The Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among People Living with HIV/AIDS: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Psychiatric Quarterly - Numerous studies have reported that the prevalence estimates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) might be substantially high among people with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) when...     

The Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the General Population during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Single-Arm Meta-Analysis

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic by a systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis. MethodsCNKI, PubMed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE were searched to collect literature on the prevalence of PTSD in the general population during the epidemic. The retrieval time is from the database construction to 31/08/2020. Meta-analysis was performed on the included articles by using Review Manger 5.3 and Stata 16.0 software. ResultsThe prevalence of PTSD in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic was 15% (95% CI: 11–21%, p<0.001). ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic brought certain mental pain to general population, leading to a rise in the incidence of PTSD in a short time.     

Suicidal Ideation and Attempt among Homeless People: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Psychiatric Quarterly - Globally, suicide is a major public health problem among homeless people. Suicidal ideation and attempt are remarkably higher among homeless people as compared to the...     

Comorbid Major Depressive Disorder in Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) in schizophrenia (SZ; SZ-MDD) has been identified as a major prognostic factor. However, the prevalence and associated factors of SZ-MDD have never been explored in a meta-analysis. All studies assessing the prevalence of SZ-MDD in stabilized outpatients with a standardized scale or with structured interviews were included. The Medline, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar databases were searched. Using random effects models, we calculated the pooled estimate of the prevalence of SZ-MDD. We used meta-regression and subgroup analyses to evaluate the potential moderators of the prevalence estimates, and we used the leave-one-out method for sensitivity analyses. Of the 5633 potentially eligible studies identified, 18 studies (n = 6140 SZ stabilized outpatients) were retrieved in the systematic review and included in the meta-analysis. The pooled estimate of the prevalence of SZ-MDD was 32.6% (95% CI: 27.9–37.6); there was high heterogeneity (I² = 92.6%), and Egger’s test did not reveal publication bias (P = .122). The following factors were found to be sources of heterogeneity: publication in or after 2015, the inclusion of patients from larger studies, the assessment tools, the inclusion of patients with substance use disorder or somatic chronic diseases, age, education level, the lifetime number of hospitalizations, and antidepressant use. Two-thirds of the extracted variables could not be explored due to an insufficient amount of published data. The prevalence of MDD is high among SZ individuals. Healthcare providers and public health officials should have an increased awareness of the burden of SZ-MDD.     

The Global Prevalence of Suicidal Attempt among Medical Students: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Even though suicidal attempt among medical students is a major public health concern, there are no prior studies that reported its consolidated magnitude worldwide. To the best of our knowledge, this systematic review is the first to quantitatively analyze the prevalence of suicidal attempts among medical students. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Scopus for English language articles that assessed the prevalence of suicide attempts among medical students. A random-effect meta-analysis was used to combine data from individual studies. The heterogeneity across the studies was evaluated using Cochran’s Q- and the I² test. We assessed publication bias using Egger’s test and visual inspection of the symmetry in funnel plots. A total of 14 articles were selected for meta-analysis according to the PRISMA guideline. The pooled lifetime prevalence of suicidal attempt was found to be 2.19% (95% CI; 1.17–4.07). The pooled one-year prevalence was estimated to be 1.64 (95% CI; 0.60–4.45). The estimated prevalence of suicidal attempt was considerably high among medical studies in low and middle-income countries than medical studies in high-income countries. The estimated prevalence of suicidal attempt also varies by gender of participants Given the high prevalence estimate of suicidal attempt among medical students and its potential in resulting death by suicide, early identification, and interventions should be considered among medical students.

     

A Systematic Review of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Criminal Justice System

This paper provides a systemic review of the available literature on people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the criminal justice system (CJS). The review considers two main types of study: those that examined the prevalence of people with ASD in the CJS and those that examined the prevalence of offending in populations with ASD. In addition, types of offences in people with ASD, co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses, and characteristics of people with ASD who commit offences (including predisposing factors) are considered. A combination of search terms was used in a variety of databases in order to find all of the available literature on this topic, and research studies were included based on specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. It was found that whilst there is an emerging literature base on this topic, there are a wide variety of methodologies used, making direct comparison difficult. Nevertheless it can be concluded so far that people with ASD do not seem to be disproportionately over-represented in the CJS, though they commit a range of crimes and seem to have a number of predisposing features. There is poor evidence of the presence of comorbid psychiatric diagnoses (except in mental health settings) amongst offenders with ASD, and little evidence of the oft-asserted over-representation of certain kinds of crimes. It is recommended that further research of good quality is required in this area, rather than studies that examine populations that are not representative of all those with ASD.     

Genetics of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Review and Recommendations for Genome-Wide Association Studies

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent, disabling anxiety disorder that constitutes a major health care burden. Despite evidence supporting a genetic predisposition to PTSD, the precise genetic loci remain unclear. Herein we review the current state and limitations of genetic research on PTSD. Although recent years have seen an exponential increase in the number of studies examining the influence of candidate genes on PTSD diagnosis and symptomatology, most studies have been characterized by relatively low rates of PTSD, with apparent inconsistencies in gene associations linked to marked differences in methodology. We further discuss how current advances in the genetics field can be applied to studies of PTSD, emphasizing the need to adapt a genome-wide approach that facilitates discovery rather than hypothesis testing. Genome-wide association studies offer the best opportunity to identify novel “true” risk variants for the disorder that in turn has the potential to inform our understanding of PTSD etiology.     

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Heart-Rate Variability among North Korean Defectors

Objective

This study evaluated the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among North Korean defectors and their level of suicidal ideation and the correlation between these and heart-rate variability (HRV) to explore the possibility of using HRV as an objective neurobiological index of signs of autonomic nervous system disorder.

Methods

A total of 32 North Korean defectors (nine men, 23 women) were selected as subjects, and their HRV was measured after they completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-PTSD (MMPI-PTSD) scale and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Results

1) Low-frequency (LF)/high-frequency (HF) ratios in the HRV index and MMPI-PTSD scores were correlated (r=0.419, p<0.05), as were BDI item 9 (suicidal ideation) and MMPI-PTSD scores (r=0.600, p<0.01). 2) A regression analysis of LF/HF ratios and MMPI-PTSD scores revealed an R-value of 13.8% (Adj. R²=0.138, F=4.695, p=0.041), and a regression analysis of BDI item 9 and MMPI-PTSD scores showed an R-value of 32.8% (Adj. R²=0.328, F=11.234, p=0.003). In other words, the LF/HF ratio (β=0.419) and BDI item 9 (β=0.600) appear to be risk factors in predicting MMPI-PTSD scores.

Conclusion

The LF/HF ratio, a standard index of autonomic nervous system activity, can be used as an objective neurobiological index to analyze PTSD among North Korean defectors presenting with various mental and physical symptoms, and the approximate level of suicide -ideation can act as a predicting factor for PTSD.     

Evaluating the Prevalence of PTSD among Children and Adolescents after Earthquakes and Floods: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Psychiatric Quarterly - Our study systematically reviews articles about the prevalence of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among children and adolescents, aiming to evaluate its prevalence...     

The Prevalence of Suicidal Ideation and Attempt Among Young People with HIV/AIDS: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Psychiatric Quarterly - Studies have suggested that suicidal ideation and attempt are highly prevalent among young people with HIV/AIDS and have been linked with increased risk of complete suicide....     

The Link Between Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Physical Comorbidities: A Systematic Review

Context Returning veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq will increase frequency of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Little is known about its impact on physical health. Objective Systematic literature review focusing on the association between PTSD and specific physical disorders. Data Sources An electronic search using PUBMED and hand search of four journals with an anxiety focus for studies published between January 1981 and July 2008, plus a manual search of article bibliographies. Study Selection Original research reports focusing on PTSD and its association with physical health. Studies investigating only PTSD symptoms, trauma and physical disorders classified at the organ-system level were excluded. Eighty studies were reviewed and seven selected for final analysis. Data Extraction Specific physical-health diagnoses were organized by system and tabulated. They were considered positive only if results were statistically significant. Total number of positive and negative studies for each diagnosis was then calculated for review. Results Seven studies examined the relationship between PTSD and specific physical disorders. Arthritis was associated with PTSD in most studies. Data conflicted regarding diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Conclusions Few studies have examined the relationship between PTSD and physical health. Large, prospective epidemiological trials are needed.

Using Prazosin to Treat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Associations: A Systematic Review

Objective A central adrenergic hyperactivation is described in the neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with probable variable symptomatic impact. Few studies have evaluated using the alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist prazosin for such symptoms; however, given the likely pathophysiology involved, this drug may play an important role in the pharmacological approach to PTSD. Methods This study assessed articles already published on the use of prazosin through a systematic review along a timeline in view of the symptomatic target of difficult access by standardized treatments. The impact of using this medication for the general symptoms of PTSD is also discussed. Several databases were searched for articles in the literature on the use of prazosin to treat PTSD. Results A total of 168 articles were found containing search terms in the title or abstract. Overall, 85 articles met the criteria described, and 48 studies were explored to conduct the present systematic review. Most articles showed some improvement after prazosin administration, especially in relation to sleep symptoms (nightmares and night waking). Only one article demonstrated no improvement after the use of this drug. More randomized studies are needed. Conclusion Several clinical studies demonstrated the relevant role of prazosin for treating PTSD symptoms. Prazosin is an affordable and cost-effective pharmacological option compared to other drugs used to treat PTSD.     

Peripheral Blood S100B Levels in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - The S100 calcium-binding protein beta subunit (S100B) protein, which mostly exists in the central nervous system, is commonly noted as a marker of...     

Mental Disorder Among Homeless and Poor People: A Comparison of Assessment Methods

This study assessed mental disorders among 144homeless and poor adults using four different methods:(a) history of psychiatric hospitalization, (b)structured clinical interview, (c) self-report symptom checklist, and (d) interviewer ratings. Thesefour methods yielded divergent estimates of mentalillness, ranging from 3-70%. Correlations assessing thedegree of overlap among the measures were generally modest in magnitude. The results suggest thatthe variation in rates of mental illness across existingstudies is due to methodological differences and that,with the exception of the structured interview, the various methods fail to adequatelydistinguish mental disorder from substanceabuse.     

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Sham-Controlled Trials of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Bipolar Disorder

Psychiatric Quarterly - Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is effective in treating unipolar depression. However, the efficacy of rTMS in bipolar disorder (BD) is...