The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Since a large portion of the world’s population is currently unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated and has limited access to approved treatments against COVID-19, there is an urgent need to continue research on treatment options, especially those at low cost and which are immediately available to patients, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Prior in vitro and observational studies have shown that fluoxetine, possibly through its inhibitory effect on the acid sphingomyelinase/ceramide system, could be a promising antiviral and anti-inflammatory treatment against COVID-19.

The aim of this sudy was to test the potential antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities of fluoxetine against SARS-CoV-2 in a K18-hACE2 mouse model of infection, and against several variants of concern in vitro, and test the hypothesis of the implication of ceramides and/or their derivatives hexosylceramides.

We evaluated the potential antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities of fluoxetine in a K18-hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and against variants of concern in vitro, i.e., SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain, Alpha B.1.1.7, Gamma P1, Delta B1.617 and Omicron BA.5.

Fluoxetine, administrated after SARS-CoV-2 infection, significantly reduced lung tissue viral titres (Figure 1) and expression of several inflammatory markers (i.e., IL-6, TNFα, CCL2 and CXCL10) (Figure 2). It also inhibited the replication of all variants of concern in vitro. A modulation of the ceramide system in the lung tissues, as reflected by the increase in the ratio HexCer 16:0/Cer 16:0 in fluoxetine-treated mice, may contribute to explain these effects (Figure 3).

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Our findings demonstrate the antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties of fluoxetine in a K18-hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and its in vitro antiviral activity against variants of concern, establishing fluoxetine as a very promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease pathogenesis.

None Declared

To reduce Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related mortality and morbidity, widely available oral COVID-19 treatments are urgently needed. Certain antidepressants, such as fluvoxamine or fluoxetine, may be beneficial against COVID-19.

The main objective was two-fold: (i) to test the hypothesis that the prevalence of antidepressant use in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 would be lower than in patients with similar characteristics hospitalized without COVID-19, and (ii) to examine, among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, whether antidepressant use is associated with reduced 28-day mortality. Our secondary aim was to examine whether this potential association could only concern specific antidepressant classes or molecules, is dose-dependent, and/or only observed beyond a certain dose threshold.

We included 388,945 adult inpatients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at 36 AP–HP (Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris) hospitals from 2 May 2020 to 2 November 2021. We compared the prevalence of antidepressant use at admission in a 1:1 ratio matched analytic sample with and without COVID-19 (N = 82,586), and assessed its association with 28-day all-cause mortality in a 1:1 ratio matched analytic sample of COVID-19 inpatients with and without antidepressant use at admission (N = 1482) (Figure 1).

Antidepressant use was significantly less prevalent in inpatients with COVID-19 than in a matched control group of inpatients without COVID-19 (1.9% versus 4.8%; Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.38; 95%CI = 0.35–0.41, p < 0.001) (Figure 2). Antidepressant use was significantly associated with reduced 28-day mortality among COVID-19 inpatients (12.8% versus 21.2%; OR = 0.55; 95%CI = 0.41–0.72, p < 0.001), particularly at daily doses of at least 40 mg fluoxetine equivalents (Figure 3). Antidepressants with high FIASMA (Functional Inhibitors of Acid Sphingomyelinase) activity seem to drive both associations.

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Antidepressant use is associated with a reduced likelihood of hospitalization in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and with a reduced risk of death in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. These associations were stronger for molecules with high FIASMA activity. These findings posit that prospective interventional studies of antidepressants with the highest FIASMA activity may be appropriate to help identify variant-agnostic, affordable, and scalable interventions for outpatient and inpatient therapy of COVID-19.

None Declared

Airway management is a controversial topic in modern Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems. Among many concerns regarding endotracheal intubation (ETI), unrecognized esophageal intubation and observations of unfavorable neurologic outcomes in some studies raise the question of whether alternative airway techniques should be first-line in EMS airway management protocols. Supraglottic airway devices (SADs) are simpler to use, provide reliable oxygenation and ventilation, and may thus be an alternative first-line airway device for paramedics. In 2019, Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR; Alachua, Florida USA) introduced a novel protocol for advanced airway management emphasizing first-line use of a second-generation SAD (i-gel) for patients requiring medication-facilitated airway management (referred to as “rapid sequence airway” [RSA] protocol).

This was a one-year quality assurance review of care provided under the RSA protocol looking at compliance and first-pass success rate of first-line SAD use.

Records were obtained from the agency’s electronic medical record (EMR), searching for the use of the RSA protocol, advanced airway devices, or either ketamine or rocuronium. If available, hospital follow-up data regarding patient condition and emergency department (ED) airway exchange were obtained.

During the first year, 33 advanced airway attempts were made under the protocol by 23 paramedics. Overall, compliance with the airway device sequence as specified in the protocol was 72.7%. When ETI was non-compliantly used as first-line airway device, the first-pass success rate was 44.4% compared to 87.5% with adherence to first-line SAD use. All prehospital SADs were exchanged in the ED in a delayed fashion and almost exclusively per physician preference alone. In no case was the SAD exchanged for suspected dislodgement evidenced by lack of capnography.

First-line use of a SAD was associated with a high first-pass attempt success rate in a real-life cohort of prehospital advanced airway encounters. No SAD required emergent exchange upon hospital arrival.

Prior investigation of adult patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has found greater functional connectivity within orbitofrontal–striatal–thalamic (OST) circuitry, as well as altered connectivity within and between large-scale brain networks such as the cingulo-opercular network (CON) and default mode network (DMN), relative to controls. However, as adult OCD patients often have high rates of co-morbid anxiety and long durations of illness, little is known about the functional connectivity of these networks in relation to OCD specifically, or in young patients near illness onset.

In this study, unmedicated female patients with OCD (ages 8–21 years, n = 23) were compared to age-matched female patients with anxiety disorders (n = 26), and healthy female youth (n = 44). Resting-state functional connectivity was used to determine the strength of functional connectivity within and between OST, CON, and DMN.

Functional connectivity within the CON was significantly greater in the OCD group as compared to the anxiety and healthy control groups. Additionally, the OCD group displayed greater functional connectivity between OST and CON compared to the other two groups, which did not differ significantly from each other.

Our findings indicate that previously noted network connectivity differences in pediatric patients with OCD were likely not attributable to co-morbid anxiety disorders. Moreover, these results suggest that specific patterns of hyperconnectivity within CON and between CON and OST circuitry may characterize OCD relative to non-OCD anxiety disorders in youth. This study improves understanding of network dysfunction underlying pediatric OCD as compared to pediatric anxiety.

Knowledge of the prevalence and the different types of risk behavior in adolescence is needed to prevent unwanted health consequences.

In general, risk behavior in adolescence is quite common. It comprises patterns such as smoking, alcohol consumption, hazardous driving, drug use, delinquency, dares, sporting risks, rebellious behavior, school-related risks, sexual intercourse as well as other socially inconspicuous behavior that nonetheless poses a risk to health (e.g. bad nutrition, lack of physical activity, or excessive sunbathing).

The different types of risk behavior are described also addressing the issues of gender differences and individual risk factors as well as protective factors. Temperament factors (novelty seeking) and peer group influences are discussed as well as genetic factors and brain maturation in adolescence.

The knowledge of adolescent risk behavior and the possible causes as well as prevention strategies is important for all professionals dealing with adolescents and young adults.

Attempts to reduce high utilisation of psychiatric inpatient care by targeting the critical time of hospital discharge have been rare. In Germany, until now no such intervention has been implemented, let alone subjected to a clinical trial.

“Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Needs-Oriented Discharge Planning and Monitoring for High Utilisers of Psychiatric Services” (NODPAM) is a multicentre RCT conducted in five psychiatric hospitals in Germany (Günzburg, Düsseldorf, Regensburg, Greifswald, and Ravensburg). Subjects asked to provide informed consent to participate have to be of adult age with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia or affective disorder, and a defined high utilisation of psychiatric care during two years prior to the current admission. Subjects are asked to provide detailed outcome data at four measurement points during a period of 18 months. Recruitment (which started in April 06) is still ongoing. Thus, baseline data of about 350 participants will be presented.

Recruitment has been quite successful and the study has been generally well accepted by participating patients and their clinicians in in- and outpatient treatment settings. Subjects showed substantial initial impairment on outcome measures (e.g. needs, psychopathology, quality of life, and level of functioning) and high utilisation of mental health care. Further results on conduct and feasibility of the trial will be presented.

The first phase of this mulicentre trial was promising. The potential of this study to strengthen the integration of mental health care provision in Germany will be discussed.

Aim of this contribution is to describe the intervention used in the study “Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Needs-Oriented Discharge Planning and Monitoring for High Utilisers of Psychiatric Services” (NODPAM). This intervention applies principles of needs-led care and focusses on the inpatient-outpatient transition. The NODPAM intervention manual includes a range of predefined standardised options based on number and type of needs.

For the intervention group, a trained intervention worker provides a coherent package of needs-oriented discharge planning and monitoring focussing on the care process. He or she emphasises continuity of the care process vis-à-vis both patient and clinician (and carers if possible) via providing two manualised intervention sessions): (a) A discharge planning session takes place just before discharge with the patient and responsible clinician at the inpatient service; (b) A monitoring session takes place three months after discharge with the patient and outpatient clinician (office-based or public outpatient mental health service-based). A written treatment plan is signed by and forwarded to all participants after each session.

Acceptance of the intervention by patients and clinicians has been high so far. Further results on duration, participant characteristics, and participants' appraisal of the NODPAM intervention will be presented.

These first results indicate that the NODPAM intervention is feasible in inpatient mental health services in Germany. Discussion will focus on its applicability in other service systems.

Current clinical practice excludes placebo usage on ethical grounds. No attempt was made to clarify the viewpoint of the general population regarding the matter.

To evaluate the opinion of young-adults towards the use of Placebo in clinical practice.

1. 1) Investigate the willingness of our study population to receive placebo for the treatment of depression or other general medical conditions, and

2. 2) assess whether prescribing placebo would affect the study population's view regarding doctor-patient relationship or patient's autonomy.

We enrolled 344 students from five academic institutes in Israel, and briefed them thoroughly about the effects of placebo, its efficacy and limitations in treating depression. Understanding was verified and only then did the subjects complete a 32 item self-report questionnaire (include sociodemographic, health related data, past experience in medical encounters and willingness of subjects to be treated with Placebo medication).

In contrast to our main hypothesis 70% (N = 243) of the subjects expressed consent to be treated with placebo as a first line treatment had they suffered from depression, and 73% (N = 248) agreed to receive placebo for other general medical conditions. Eighty-eight percent of the subjects (N = 297) did not perceive a physician using placebo as a deceiver or the act of prescribing it a deceit.

The majority of our study population was willing to use placebo medication in general, and in particular, as first line treatment for depression. This study results should promote physicians to rethink and discuss the legitimacy of using placebo in clinical practice.

Schizoaffective disorder is a common diagnosis in mental health services. The present article aims to provide an overview of diagnostic reliability, symptomatology, outcome, neurobiology and treatment of schizoaffective disorder.

Literature was identified by searches in “Medline” and “Cochrane Library”.

The diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder has a low reliability. There are marked differences between the current diagnostic systems. With respect to psychopathological symptoms, no clear boundaries were found between schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and affective disorders. Common neurobiological factors were found across the traditional diagnostic categories. Schizoaffective disorder according to ICD-10 criteria, but not to DSM-IV criteria, shows a more favorable outcome than schizophrenia. With regard to treatment, only a small and heterogeneous database exists.

Due to the low reliability and questionable validity there is a substantial need for revision and unification of the current diagnostic concepts of schizoaffective disorder. If future diagnostic systems return to Kraepelin's dichotomous classification of non-organic psychosis or adopt a dimensional diagnostic approach, schizoaffective disorder will disappear from the psychiatric nomenclature. A nosological model with multiple diagnostic entities, however, would be compatible with retaining the diagnostic category of schizoaffective disorder.