Interferon-induced depressive illness in hep C patients responds to SSRI antidepressant treatments

This paper examines the role of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the treatment of hepatitis-C virus (HCV) patients who have developed interferon-α induced depression. A 2-year data analysis of HCV psychiatric liaison clinic has been undertaken. The diagnosis, treatment, and progress of those patients who were treated with interferon-α (INF-α) are reported. 53 of the 78 patients enrolled at the HCV Clinic and treated with INF-α were referred for psychiatric consultation. Six patients developed major depressive illness following INF therapy. They were all treated with SSRIs and they made full recovery. This is a significant observation and is concordant with other studies. Its biochemical ramifications are presented. It is concluded that INF-induced depression is fully reversible. A hypothesis is proposed that SSRIs modulate the neuro-protective neurotoxic ratio by possibly inhibiting the indole-2,3-dioxygenase induction of the kynurenine pathway.     

面部凹陷自体脂肪颗粒填充术的临床分析

目的探讨自体脂肪颗粒注射填充矫正面部凹陷畸形的临床效果。方法首先在患者脂肪丰厚的部位,注射器抽取脂肪颗粒,经清洗液反复冲洗后,将脂肪颗粒分点多层注入皮下。结果本组85例患者,55例注射1次,25例注射2次,5例注射3次。72例随访6~24个月,3例上下睑凹陷出现局部不平整,2例患者出现无菌性炎症,其余效果满意。结论面部凹陷畸形采用自体脂肪颗粒填充矫正,方法简单,安全有效。     

Aggression and substance abuse in bipolar disorder

Objectives:  The goal of this retrospective study was to examine factors differentiating persons with bipolar disorder who did or did not have comorbid lifetime substance use disorders (SUD) at an index assessment. We also explored the chronology of onset of mood and SUD.
Methods:  We studied 146 subjects with DSM-defined bipolar disorder. Subgroups with and without lifetime SUD were compared on demographic and clinical measures.
Results:  Substance abuse disorders in this bipolar sample were associated with male sex, impulsive-aggressive traits, comorbid conduct and Cluster B personality disorders, number of suicide attempts and earlier age at onset of a first mood episode. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, male sex and aggression and possibly earlier age at mood disorder onset were associated with SUD. In those with or without SUD, the first mood episode tended to be depressive and to precede the onset of SUD.
Conclusions:  In persons with bipolar disorder, an earlier age of onset and aggressive traits appear to be factors associated with later development of comorbid SUD.     

抑郁症患者的血糖、血脂水平及其与症状关系的对照研究

目的了解抑郁症患者糖脂代谢的情况及其与精神症状的关系。方法以HAMD17和HAMA评定92例近期未服用精神药物的抑郁症患者的精神症状,了解他们简易体质参数、测定其空腹血糖和血脂,并与60例健康者组成的对照组进行比较。结果抑郁症组的甘油三酯(TG)、空腹血糖(FBS)值显著高于对照组(P＜0．001),而高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL—ch)、载脂蛋白A1(ApoA1)值显著低于对照组(P＜0．01)；血浆总胆固醇(TC)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL—ch)和载脂蛋白B(ApoB)两组之间无显著性差异(P＞0．05)；相关分析发现,抑郁症患者的HAMA总分、精神性焦虑因子分以及躯体性焦虑因子分与TG水平呈正相关(P＜0．01或P＜0．05)。结论抑郁症患者存在一定的糖脂代谢异常,临床医师应该对抑郁症患者的血糖、血脂进行监测,以便早期发现,早期治疗。     

Biological correlates of deliberate self-harm behaviour: a study of electroencephalographic,biochemical and psychological variables in parasuicide

Clinical, electroencephalographic and biochemical variables were measured in 40 patients who attempted suicide and 27 age-matched controls. Patients had significantly higher scores for depression, hopelessness, neuroticism and psychoticism and lower scores for extraversion than controls. They also had significantly lower contingent negative variation (CNV), higher postimperative negative variation and lower whole blood serotonin values than controls. Within the patient group, vulnerability to parasuicide, as determined by previous or repeated acts of deliberate self-harm, was associated with higher scores for hopelessness and suicide intent, lower scores for extraversion and decreased CNV. Factor analysis revealed significant correlations between psychological variables and auditory evoked potential amplitudes for the vulnerable group. A profile of variables associated with increased risk of self-harm in patients presenting with attempted suicide is proposed from our data.     

Assessment of changes in regional cerebral blood flow in patients with major depression using the 99mTc-HMPAO single photon emission tomography method

Regional cerebral blood flow was investigated in 14 patients with major depression diagnosed according to the DSM-III-R criteria (six patients with single and eight patients with recurrent episodes) and in ten healthy volunteers. The mean ages of the patients and the controls were 33.5 ± 2.7 and 31.6 ± 2.6 years, respectively. The severity of the depression was assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (mean: 23.2 ± 1.5). None of the patients was under medication. After administration of 500 MBq technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime, a single photon emission tomography study was performed and then transaxial, sagittal and coronal slices were obtained. For the semiquantitative analysis of the data, the ratios of the mean counts/pixel to the whole slice were calculated for 24 regions on three consecutive transaxial slices in the orbitomeatal plane. Additionally, left/right and frontal/occipital ratios were calculated. Both sides of the temporal region had a significantly decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF) when compared to the controls. The left/right ratio of the prefrontal region was also significantly lower in the patients than in the controls. The Hamilton score had a negative correlation with blood flow in the anterofrontal and left prefrontal regions. According to our results, regional CBF seems to be decreased in the left prefrontal and in both temporal regions in major depression. The severity of depression is correlated with the reduction in CBF in the regions of the anterofrontal and left prefrontal cortex.     

Depressed pathological gamblers

Depressed gamblers (n = 14) were compared with normal controls (n = 41) for antecedent life events. The depressed gamblers had experienced significantly more life events, and undesirable or exit life events, during the 6 months before the onset of depression.     

S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAMe) as antidepressant: meta-analysis of clinical studies

Introduction - S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAMe) is a naturally-occurring substance which is a major source of methyl groups in the brain. Material and methods - We conducted a meta-analysis of the studies on SAMe to assess the efficacy of this compound in the treatment of depression compared with placebo and standard tricyclic antidepressants. Results - Our meta-analysis showed a greater response rate with SAMe when compared with placebo, with a global effect size ranging from 17% to 38% depending on the definition of response, and an antidepressant effect comparable with that of standard tricyclic antidepressants. Conclusion - The efficacy of SAMein treating depressive syndromes and disorders is superior with that of placebo and comparable to that of standard tricyclic antidepressants. Since SAMe is a naturally occurring compound with relatively few side-effects, it is a potentially important treatment for depression.     

Health and illness behavior and patient-practitioner relationships

Health is a product of culture and social structure. The routine organization and constraints of everyday settings shape our health. Socio-economic status is of major importance in determining exposure to disease risk and in shaping health and illness behavior responses. Lay explanations of illness affect illness appraisal, self-treatment, decisions to seek care and changes in daily regimen. Somatization of psychosocial stressors is a common concern in primary care systems throughout the world, and doctors are commonly frustrated by such patients. Somatizing patients are often enmeshed in environments of great psychosocial difficulty or are depressed, and many cultural and social factors affect how depression is expressed. Although depression has devastating disabling effects on patients, it is often neither recognized by doctors nor treated. But doctor-patient relationships are often the context for appropriate management of such problems, and how they are handled affect the future trajectory of illness and disability. Doctors' responses are conditioned by their attitudes, training, interviewing and psychosocial skills, and organizational and financial factors. Patient flow is an important intervening variable affecting the management of psychosocial difficulties and depression.     

A blinded,controlled evaluation of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia,as measured by standardized psychometric interview scales

The objective of the study was to evaluate the presence of psychopathology in fibromyalgia patients compared with a control group of other rheumatologic patients with pain. Forty-nine fibromyalgia patients and 33 control patients were interviewed blinded, using standardized psychometric scales. Pain was scored on a visual analogue scale. Fibromyalgia patients scored significantly higher than the controls on the Bech-Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale, the Atypical Depression Scale and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. On the Newcastle Depression Scale there was no difference. In both groups a correlation was found between pain score and psychometric scoring. The fibromyalgia patients scored significantly higher on pain than the controls. After correcting for this difference, the fibromyalgia patients still scored higher on anxiety and depression.