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Species’ declines are caused by a combination of factors that affect survival and/or breeding success. We studied the effects of a set of environmental and anthropogenic variables on the disappearance of Canarian Houbara Bustards Chlamydotis undulata fuertaventurae on Fuerteventura (Canary Islands), once the main stronghold of this endangered bird. Of 83 male display sites detected in 1997–1998, only 29 remained occupied in 2020–2021 (a 65% decrease in only 23 years). We compared habitat quality, density of conspecifics, other steppe birds and crows, presence of human infrastructure, and degree of environmental protection between these 29 extant sites and the 54 extinct sites using univariate analyses and generalised linear models (GLMs). The most influential variable in the abandonment of display sites was the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), an indicator of green vegetation productivity, which suggests a strong effect of habitat aridification due to climate change on the population’s extinction process. Powerline density was the second most important factor. This suggests that houbaras have survived where a greater abundance of food resources has enabled a higher breeding success, and where powerline fatalities have caused lower mortality over the years. Higher densities of houbaras, and other steppe birds and crows at extant display sites confirmed the better habitat quality in these areas. Extant display sites, located generally in protected areas, also had lower densities of human infrastructure (e.g. buildings, roads). We discuss the conservation implications of these results and provide management recommendations for this endangered subspecies.
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) may be misdiagnosed if testing is performed in the absence of signs or symptoms of disease. This study sought to support appropriate testing by estimating the impact of signs, symptoms, and healthcare exposures on pre-test likelihood of CDI.
Methods:
A panel of fifteen experts in infectious diseases participated in a modified UCLA/RAND Delphi study to estimate likelihood of CDI. Consensus, defined as agreement by >70% of panelists, was assessed via a REDCap survey. Items without consensus were discussed in a virtual meeting followed by a second survey.
Results:
All fifteen panelists completed both surveys (100% response rate). In the initial survey, consensus was present on 6 of 15 (40%) items related to risk of CDI. After panel discussion and clarification of questions, consensus (>70% agreement) was reached on all remaining items in the second survey. Antibiotics were identified as the primary risk factor for CDI and grouped into three categories: high-risk (likelihood ratio [LR] 7, 93% agreement among panelists in first survey), low-risk (LR 3, 87% agreement in first survey), and minimal-risk (LR 1, 71% agreement in first survey). Other major factors included new or unexplained severe diarrhea (e.g., ≥ 10 liquid bowel movements per day; LR 5, 100% agreement in second survey) and severe immunosuppression (LR 5, 87% agreement in second survey).
Conclusion:
Infectious disease experts concurred on the importance of signs, symptoms, and healthcare exposures for diagnosing CDI. The resulting risk estimates can be used by clinicians to optimize CDI testing and treatment.
Around the world, people living in objectively difficult circumstances who experience symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) do not qualify for a diagnosis because their worry is not ‘excessive’ relative to the context. We carried out the first large-scale, cross-national study to explore the implications of removing this excessiveness requirement.
Methods
Data come from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative. A total of 133 614 adults from 12 surveys in Low- or Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and 16 surveys in High-Income Countries (HICs) were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Non-excessive worriers meeting all other DSM-5 criteria for GAD were compared to respondents meeting all criteria for GAD, and to respondents without GAD, on clinically-relevant correlates.
Results
Removing the excessiveness requirement increases the global lifetime prevalence of GAD from 2.6% to 4.0%, with larger increases in LMICs than HICs. Non-excessive and excessive GAD cases worry about many of the same things, although non-excessive cases worry more about health/welfare of loved ones, and less about personal or non-specific concerns, than excessive cases. Non-excessive cases closely resemble excessive cases in socio-demographic characteristics, family history of GAD, and risk of temporally secondary comorbidity and suicidality. Although non-excessive cases are less severe on average, they report impairment comparable to excessive cases and often seek treatment for GAD symptoms.
Conclusions
Individuals with non-excessive worry who meet all other DSM-5 criteria for GAD are clinically significant cases. Eliminating the excessiveness requirement would lead to a more defensible GAD diagnosis.
Children who have undergone an oncological process and have received treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy on the central nervous system may have significant neurocognitive sequelae. Some video games have shown neurocognitive benefits in people with impairments in different areas, such as attention or memory.
Objectives
This work aims to demonstrate the benefit of a video game-based training program to improve the neurocognitive profile in a child survivor of cancer.
Methods
The patient is a 9-year-old female who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of 4 years. She received routine treatment of this disease by chemotherapy, including high-dose chemotherapy (with blood-brain barrier crossing) and intrathecal chemotherapy. She is currently 3 years after the end of treatment.
The Continuous Performance Test 3 (CPT-3) (sustained attention/vigilance) was administered before and after a multifaceted training program consisting of playing 3 video games for 12 weeks, as follows: a brain-training game (4 days per week, 7-12 minutes per day), a skill-training game (2 days per week, 10 minutes per day) and an exergaming game (2 days per week, 10 minutes per day).
Results
Prior to intervention, the patient had 3 atypical z-scores on the CPT-3 (z scores: mean = 0, S.D. = 1), with a pattern compatible with ADHD (omissions z = 1.2; hit reaction time z = 3.4; hit reaction time block change z = 1.2). After intervention, she had only an atypical z-score (hit reaction time z = 3.6), with a pattern compatible with slowing, without ADHD.
Conclusions
The neuropsychological evaluation of this patient showed an improvement in his attentional pattern on the CPT-3 after the video game-based training.
Childhood cancer survivors have neurocognitive sequelae that in most survivor follow-up programs are underdiagnosed and for which there is usually no treatment plan.
Video games have demonstrated various psychological and neurocognitive benefits in different subpopulations, such as patients with organic neurological deficits or children with ADHD. However, few studies have been carried out using video games-based interventions in the paediatric oncology population.
Objectives
The aim of this work is to present the WINNERS study protocol, the objectives of which are to diagnose the neurological and cognitive sequelae in child cancer survivors, and to demonstrate the benefit in these areas of a training program based on video games.
Methods
A randomized controlled and unblinded trial is presented. Fifty-six patients aged 8 to 17 years stratified into two age groups (8-12 and 13-17) who had received any of the following treatments 1 to 6 years before the enrolment will be selected: high-dose chemotherapy with blood-brain barrier crossing, intrathecal or intraventricular chemotherapy, CNS radiotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
A neuropsychological evaluation will be performed consisting of a battery of neuropsychological tests to assess parameters such as attention, memory, visuospatial ability or speed of response, as well as a neuroimaging evaluation by structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging. The evaluation will be repeated 3 months and 6 months after the enrolment. Patients will be randomized to a treatment group or to a recycled waiting group. Intervention will consist on a 12-week training at home using 3 video games: a brain training game, an exergaming game and a skill training game.
Results
According to the hypotheses of this study, it is expected that the proposed program of videogame-based interventions will improve neurocognitive and other wellbeing parameters in the intervention group.
Conclusions
This study aims to improve the quality of care for patients who have survived a cancer disease by detecting sequelae that have so far been poorly attended, and by proposing a gamification-based intervention program that is effective and attractive for this population.
Paediatric cancer survivors have a risk for neuropsychological impairment due to the disease and the treatment received. These affections have been neglected in the follow-up of these patients. It is important to identify the most valid outcomes in the evaluation of neurocognitive sequelae in childhood cancer survivors.
Objectives
This work aims to compare the results obtained between subjective perception of caregivers and objective cognitive performance based on validated attention tests.
Methods
In a randomized controlled and unblinded trial to demonstrate the benefit of video games on different neurocognitive areas in cancer survivors, we studied attention functioning before and after the intervention program. The attention deficit subscale from the Behavior Assessment System for Children 3rd edition (BASC-3), self- and parent-reported versions, and the Continuous Performance Test, 3rd edition (CPT 3) will be used as outcomes (z scores: mean = 0, S.D. = 1).
Results
We observed an improvement in attention after intervention using the CPT-3 (omissions z = 1.2; hit reaction time z = 3.4; hit reaction time block change z = 1.2 versus hit reaction time z = 3.6 without other atipycal z scores after intervention), changing the attentional pattern from “ADHD” to “slowed”. However, in the parent-reported version of the BASC-3, a worsening in the attention subscale is observed (z = 0.3 pre-intervention vs z = 1.0 post-intervention) while the self-reported version of the patient didn’t show any significant changes (z = 1.4 pre-intervention vs z = 1.1 post-intervention).
Conclusions
It is essential to use objective tests to measure neurocognitive sequelae in these patients. Subjective surveys can provide additional information, but not substitute the above.
The in vitro nematocide activity of seventeen 6,7-diarylpteridines has been tested using three different experimental models, Caenorhabditis elegans, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and Heligmosomoides polygyrus. The method of evaluation of inhibition in the secretion of acetylcholinesterase by H. polygyrus seems to be the most indicated to avoid false positives. The in vivo activities, against Trichinella spiralis, of the most in vitro active pteridines have been assayed. All pteridine derivatives bearing 6,7-di-p-bromophenyl substituents have shown in vitronematocide activites in the three experimental models used. Amongst all the pteridines tested in vivo, only 2,4-pteridinedithione derivatives exhibited moderate activity.
Despite their documented efficacy, substantial proportions of patients discontinue antidepressant medication (ADM) without a doctor's recommendation. The current report integrates data on patient-reported reasons into an investigation of patterns and predictors of ADM discontinuation.
Methods
Face-to-face interviews with community samples from 13 countries (n = 30 697) in the World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys included n = 1890 respondents who used ADMs within the past 12 months.
Results
10.9% of 12-month ADM users reported discontinuation-based on recommendation of the prescriber while 15.7% discontinued in the absence of prescriber recommendation. The main patient-reported reason for discontinuation was feeling better (46.6%), which was reported by a higher proportion of patients who discontinued within the first 2 weeks of treatment than later. Perceived ineffectiveness (18.5%), predisposing factors (e.g. fear of dependence) (20.0%), and enabling factors (e.g. inability to afford treatment cost) (5.0%) were much less commonly reported reasons. Discontinuation in the absence of prescriber recommendation was associated with low country income level, being employed, and having above average personal income. Age, prior history of psychotropic medication use, and being prescribed treatment from a psychiatrist rather than from a general medical practitioner, in comparison, were associated with a lower probability of this type of discontinuation. However, these predictors varied substantially depending on patient-reported reasons for discontinuation.
Conclusion
Dropping out early is not necessarily negative with almost half of individuals noting they felt better. The study underscores the diverse reasons given for dropping out and the need to evaluate how and whether dropping out influences short- or long-term functioning.
To investigate the occurrence of traumatic stress symptoms (TSS) among healthcare workers active during the COVID-19 pandemic and to obtain insight as to which pandemic-related stressful experiences are associated with onset and persistence of traumatic stress.
Methods
This is a multicenter prospective cohort study. Spanish healthcare workers (N = 4,809) participated at an initial assessment (i.e., just after the first wave of the Spain COVID-19 pandemic) and at a 4-month follow-up assessment using web-based surveys. Logistic regression investigated associations of 19 pandemic-related stressful experiences across four domains (infection-related, work-related, health-related and financial) with TSS prevalence, incidence and persistence, including simulations of population attributable risk proportions (PARP).
Results
Thirty-day TSS prevalence at T1 was 22.1%. Four-month incidence and persistence were 11.6% and 54.2%, respectively. Auxiliary nurses had highest rates of TSS prevalence (35.1%) and incidence (16.1%). All 19 pandemic-related stressful experiences under study were associated with TSS prevalence or incidence, especially experiences from the domains of health-related (PARP range 88.4–95.6%) and work-related stressful experiences (PARP range 76.8–86.5%). Nine stressful experiences were also associated with TSS persistence, of which having patient(s) in care who died from COVID-19 had the strongest association. This association remained significant after adjusting for co-occurring depression and anxiety.
Conclusions
TSSs among Spanish healthcare workers active during the COVID-19 pandemic are common and associated with various pandemic-related stressful experiences. Future research should investigate if these stressful experiences represent truly traumatic experiences and carry risk for the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The purpose of the research project is to analyze the long-term evolution of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) from of a study of a cohort of patients prospectively followed over a period ranging from 5 to 20 years, treated for according to therapeutic guidelines mediating serotonin reuptake inhibitors (IRS) and drug enhancers (antipsychotics) and cognitive behavioral therapy and evaluated in a standardized manner.
Objectives
To assess the long-term course of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in a cohort of patients treated according to current clinical guidelines; to analyse possible prognostic factors associated with the long-term course of the disorder including clinical and sociodemographic variables, as well as genetic and neuroimaging biomarkers, and their interaction, and finally to study neuroanatomical and functional cerebral connectivity changes after 15 years of treatment in a subsample of patients.
Methods
Prospective, descriptive, and observational study of a cohort of OCD patients, receiving treatment at the Department of Psychiatry of Hospital de Bellvitge since 1998, according to a standardized protocol. Follow-up period ranges from 5 (n=423), to 10 (n= 247) and 15 years (123). Baseline clinical and sociodemographic assessment, long-term evolution and information on treatments provided are available for the whole sample. Data on whole exome sequencing is available for 300 of the patients included in the cohort and baseline structural neuroimaging and cerebral functional connectivity has been analysed in 168 subjects. To expand the analysis of genetic biomarkers, we propose the study of de novo variants through exome analysis of 50 trios (patient and both parents) selected among those subjects that have reached 15 years of follow-up (25 trios with patients within the “long-term remission” group and 25 trios with patients with chronic OCD). De novo variants detected in the trio analysis will be replicated in the rest of the sample. A structural and resting state MRI will be obtained in a subsample of 100 patients recruited among those who have completed a minimum follow-up period of 15 years, to assess cerebral changes associated with the long-term course of the disorder.
Results
in the current moment the recruitment period of the study has ended and all the data is being statistically analysed in order to provide solid results in a short period of time.
Conclusions
The identification of those factors associated with an increased risk of chronic disease is an element essential to offer personalized treatment to our patients and improve their prognosis, emphasizing the intensive use of those therapeutic strategies for which we can predict a better response and modifying to the extent of, if possible, environmental factors or factors of access to treatment that contribute to perpetuate obsessive symptoms.
In the last decade, the prevalence of THC use is increasing among adolescents and adults. There is also strong evidence to suggest that cannabis use is associated with psychiatric comorbidities. The strongest evidence is found between cannabis use and psychotic disorder. However, the literature shows that those who have used cannabis in the past or for a large part of their lives are at higher risk of mood disorders, anxiety, personality disorder or other drug use than those who do not use cannabis in a harmful way.
Objectives
To provide an overview of the association between cannabis use and the different mental pathologies presented by the patients admitted during the study period. To describe the prevalence of THC use in the study according to the mental pathology presented by the patient.
Methods
A retrospective observational descriptive study was developed for 3 months, of all patients admitted to the acute unit of the psychiatric hospital. No exclusion criteria were included.
Results
During the period of study 172 patients were admitted to the hospital, classified according to the main diagnosis we have: 49 patients suffer from schizophrenia, 26 bipolar affective disorder, 20 with depressive disorder, 20 with personality disorder, 19 with substance use disorder, 18 with other unspecified disorders and 20 patients with no known previous diagnosis. The prevalence of THC use in the study sample according to diagnosis, would be schizophrenia 16%, Bipolar affective disorder 19%, Depressive disorder 5%, Personality disorder 45%, Substance use disorder 21%, Unspecified disorders 11% and patients with no known previous diagnosis 10%.
Conclusions
The results obtained in the study in terms of THC use are in agreement with those obtained in the literature. In our study, we observed that cannabis use is associated with psychotic disorders as well as with mood, personality and substance abuse disorders. Given that the frequency of use has increased and there is a strong association with different comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, guidance on modifications in medication strategies might be necessary.
Patients with mental disorders frequently become non-adherent during their long term prescribed treatment. This situation frequently triggers clinical worsening and hospital admission. Therefore, non-adherence may result in poorer long term clinical outcomes and has economic implications for health-care providers (Carlos De las Cuevas et al. Neuropsychopharmacol Hung 2021; 23(4):347-362).
Objectives
- To describe the adherence to oral and long acting injectable treatment in the sample of patients that were admitted to the short stay hospital unit during the period of study.
- To describe the adherence to treatment amongst psychiatric diagnosis in the sample of study.
Methods
It was a retrospective observational study with a duration of three months. Data was collected from all patients admitted to the short stay hospital unit during the period of study and there were no specific exclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics were performed. To assess the adherence to pharmachological treatment the patient report, the family report and the pharmacy dispensation according to the existent informatic prescription platform was considered. Regarding the long acting injectable treatment the formulary of administration in the clinical history was checked.
Results
During the period of study 172 patients were admitted to the short stay hospital unit. Of those, 146 patients had a previous pharmacologic prescription. Data of treatment was not possible to obtain in 7 patients. In the sample of study, 83.5% were on oral and 16.5% on long acting injectable treatment. The general adherence to treatment in the sample was 61.87%. In the oral treatment group the adherence was 58.4% and in the long acting injectable treatment group was 65.2%.
Amongst the different psychiatric diagnoses the outcomes of adherence to treatment were: 60.4% in schizophrenia and related psychosis, 62.5% in bipolar disorder, 78.6% in depression, 58.3% in personality disorders and 62% in addictive disorders.
Conclusions
In our descriptive study adherence to treatment was higher in the long acting injectable treatment group, agreeing with the existent scientific literature.
The results of adherence for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are similar to the ones found in scientific literature but differ from the ones for depression, being higher in our sample (Judit Lazary et al. Neuropsychopharmacol Hung 2021;23(4): 347-362). Moreover, in scientific literature it is found a similar prevalence of adherence across diagnosis (for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression) whereas in our sample patients with depression showed a different and higher adherence to treatment (Judit Lazary et al. Neuropsychopharmacol Hung 2021;23(4): 347-362). In our sample, patients with personality disorders had the lowest adherence to treatment.
Smoking prevalence in patients with mental illness ranges between two to 4 times higher than general population. This higher prevalence has a multifactorial origin, and some of the possible causes are still unknown.
They have a higher prevalence of tobacco-associated diseases and higher mortality.
Additionally, these patients have greater difficulty in treating and quitting smoking.
A relationship has been found between severity of mental illness and smoking. Risk of suicide seems to be higher in patients with higher tobacco consumption. Schizophrenia is the mental illness that has been most closely related to smoking, with a prevalence close to 90%.
Objectives
The aim of this work is reviewing the current bibliography referring to smoking treatments for patients with mental illness
Methods
A literature search using electronic manuscripts available in PubMed database published during the last ten years and further description and discussion of a single-patient clinical case
Results
The treatment of tobacco dependence in patients with mental illnesses is sometimes waited until there is psychiatric stability, which can take a long time in those cases with more severe mental disorders, which can have negative physical and psychiatric consequences.
The combined treatment of cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacological treatment is the most effective approach. Nicotine replacement therapy can be useful, while combined use of antidepressants or anxiolytics is also recommended.
Bupropion has shown efficacy. In patients with schizophrenia it does not seem to worsen positive symptomatology, but improving the negative one. It should not be used in patients with bipolar disorder or bulimia.
Varenicline has shown efficacy in the general population, but limitations were established in patients with mental illness, although it is the drug that has shown greater efficacy. However, is not currently available in our country.
Cytisine is a drug with limited number of studies in the psychiatric population but it may be a reasonable treatment alternative.
Conclusions
The prevalence of tobacco use in patients with mental illness is higher than the general population, especially in paranoid schizophrenia. The consequences on physical health and the evolution of psychiatric illness are very relevant. Based on above, a multidisciplinary and coordinated management involving psychiatrists and other specialists in the treatment of these patients should be desirable.
A 20-year-old female presents with a progressive 3-month mutism, hyporexia (20kg weight loss), abulia, anhedonia, apathy, social isolation,seeking company of her parents even at night, bradypsychia, sialorrhea, psychomotor slowdown and hypomimia. She is hospitalized in the Psychiatric Brief Hospitalization Unit (PBHU).Her parents relate the beginning of this symptomatology to a breakup and gender violence,which the patient confirms during the interview by eye/cephalic movements and single words jotted down.
Objectives
The objective of this study is to describe the evolution of the patient during her hospitalization in the PBHU of Salamanca and to look into the available bibliography about mutism related to stress and sialorrhea.
Methods
We carried out a follow-up of the hospitalization of the patient and a structured search in PubMed with the keywords “mutism”,“sialorrhea” and “stress” in the last 10 years in English,Spanish and French.
Results
Few or no articles where found.Therefore, the articles about mutism and stress were analyzed, which focused mostly in selective mutism. Regarding fear,the response to cope with the threat(fight, flight, freeze) is mediated by the autonomic system. The “Polyvagal Theory” speaks about the vagus nerve participating in emotion regulation (social communication and mobilization). Dissociation, in this context,has adaptive and defensive purposes and its threshold can be reduced by repeated stress situations.Long-term alteration of the autonomic nervous system has been described in selective mutism.This malfunction can be related to an elevated production of saliva due to the activation of the parasympathetic in the salivary glands, causing sialorrhea in our patient.
The patient began treatment with sertraline 100mg and risperidone 2mg with the aim of its antidepressive and major tranquilizer effects, she also began individual and family psychotherapy, we assured her sleep and intakes and she began to progressively recover her speech and mobility,identifying a possible trigger for the symptomatology: a physical beating of gender violence after her breakup.
Conclusions
Dissociation and “freeze” response can be a maladaptative mechanism to fear.The malfunction of the autonomic nervous system can explain the disconnection,poor gaze,low facial and body expression and inability to speak.
Patients with mental disorders have a decreased life expectancy, being the main reason the cardiovascular disease. An important proportion of patients present a comorbid drug consumption. Amongst drugs, alcohol is the most frequent, and it is associated with a higher cardiovascular risk. The metabolic syndrome is one of the most employed tools to assess cardiovascular risk.
Objectives
- To describe the demographic characteristics of the patients with an active alcohol consumption that were admitted to the hospital during the period of study.
- To describe the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the sample, according to the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III) criteria.
Methods
Retrospective observational study of three months duration. Data was collected from all patients admitted to the hospital during the period of study, with no specific exclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics were performed.
Results
During the period of study 172 patients were admitted to the hospital (56.4% women and 43.6% men). A 44.8% presented alcohol consumption (25% sporadically, 6.4% weekly and 13.4% daily). Amongst women, 1% presented daily and 1% weekly consumption. Amongst men, 21.3% presented daily and 5.3% weekly consumption.
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the study sample was 29.11%. In the alcohol consumption group, the prevalence was 24.7% and differed according to the pattern of consumption: 43.5% in the daily consumption group, 27.3% in the weekly and 14% in the sporadically consumption group.
Conclusions
On the one hand, in the sample of study a higher percentage of men present an active alcohol consumption, compared to women. It is remarkable the high percentage of daily alcohol consumption amongst men in our sample.
On the other hand, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in our sample is similar to the one found in scientific literature regarding patients with mental disorders. It is noteworthy in our sample the increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome found in patients with a daily alcohol consumption, and a decreased prevalence in those with a sporadic pattern.
Lithium associated with hypercalcemia may mimic a psychiatric condition and be confused for a relapse of bipolar disorder. The etiology seems to be due to a reduced sensitivity of the parathyroid cells to calcium, altering the parathyroid hormone (PTH) response. Lithium as an essential monovalent cation has some structural similarity to calcium (Ca) and can interact with protein receptors. This leads to changes in the inhibitory configuration of PTH and increased serum calcium concentrations, rising the threshold necessary to suppress hormone secretion.
Lithium-induced hyperparathyroidism (HIL) is the main cause of hypercalcemia in these patients.
Objectives
Based on a clinical case of lithium-associated hypercalcemia in a patient with bipolar disorder, review the existing literature and state the needs for periodic monitoring protocols.
Methods
Case report and bibliographical review.
Results
A 38-year-old woman, diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder at the age of 18, has been treated with lithium during which she developed secondary tubulointerstitial nephropathy as an adverse effect. Recently, she requested medical evaluation for constitutional syndrome associated with deterioration of general condition with loss of strength and difficulty in walking. Analytically, mild hypercalcemia was detected, and the study was extended to include Ca and PTH.
Chronic lithium therapy often develops mild hypercalcemia (approximately 10 to 20 percent of patients taking lithium), most likely due to increased secretion of PTH. Lithium can also unmask previously unrecognized mild hyperparathyroidism in patients with adenomas within a few years of starting therapy or induce parathyroid hyperplasia with a chronic use.
The hypercalcemia usually, but not always, subsides when the lithium is stopped. Normalization of serum calcium is more likely to occur one to four weeks post-lithium withdrawal in patients with a relatively short duration of lithium use. It is less likely in patients receiving lithium for more than 10 years.
Regarding the case to be presented, a review of the literature is carried out and the need to propose periodic calcium monitoring protocols is exposed.
Conclusions
Recommendations include determination of serum calcium every 6 months, urinary calcium and creatinine every 12 months, and bone mineral density monitoring every 1 to 3 years. Regular analytical monitoring including total calcium, PTH and vitamin D, would identify patients with a tendency to hypercalcemia so that appropriate measures could be taken. So as chronic treatment with lithium can develop mild hypercalcemia, I consider it necessary to develop periodic monitoring protocols for this adverse effect.
Metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors are highly prevalent in people with mental severe illness (Sun & Jang, 2020).Metabolic disorders in people with schizophrenia increase their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, consequently reducing their life expectancy by approximately 10 to 25 years (Heald et al., 2017)In part these cardio-metabolic risk factors are attributable to unhealthy lifestyle, including poor diet and sedentary behaviour.Lifestyle interventions (diet, increased physical activity) are the first-line treatments to decrease that risk.
Objectives
Our objective is to carry out a prospective study on the application of a program of healthy habits in outpatients unit
Methods
Patients with mental severe illness were recruited at a mental health center in the Hospital Clinic of Valencia. Inclusion criteria: age from 18 to 65 years and diagnosis of severe/persistent mental illness Exclusion criteria: acute illness, were not understanding Spanish, not be able to read and understand questionnaries. We included following data: sociodemographic data and aspects of the health behaviors, anthropometric measurements and analytical with hemogram and biochemistry pre and post-intervention. All subjects gave informed consent for participation in the study.
Results
We included 12 patients, but only 9 completed the full program. Average baseline data suggests that participants were at increased health risk when entering the program.At the end of the program, differences were observed: a reduction in glucose profile, a reduction of an average of 3.33 kg from the initial weight and a reduction of 10 points in blood pressure.
Conclusions
This real world pilot trial evaluate of a health promotion intervention targeting physical activity and healthy eating in mental health care using a specific programme.
Patients affected by mental disorders are known to have a decreased life expectancy.
One of the main reasons are cardiovascular diseases. It is known that tobacco and hypertension are risk factors to develop them. WHO estimates that hypertension is diagnosed and treated in less than half of adults with hypertension, and even less in patients with severe mental illness.
Objectives
To describe the demographic characteristics of patients with tobacco comsumption and hypertension admitted to a short-term hospitalization unit.
Methods
A three-month retrospective observational study. Data were collected by interviewing incoming patients and performing a blood pressure measurement, with no exclusion criteria.
Results
Of 172 patients admitted, 100 were smokers of whom 49 were men and 51 were women. Among the smokers, a total of 18 patients were diagnosed with hypertension and 79 were not diagnosed. Within the group of patients not diagnosed with hypertension, elevated blood pressure was recorded in 5 of them. A total of 67 patients were non-smokers, 23 of whom were male and 44 female. Among the non-smokers, 19 were diagnosed with hypertension and 48 were not, despite which elevated blood pressure levels were recorded in 4 of them. No data were collected from 5 patients.
Conclusions
The prevalence of smokers in our sample was 58%. The prevalence of patients diagnosed with hypertension was 21,51% which is coherent with the existent literature. We did not find a higher percentage of hypertensive patients among the smokers admitted. There were patients who suffered from hypertension and were not diagnosed or treated previously.
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic situation forced the Spanish Government to declare a home confinement that was prolonged for three months. The Health System had to focus almost entirely on the treatment of patients with Covid-19 infection and vulnerable populations such as people with severe mental illness were overlooked. In this context, mental health home care as an alternative to hospitalization became a first-line approachment for patients with an acute mental health disorder.
Objectives
The aim of this study is to describe the professional practice and the patients characteristics attended by a mental health team in Catalonia during the home confinement due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Methods
This study includes the period between March 15, 2020 and June 21, 2020. Sociodemographic, clinical and team functioning variables were described. The patient data was obtained from medical history whereas the rest of information was collected through the creation of a database by the members of the assistencial team.
Results
Team’s structure was changed with the creation of two mirror teams. Psychological attention was expanded and the weekend coverage was reorganized.During that period 40 patients were treated with a mean age of 47 years. There were no differences regarding the gender (50% were men and 50% were women). 87% of the patients lived with their family. 75% of referrals were made by the hospital and 90% were referred to community services upon discharge. Regarding diagnoses, 57.5% of the patients were diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (10% being reactive to Covid-19). A total of 482 visits were made, of which 51% were conducted in a telematic form. The mean time between the referral and the admission was 37.98h. The team accepted 97% of the referred patients with an occupancy rate of 112.4%.
Conclusions
The re-organisation of a home treatment team during the domiciliary lockdown allowed to increase the occupancy rate and offered a rapid response to patients, avoiding the need of conventional hospitalization and providing a proper care plan.
Thyroid disorders can present with psychiatric symptons similar to depression, and, at the same time, certain treatments, like litio, can cause changes in thyroid function. Given, therefore, the importance for the treatment and care of patients, the study of thyroid function is one of the parametres that should be requested in patients with psychiatric pathology.
Objectives
To study the frequency of thyroid disorders in patients who where admitted to a psychiatric short stay unit.
Methods
Retrospective descriptive observational study is carried out in the acute stay unit of a psychiatric hospital. As a sample, all patients admitted to the unit over a period of three months. During admission, their sociodemographic data, the treatment they receive and their diagnosis are recorded. Secondly, blood test are performed whith differents parameters, including TSH values.
Results
In the total sample of 172 patients, 8 of them have TSH abnormalities. 7 of them, all women, present hypothyroidism values.
A single male patient presented values of hyperthryroidism.
Conclusions
According to the present study, 4,6% of the patients present alterations at the TSH at admission, although except in one case, the values were not markedly altered.
The thyroid study at admission allows detecting cases of altered TSH that are amenable to treatment and monitoring.