The use of coercion in emergency psychiatry is discussed controversially.

Concerning the constraint of coerced medication there were changes of the German Civil Code in 2012 (XII ZB 99/12) and the Saxon Law on Aid and Accommodation for Mental Diseases in early 2013 (2 BvR 228/12)

Against the background of the issue ’Coercive Treatment’, we aimed on monitoring the effects of these amendments on our 18-bedded closed psychiatric ward.

We performed a pre-post-comparison (pre: 2010, post: 1st half of 2013) by using descriptive and test statistics.

Socio-demographic patient data and performance data remained stable. Regarding the main diagnoses [ICD 10] F19* (pre11.0%, post 22.0%; p<0.001), F2*(pre 11.9%, post 17.6; p<0.01) and F10.* -F18.* (pre 31.2%, post 18.8%; p<0.001) there were significant changes in distribution. We measured a significant reduction of the administration of emergency medication, except for the intramuscular injection of Zuclopenthixol, Olanzapin and Diazepam, and for the oral application of benzodiazepines and antipsychotics after acute crisis. At the same time the ratios of assaults/self-injuries/property damages per patient day (pre 0.005, post 0.018; p<0.001), physically restrained (pre 22.3%, post 28.7%; p<0.05) and involuntary committed patients (pre 15.5%, post 24.1%, p<0.01) augmented significantly. The average duration of involuntary commitment (excl. outliers) remained unaltered, but the variance of average duration increased (p<0.001).

The reduction of administered benzodiazepines and antipsychotics seems to correlate with an increase of aggressive behaviour and alternative use of other coercive measures. Further research and a social discussion on this issue are required.

Regarding the patient clientele with main diagnosis (MD) F19.*[ICD 10] new needs have been seen to emerge. The increase in the number of consumers of N-methylamphetamine (by 29 % in 2011) in Saxony correlates with an impressive increase of the number of inpatients and emphasizes the need of adapted treatment offers.

In this context, in 2009 an open-door ward (8 beds) for detoxification and motivation treatment for adults at age between 18-40 years with MD F19.* was opened which pursues an integrative therapeutic concept including both addiction-specific group- and talking therapy orientation and behavioral therapy approaches.

By using a pre-post study (pre: 2008, post I: 2010, post II: 2011, post III: 2012) selected key figures such as length of stay, readmission rate and kind of discharge, trends in individual substance-related detoxification motivation and associated mental disorders (F19.5) were monitored.

A continuous growing number of patients with MD F19.* has been achieved, marked by an increase of treated cases (pre: 77, post III: 156) and planned admissions (pre: 58 %, post III: 72%). Other data (length of stay, readmissions, treatment discontinuations) showed no significant changes. Individual detoxification motivation data point to a trend in favour of N-methylamphetamine. The number of patients with MD F19.5 (psychotic disorder) increased by >100 %.

The results refer to the necessity of identifying and monitoring valid quality indicators regarding our treatment concept. Therefore, those as yet evaluated indicators may act as a preliminary basis. Further projects are planned.

Detoxification treatment of adults at younger ages suffering from polysubstance dependence on our department pursues an integrative therapeutic concept. In addition to addiction-specific, topic-centred group and talk therapy orientation also behavioural therapy elements are included: a penalty points system provides negative sign stimuli for undesirable behaviour.

Since 2010, both rate of psychotic disorders and number of N-methylamphetamine consumers (P < 0.001) have been growing impressively while the proportion of repeated admissions amounted to > 55%. Dissatisfying trends were identified by longitudinal measurement, e.g. regarding ALOS, kind of discharge, bed occupancy.

Targeted changes in treatment were established in the 2nd half of 2014. In particular, the penalty point system was adapted towards less restrictive rules, combined with slightly reduced therapeutic intensity in order to come better on the disorder-related needs of the patients. Staffing level and structure remained stable.

Key figures including quality criteria and performance data such as LOS, kind of admission and discharge, service intensity, and bed occupancy were evaluated by a pre-post study (pre: 1st half of 2014, N = 76/post: 1st half of 2015, N = 77) using descriptive and test statistics.

Socio-demographic patient data remained stable. Regarding selected key figures there were significant changes (LOS > 21 days: P < 0.05; bed occupancy: P < 0.001; therapeutic contacts < 25 min: P < 0.001) and positive trends, e.g. decreased ratio of non-regular discharges.

Our data suggest that punishment-oriented interventions impede addressing specific needs of inpatients with multiple substance use whereas more need-oriented interventions may lead to improvements. Further evaluation including patient satisfaction is indispensable.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

After legal restrictions regarding coerced medication in Saxony, we monitored significant increases in aggressive behaviour and regarding the use of physical restraints at our closed psychiatric ward. Alternative measures for managing dangerous behaviour were discussed.

There are limitations regarding the use of treatment interventions in emergency psychiatry, e.g. the use of constant observation is limited in its efficiency generally and video surveillance is prohibited by law in high-risk areas (e.g. bathroom).

To find appropriate solutions for patient safety improvement in emergency psychiatry including high-risk areas, prospects of the field of “technical assistance” entered the limelight of interest.

In 2014, a cooperation of Chemnitz University of Technology, Intenta GmbH, Eckstein Design and the affiliated partner Klinikum Chemnitz started a project*, which focuses on the development of a technical assistance system for recognizing high-risk behavioural patterns (e.g. suicide attempt) in risk areas in emergency psychiatry. The system is based on a smart-sensor technology and waives a recording and storing of sound and vision.

In the 1st half of the project technical development and the design of the system were the focus of attention. Special requirements regarding use cases, user acceptance, data protection and ethical concerns were processed by our psychiatric department. Testing and further development of the system in clinical settings are planned.

The development of the system must be seen as a big challenge in many regards. Further research is indispensable.

*Sponsored by the Central Innovation Program Mittelstand of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

To evaluate whole-genome sequencing (WGS) as a molecular typing tool for MRSA outbreak investigation.

Investigation of MRSA colonization/infection in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) over 3 years (2014–2017).

Single-center level IV NICU.

NICU infants and healthcare workers (HCWs).

Infants were screened for MRSA using a swab of the anterior nares, axilla, and groin, initially by targeted (ring) screening, and later by universal weekly screening. Clinical cultures were collected as indicated. HCWs were screened once using swabs of the anterior nares. MRSA isolates were typed using WGS with core-genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) analysis and by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Colonized and infected infants and HCWs were decolonized. Control strategies included reinforcement of hand hygiene, use of contact precautions, cohorting, enhanced environmental cleaning, and remodeling of the NICU.

We identified 64 MRSA-positive infants: 53 (83%) by screening and 11 (17%) by clinical cultures. Of 85 screened HCWs, 5 (6%) were MRSA positive. WGS of MRSA isolates identified 2 large clusters (WGS groups 1 and 2), 1 small cluster (WGS group 3), and 8 unrelated isolates. PFGE failed to distinguish WGS group 2 and 3 isolates. WGS groups 1 and 2 were codistributed over time. HCW MRSA isolates were primarily in WGS group 1. New infant MRSA cases declined after implementation of the control interventions.

We identified 2 contemporaneous MRSA outbreaks alongside sporadic cases in a NICU. WGS was used to determine strain relatedness at a higher resolution than PFGE and was useful in guiding efforts to control MRSA transmission.

The maximum safe storage interval after endoscope reprocessing remains unknown. We assessed the association between storage interval and endoscope contamination to evaluate the need for scope reprocessing prior to use.

We conducted a study in 2 phases. In phase 1, we cultured 9 gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopes that had been stored for at least 7 days since reprocessing. Each scope was cultured in 3 places: external surfaces of hand piece, insertion tube, and internal channels. In phase 2, after reprocessing these scopes, we hung and cultured them prospectively in a similar fashion at 1-, 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-week intervals without patient use. We defined clinically relevant contamination as >100 colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL).

In phase 1, median hang time was 69 days (range, 8–555 days). Considering the 27 total cultures, 3 of 27 GI endoscopes (11.1%) had positive cultures, all with nonpathogenic skin flora at ≤100 CFU/mL. Median hang time was not statistically different between scopes with positive and negative cultures (P=.82). In phase 2, 7 of 131 prospective cultures (5.3%) from 6 of 9 GI endoscopes at varying storage intervals were positive, all at ≤100 CFU/mL. At 56 days after reprocessing (the longest storage interval studied), 1 of 24 cultures (4.2%) was positive (100 CFU/mL of Bacillus species from external biopsy/suction ports).

No endoscopes demonstrated clinically relevant contamination at hang times ranging from 7 to 555 days, and most scopes remained uncontaminated up to 56 days after reprocessing. Our data suggest that properly cleaned and disinfected GI endoscopes could be stored safely for longer intervals than currently recommended.

Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2017;38:131–135

To summarize the available evidence on the effectiveness of psychological interventions for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

We searched bibliographic databases and reference lists of relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses for randomized controlled trials that compared specific psychological interventions for adults with PTSD symptoms either head-to-head or against control interventions using non-specific intervention components, or against wait-list control. Two investigators independently extracted the data and assessed trial characteristics.

The analyses included 4190 patients in 66 trials. An initial network meta-analysis showed large effect sizes (ESs) for all specific psychological interventions (ESs between −1.10 and −1.37) and moderate effects of psychological interventions that were used to control for non-specific intervention effects (ESs −0.58 and −0.62). ES differences between various types of specific psychological interventions were absent to small (ES differences between 0.00 and 0.27). Considerable between-trial heterogeneity occurred (τ2 = 0.30). Stratified analyses revealed that trials that adhered to DSM-III/IV criteria for PTSD were associated with larger ESs. However, considerable heterogeneity remained. Heterogeneity was reduced in trials with adequate concealment of allocation and in large-sized trials. We found evidence for small-study bias.

Our findings show that patients with a formal diagnosis of PTSD and those with subclinical PTSD symptoms benefit from different psychological interventions. We did not identify any intervention that was consistently superior to other specific psychological interventions. However, the robustness of evidence varies considerably between different psychological interventions for PTSD, with most robust evidence for cognitive behavioral and exposure therapies.