal health economic analysis of costs incurred across childhood, adolescence and young adulthood. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2015;56:966–75. What is already known on this topic Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is quite common in childhood, can have a major impact on the child and family and can be the source of problems that persist long into adulthood. Previous UK studies have shown long-term economic impacts through the effects on service utilisation...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Knapp, M. Tags: Miscellaneous Source Type: research
Cross-cultural efficacy of the Cool Kids programme for child and adolescent anxiety
ABSTRACT FROM: Arendt K, Thastum M, Hougaard E. Efficacy of a Danish version of the Cool Kids program: a randomized wait-list controlled trial. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2015. Published Online First. What is already known on this topic The Cool Kids anxiety management programme for children and adolescents has demonstrated efficacy in randomised controlled trials compared with waitlist, bibliotherapy and active placebo1–3 at 3-month, 6-month and 12-month follow-ups when conducted in Australia. Further maintenance of treatment gains have been demonstrated with up to 6-year follow-up.4 Although widely used internationally, ...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Wuthrich, V. Tags: Clinical trials (epidemiology), Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Depressive disorder, Epidemiology Psychological interventions Source Type: research
Targeting social and non-social cognition to improve cognitive remediation outcomes in schizophrenia
ABSTRACT FROM: Muller DR, Schmidt SJ, Roder V. One-year randomized controlled trial and follow-up of Integrated Neurocognitive Therapy for schizophrenia outpatients. Schizophr Bull 2015;41:604–16. What is already known on this topic Patients with schizophrenia experience broad cognitive impairments in social (eg, perspective-taking) and non-social (eg, processing speed) domains.1 Cognitive remediation is an effective set of treatments for improving cognition in schizophrenia, although most approaches have not simultaneously addressed problems in social and non-social domains, limiting their efficacy.2 Muller and coll...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Eack, S. M. Tags: Clinical trials (epidemiology), Schizophrenia spectrum, Epidemiology Psychological interventions Source Type: research
Brief and effective psychological treatment of worry within people diagnosed with persecutory delusions
ABSTRACT FROM: Freeman D, Dunn G, Startup H, et al. Effects of cognitive behaviour therapy for worry on persecutory delusions in patients with psychosis (WIT): a parallel, single-blind, randomised controlled trial with a mediation analysis. Lancet Psychiatry 2015;2:305–13. What is already known on this topic Although cognitive–behaviour therapy (CBT) for schizophrenia has an established evidence base, most individuals diagnosed with this disorder fail to be offered this treatment. There is a need for brief cognitive–behavioural interventions, which target specific relevant psychological processes in order...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Steel, C. Tags: Clinical trials (epidemiology), Schizophrenia spectrum, Epidemiology Psychological interventions Source Type: research
SSRIs have a smaller benefit in paediatric when compared to adult major depressive disorder
ABSTRACT FROM: Varigonda AL, Jakubovski E, Taylor MJ, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis: early treatment responses of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in pediatric major depressive disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2015;54:557–64. What is already known on this topic Depressive disorders are frequent in children and adolescents.1 2 Several classes of antidepressants including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are being used to treat paediatric depression.1 2 However, the management of depression in children and adolescents remains a difficult medical and social problem, especia...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Sher, L. Tags: Clinical trials (epidemiology), Neurology, Substance dependence, Depressive disorder, Epidemiology Pharmacological interventions Source Type: research
Examination of a four-step treatment algorithm for postpartum psychosis
ABSTRACT FROM: Bergink V, Burgerhout KM, Koorengevel KM, et al. Treatment of psychosis and mania in the postpartum period. Am J Psychiatry 2015;172:115–23. What is already known on this topic Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is a severe psychiatric illness that occurs in the first weeks following delivery and may have devastating consequences (eg, suicide, infanticide).1 Hospitalisation and medication are required to stabilise and protect the mother and ensure the baby’s safety. Current treatments include one or a combination of antipsychotics, mood stabilisers and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT);2 however, there is ...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Lawson, A., Dalfen, A. Tags: Drugs: psychiatry, Suicide (psychiatry) Pharmacological interventions Source Type: research
Antidepressants are associated with hospital admitted intracranial bleeds in people taking other medication associated with bleeding
ABSTRACT FROM: Shin JY, Park MJ, Lee SH, et al. Risk of intracranial haemorrhage in antidepressant users with concurrent use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: nationwide propensity score matched study. BMJ 2015;351:h3517. What is already known on this topic Antidepressants might decrease platelet aggregation, while non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may also inhibit platelet function, so both may increase bleeding.1 While antidepressants and NSAIDS are thought to increase gastrointestinal haemorrhage,1 there are contradictory results on the risk of intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) with the coprescription ...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Morriss, R. Tags: Epidemiologic studies, Neurology, Depressive disorder, Epidemiology Causes and risk factors Source Type: research
Bullying victimisation increases the risk of emergence and persistence of specific psychotic symptoms and of psychotic disorder
ABSTRACT FROM: Catone G, Marwaha S, Kuipers E, et al. Bullying victimisation and risk of psychotic phenomena: analyses of British national survey data. Lancet Psychiatry 2015;2:618–24. What is already known on this topic There is a strong association between social influences and adversities, and the emergence of psychosis, with urban upbringing, migrant status, childhood abuse and neglect, parental death, family breakdown, school mobility, and social disadvantage and marginalisation, all increasing the risk of psychotic symptoms.1–3 One such influence is bullying victimisation. The relationship between being b...
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Singh, S. P. Tags: Epidemiologic studies, Neurology, Drugs: psychiatry, Epidemiology, Screening (epidemiology) Causes and risk factors Source Type: research
Access to firearms in the USA: angry and impulsive behaviour in people with and without mental disorders
This article argues that angry and impulsive behaviour carries an intrinsic risk of violence. Some offences, which may correlate with angry and impulsive behaviour, such as convictions for violent misdemeanours and driving offences, do not exclude individuals from possessing and carrying firearms... (Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health)
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Smith, E. N. Tags: Epidemiologic studies, EBMH Forensic Psychiatry, Epidemiology Source Type: research
Approaches for synthesising complex mental health interventions in meta-analysis
Clinical and statistical heterogeneity are commonplace in meta-analysis of mental health interventions. One possible source of this heterogeneity is the complexity of the intervention being evaluated. Complexity may relate to the intervention, or to the way in which it is implemented; however, the most common interpretation of a complex intervention is one which has multiple, potentially interacting components. In this article we outline different analytical strategies suggested for incorporating intervention complexity in a meta-analysis. (Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health)
Source: Evidence-Based Mental Health - January 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Caldwell, D. M., Welton, N. J. Tags: Editor's choice, EBMH Statistics in Practice Source Type: research
