Treatment of depression: time to consider folic acid and vitamin B12

We review the findings in major depression of a low plasma and particularly red cell folate, but also of low vitamin B12 status. Both low folate and low vitamin B12 status have been found in studies of depressive patients, and an association between depression and low levels of the two vitamins is found in studies of the general population. Low plasma or serum folate has also been found in patients with recurrent mood disorders treated by lithium. A link between depression and low folate has similarly been found in patients with alcoholism. It is interesting to note that Hong Kong and Taiwan populations with traditional Chinese diets (rich in folate), including patients with major depression, have high serum folate concentrations. However, these countries have very low life time rates of major depression. Low folate levels are furthermore linked to a poor response to antidepressants, and treatment with folic acid is shown to improve response to antidepressants. A recent study also suggests that high vitamin B12 status may be associated with better treatment outcome. Folate and vitamin B12 are major determinants of one-carbon metabolism, in which S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is formed. SAM donates methyl groups that are crucial for neurological function. Increased plasma homocysteine is a functional marker of both folate and vitamin B12 deficiency. Increased homocysteine levels are found in depressive patients. In a large population study from Norway increased plasma homocysteine was associated with increased risk of depression but not anxiety. There is now substantial evidence of a common decrease in serum/red blood cell folate, serum vitamin B12 and an increase in plasma homocysteine in depression. Furthermore, the MTHFR C677T polymorphism that impairs the homocysteine metabolism is shown to be overrepresented among depressive patients, which strengthens the association. On the basis of current data, we suggest that oral doses of both folic acid (800 microg daily) and vitamin B12 (1 mg daily) should be tried to improve treatment outcome in depression.     

中老年脑白质疏松症同型半胱氨酸叶酸及维生素B12测定的临床意义

目的 探讨中老年脑白质疏松症(leukoaraiosis,LA)与同型半胱氨酸(Homocysteine,Hcy)、叶酸及维生素B12的相关性.方法 选择CT、MRI证实的中老年LA患者30例,测定其血浆总Hcy、血清叶酸及维生素B12水平,与对照组比较.结果 中老年LA患者血浆总Hcy升高,血清叶酸、维生素B12降低,与对照组相比差异有统计学意义(P＜0.001),即Hcy水平与中老年LA呈正相关,叶酸、维生素B12水平与中老年LA呈负相关.结论 Hcy、叶酸及维生素B12与中老年LA具有相关性,是中老年LA的重要危险因素.     

新生儿缺氧缺血性脑病临床分度与血清同型半胱氨酸及叶酸、维生素B12水平变化的临床研究

目的 探讨血清中高同型半胱氨酸（Hcy）及低叶酸、维生素B12水平与新生儿缺氧缺血性脑病（HIE）临床分度的相关性,为HIE患儿的诊疗提供参考。方法 2010年4月—2011年4月天津市儿童医院新生儿内科收治的患有不同程度HIE的新生儿共94例,其中轻度32例、中度40例、重度22例,对照组为同期收治的诊断为新生儿咽下综合征的新生儿20例。比较各组新生儿血清Hcy、叶酸及维生素B12水平。结果4组新生儿血清Hcy、叶酸、维生素B12水平差异均有统计学意义（均P＜0.05）。与对照组相比,HIE新生儿血清Hcy水平随着HIE临床分度加重而逐渐升高（P＜0.05）;患儿血清叶酸和维生素B12浓度均低于对照组,且重度组维生素B12水平低于中度组（P＜0.05）。结论 HIE患儿血清Hcy水平在对其病情严重程度的评估中具有一定参考价值。对HIE患儿及时给予叶酸及维生素B12的补充可能在疾病的治疗过程中发挥积极作用。     

老年心脑血管病患者亚甲基四氢叶酸还原酶基因多态性与血清叶酸、同型半胱氨酸水平的关系

目的：探讨老年心脑血管病患者亚甲基四氢叶酸还原酶（ MTHFR ）基因多态性与血浆同型半胱氨酸（HCY）、叶酸、维生素B12的关系。方法检测104例老年心脑血管病患者的MTHFRC667T基因多态性,血清HCY、叶酸、维生素B12水平,分析老年心脑血管病患者MTHFRC667 T基因多态性与血清HCY、叶酸、维生素B12水平的关系。结果老年心脑血管病患者中MTHFRC667基因野生型（ CC型）比例为20苘．19%,杂合突变型（ CT型）和纯合突变型（TT型）比例为79．81%,心脑血管病组CT／TT型比例高于对照组,差异有统计学意义;血浆HCY与叶酸、维生素B12水平呈负相关（ P <0．05）,TT型的叶酸、维生素B12明显低于CC型（ P <0．05）, TT型、CT型的血HCY浓度高于CC型,差异有统计学意义（ P <0．05）。结论老年心脑血管患者MTHFR基因多态性与血浆HCY有一定关系,且血HCY与叶酸、维生素B12呈负相关。     

The MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with depressive episodes in patients from Northern Ireland

Low plasma folate and its derivatives have been linked with depressive disorders in studies dating back over 30 years. A thermolabile variant (677C>T) of the enzyme 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is associated with low serum folate. The present study aimed to explore whether the thermolabile variant of MTHFR is associated with a vulnerability to depressive episodes. MTHFR C677T genotype frequencies in a cohort of patients (mean age 48 years) with depressive disorder (n = 100) were compared with those in age- and sex-matched controls. Serum levels of folate, homocysteine and vitamin B(12) were also compared between groups. The thermolabile variant of MTHFR was significantly more common in the group with a history of depressive disorder (P= 0.03). Serum levels of folate, homocysteine and vitamin B(12) did not differ significantly between groups. A MTHFR C677T genotype is associated with increased risk of depressive episodes in this homogenous patient population.     

Nutritional and life style determinants of plasma homocysteine in schizophrenia patients.

Recently, homocysteine levels have been reported to be elevated in young male schizophrenic patients. Since smoking, obesity, low folate or low vitamin B12 and various medications can increase homocysteine levels, we studied these variables and other clinical variables in 258 schizophrenic patients. A multiple linear regression for plasma homocysteine was performed on variables that were significantly related to plasma homocysteine. Variables predicting homocysteine levels in schizophrenic patients include gender, plasma folate levels, plasma vitamin B12 levels, mean red blood cell corpuscular volume and diastolic blood pressure. Only 24% of the variance in male patients was explained by the model. The reason for elevated plasma homocysteine in some schizophrenic populations remains unclear.     

Plasma folate and homocysteine levels may be related to interictal "schizophrenia-like" psychosis in patients with epilepsy

Genetic and clinical data suggest that folate and homocysteine may play a role in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. The total plasma homocysteine level is a sensitive measure of a functional folate deficiency. We thus investigated whether a functional folate deficiency and/or elevated levels of plasma homocysteine may be related to interictal "schizophrenia-like" psychosis (interictal psychosis ) of epilepsy. We studied the plasma folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine levels of 32 age- and sex-matched epileptic patients with or without interictal psychosis. Each group included 25 localization-related epilepsies and 7 generalized epilepsies. The epileptic patients with interictal psychosis had significantly lower folate levels and higher homocysteine levels than those without interictal psychosis. There were no significant differences in the vitamin B12 levels between the two groups. The present study suggests that low plasma folate and high plasma homocysteine levels may be related to the pathophysiology of interictal psychosis of epilepsy. In future studies, we should investigate whether folate supplementation, in addition to antipsychotics, might play a beneficial role in the treatment of interictal psychosis in epileptic patients. Furthermore, the present findings should be confirmed by prospective longitudinal studies in a larger group of patients with epilepsy.     

The effects of oxcarbazepine treatment on vitamin B12 and folate levels, thyroid functions, sex hormones, and bone mineral density in epileptic patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate vitamin B12 and folate levels, thyroid functions, sex hormones and bone mineral density in idiopathic epileptic patients taking oxcarbazepine as monotherapy. Newly diagnosed pediatric patients with idiopathic partial epilepsy taking oxcarbazepine (OXC) as monotherapy were enrolled in this study. The pre-treatment and 6 months post-treatment values of vitamin B12, folate, thyroid functions, sex hormones, and bone mineral density (BMD) were obtained from all patients. A total of 32 patients (22 (68.8%) males and 10 (31.2%) females) were included in this study. The mean age was 7.4 ± 3.2 years (range: 2–14 years). There were no significant differences between the pre-treatment and 6 months post-treatment values of vitamin B12, folate, thyroid functions, sex hormones, and BMD. However, the 6 month post-treatment sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) values (159.92 ± 48.14 nmol/L) were significantly higher than the pre-treatment values (137.88 ± 43.12 nmol/L) (p=0.009). We found that OCX treatment in children did not have an effect on serum folate and vitamin B12 levels, thyroid functions, sex hormones and BMD but caused increased SHBG. Over time, the increase in serum SHBG levels may lead to diminished bioactivity of sex steroids, and thus to reduced fertility. The further studies are needed to demonstrate the clinical importance of increased SHBG levels.     

Homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels in psoriatic patients and correlation with disease severity

Hyperhomocysteinaemia represents an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, stroke, peripheral arterial occlusive disease and venous thrombosis. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with increased atherothrombosis and cardiovascular risk profile. The aim of this study is to investigate homocysteine, folic acid and vitamin B12 levels in a cohort of psoriatic patients and its relationship with the severity of the disease. A retrospective observational study in 98 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and 98 healthy controls was performed. Total plasma homocysteine level, folic acid, vitamin B12 and PASI index were assessed in every patient. Patients with psoriasis had plasma homocysteine levels higher than controls (57% of cases and 25% of controls; p<0.0001). Folic acid and vitamin B12 plasma levels were lower in psoriatic patients than in controls (p = NS), lower levels of vitamin B12 were found in patients with hyperhomocysteinaemia compared to patients with a normal value of homocysteine (p = 0.0009). The severity of psoriasis assessed according to PASI (19.51+/-16.26) did not directly correlate either with higher levels of homocysteine or with vitamin B12 and folic acid plasma levels. In conclusion, a significantly higher prevalence of hyperhomocysteinaemia was found in psoriatic patients compared to healthy controls. A significant correlation between hyperhomocysteinaemia and lower vitamin B12 levels, but not folic acid, was evidenced. On the contrary, our data do not correlate the high level of homocysteine with higher PASI scores or psoriasis type, suggesting that homocysteine level can be considered an independent risk factor in psoriatic patients.     

Serum kynurenic acid positively correlates with cardiovascular disease risk factor, homocysteine: a study in stroke patients

KYNA, an antagonist of ionotropic glutamate receptors and alpha7 nicotinic receptors, has been found as well in the brain as in the periphery. The altered metabolism of KYNA, especially its deficiency, can lead to the enhanced glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity, and was suggested to be a factor contributing to the development of neurodegeneration and seizures. Elevated serum concentration of homocysteine is considered to be an independent risk factor of atherosclerosis and is an emerging risk factor of cognitive dysfunction and stroke. In the present study, serum level of KYNA, homocysteine and other biochemical parameters were assessed in patients at early (up to 24 h after infarct) stage of stroke. Serum KYNA and homocysteine levels were similar in control (N = 26) and stroke (N = 24) groups. KYNA level correlated positively with the level of homocysteine in control and in stroke group, with p = 0.018; r = 0.462 and p = 0.027; r = 0.451, respectively. In control group, KYNA correlated positively also with age (p = 0.007; r = 0.514) and with creatinine level (p = 0.002; r = 0.581). In stroke group, serum KYNA correlated positively with creatinine (p = 0.001; r = 0.644) and with urea level (p < 0.001; r = 0.716). Homocysteine level correlated inversely with folate level in control (p = 0.01; r = -0.499) but not in stroke group (p = 0.13; r = -0.317). Serum homocysteine in stroke group correlated positively also with age (p = 0.001; r = 0.6401), and with urea level (p = 0.017; r = 0.4813). Clinical significance of the association between serum KYNA and homocysteine levels requires further investigation.     

脑梗死患者血清同型半胱氨酸、叶酸、维生素B12水平的测定及临床意义

目的 探讨血清同型半胱氨酸(Hcy)、叶酸(FA)及VitB12与脑梗死的关系及临床意义.方法 采用酶循环法和电化学发光免疫分析法分别检测100例脑梗死患者血清Hcy、FA及VitB12水平,并与同期60例健康体检者进行比较.结果 脑梗死组患者血清Hcy水平(16.35±5.52)μmol/L,升高比例(22％),明显高于对照组[(8.62±3.45)μmol/L,6.7％,P<0.01];血清FA和VitB12降低的脑梗死组患者升高比例(19％和24％)显著高于健康对照组(5.0％,11.7％,P<0.01),而血清FA水平(13.62±5.98)nmol/L和VitB12水平(527.35±288.65)pmol/L显著低于对照组[(18.45±6.70)nmol/L,(565.24±282.72)pmol/L,P<0.01].脑梗死组患者血清FA和VitB12水平与Hcy水平均呈负相关(r1=-0.365,r2=-0.625,P<0.05).结论 Hcy血症为脑梗死的高危因素,与FA和VitB12水平下降有关,Hcy、FA、VitB12的检测在脑梗死患者的预防与治疗中有重要的临床价值.     

Psychosocial functioning during the treatment of major depressive disorder with fluoxetine

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with significant disability, having a profound impact on psychosocial functioning. Therefore, studying the impact of treatment on psychosocial functioning in MDD could help further improve the standard of care. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-two MDD outpatients were treated openly with 20 mg fluoxetine for 8 weeks. The self-report version of the Social Adjustment Scale was administered at baseline and during the final visit. We then tested for the relationships between (1) self-report version of the Social Adjustment Scale scores at baseline and clinical response, (2) nonresponse, response and remission status and overall psychosocial adjustment at end point, (3) the number/severity of residual depressive symptoms and overall psychosocial adjustment at end point in responders, and (4) the time to onset of response and overall psychosocial adjustment at end point. RESULTS: An earlier onset of clinical response predicted better overall psychosocial functioning at end point (P = 0.0440). Responders (n = 128) demonstrated better overall psychosocial adjustment at end point than nonresponders (P = 0.0003), while remitters (n = 64) demonstrated better overall psychosocial adjustment at end point than nonremitted responders (P = 0.0031). In fact, a greater number/severity of residual symptoms predicted poorer overall psychosocial adjustment at end point in responders (P = 0.0011). Psychosocial functioning at baseline did not predict response. CONCLUSIONS: While MDD patients appear equally likely to respond to treatment with fluoxetine, regardless of their level of functioning immediately before treatment, the above results stress the importance of achieving early symptom improvement then followed by full remission of depressive symptoms with respect to restoring psychosocial functioning in MDD.     

Hyperhomocysteinaemia and cardiovascular risk in female ovariectomized rats: role of folic acid and hormone replacement therapy

Hyperhomocysteinaemia is an independent risk factor for arteriosclerosis, recurrent thromboembolic complications and osteoporosis. After menopause, a high level of total homocysteine seems to be secondary to the altered hormonal status. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) limits the development of coronary artery disease through a variety of mechanisms. One such mechanism is through affecting homocysteine metabolism. Folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies are considered to be major risks for hyperhomocysteinaemia. This study, therefore, was undertaken to examine whether lowering homocysteine with HRT or folic acid in ovariectomized rats could attenuate cardiovascular complications. Sixty sexually mature female Wistar rats were ovariectomized. Three weeks later, they were treated with estradiol (15 microg kg(-1), every two weeks, i.m.) or folic acid (90 microg daily, orally), either alone or in a combined form for four weeks. In addition, groups of ovariectomized rats (positive control) and healthy rats (negative control) were given cottonseed oil. Blood samples were then collected for serum and plasma separation. Serum total homocysteine, folate, estradiol, plasma nitric oxide (NO), lipid profile, and susceptibility of non-high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (non HDLC) content to oxidation were determined. In ovariectomized rats, hyperhomocysteinaemia was established and associated with significant increments of both atherogenic indexes (total cholesterol/HDLC, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC)/HDLC) and susceptibility of their non HDLC to oxidation. However, plasma NO, serum folate, and estradiol levels significantly decreased. HRT and folic acid significantly reduced total homocysteine and susceptibility of non HDLC to oxidation and increased plasma NO content. Moreover, a significant negative correlation was found between total homocysteine versus folate and estradiol (r = -0.5, P < 0.01; r = -0.25, P < 0.05, respectively). Meanwhile, a positive correlation with the susceptibility of lipoprotein to oxidation was observed (r = 0.85, P < 0.001). In conclusion, a low folate level is found to be associated with elevated total homocysteine. Folic acid supplementation, either individually or in a combined form with HRT, has a beneficial effect in low estrogen status subsequent to ovariectomy.     

脑血管性痴呆与高同型半胱氨酸血症的相关性临床研究

目的 分析血浆同型半胱氨酸(Hcy)水平与脑血管性痴呆(VD)的关系.方法 根据简易精神状态检查量表(MMSE)将29例脑血管性痴呆患者分为轻度、中度和重度三级,用全自动化生化分析仪检测各级别血浆中Hcy浓度,用全自动微粒子化学发光免疫分析系统测定叶酸和VitB12浓度,并与27例同期收治的同龄非痴呆性脑梗死患者做对比,分析Hcy浓度与VD的相关性.结果 VD组血浆中的Hcy显著高于非痴呆对照组(P<0.05),叶酸和VitB12浓度显著低于对照组(P<0.05);不同痴呆程度患者之间的Hcy、叶酸、VitB12浓度也有显著差异(P<0.05).结论 血浆Hcy浓度影响脑血管性痴呆的发生和发展,高同型半胱氨酸血症是导致VD的危险因素.     

Effects of second-generation antipsychotics on selected markers of one-carbon metabolism and metabolic syndrome components in first-episode schizophrenia patients

Purpose

Alterations in one-carbon metabolism (OCM) have been repeatedly reported in schizophrenia. However, there is a scarcity of studies addressing the effects of antipsychotics on selected OCM markers in schizophrenia and provided results are inconsistent.

Methods

We recruited 39 first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients and determined serum profile of total homocysteine (tHcy), folate, vitamin B12, lipoproteins and glucose at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment with second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) including olanzapine and risperidone in monotherapy.

Results

After 12 weeks of treatment, all patients had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), triglycerides (TG) and tHcy together with significantly lower levels of folate and vitamin B12. The analysis of differences between SGA revealed the same biochemical alterations in patients treated with olanzapine as in the whole group, while those receiving risperidone had no statistically significant changes in serum folate, vitamin B12 and TG. There was a significantly higher increase in BMI and TC in patients treated with olanzapine in comparison with those treated with risperidone. Patients receiving olanzapine had a higher decrease in vitamin B12 than those assigned to the treatment with risperidone. Changes in folate, vitamin B12, tHcy and TC levels were significant only in males, even after Bonferroni correction. Multiple regression analysis revealed that changes in tHcy levels are associated with gender and baseline metabolic parameters (BMI, glucose, TC, LDL and HDL) but not with selected SGA.

Conclusions

These results indicate that SGA may influence OCM, especially in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) males.     

Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors and vitamin B12 status in elderly individuals

Background  Some studies have shown that short-term use of proton pump inhibitors decreases the absorption of vitamin B12, but the results of studies into long-term proton pump inhibitor use and vitamin B12 deficiency are inconsistent.
Aim  To investigate whether long-term proton pump inhibitor use is associated with an abnormal vitamin B12 status in elderly individuals.
Methods  One hundred and twenty-five long-term (>3, years) proton pump inhibitor users aged 65, years and above were recruited from general practices. Their 125 partners (who did not use proton pump inhibitors) served as the reference group. Vitamin B12 status was determined by serum levels of vitamin B12 and homocysteine, and mean corpuscular volume.
Results  No differences in mean vitamin B12 levels were observed between the long-term proton pump inhibitor users and their partners [345 (s.d. 126), p m vs. 339 (s.d. 133), p m , P, = , 0.73], even after adjustment for age, gender, Helicobacter pylori status and C-reactive protein levels ( P, = , 0.87). Four proton pump inhibitor users and three partners had vitamin B12 levels <150, p m (3% vs. 2%, P, = , 1.00). No differences between the groups were observed in homocysteine levels and mean corpuscular volume.
Conclusions  No association between long-term proton pump inhibitor use and vitamin B12 status was observed. Regular testing for low vitamin B12 levels in elderly patients on long-term treatment with proton pump inhibitors is therefore not recommended.     

Comparative effects of atorvastatin,simvastatin, and fenofibrate on serum homocysteine levels in patients with primary hyperlipidemia

Hyperhomocysteinemia is regarded as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Lipid-lowering agents, such as fibrates, can modify homocysteine levels. However, less is known about the effect of statin therapy on homocysteine. The authors compared the effects of atorvastatin (40 mg/day), simvastatin (40 mg/day), and micronized fenofibrate (200 mg/day) on the serum concentrations of total homocysteine, vitamin B12, and folic acid in patients with primary hyperlipidemia. A total of 128 patients with primary hyperlipidemia (total cholesterol > 240 mg/dL and triglycerides < 350 mg/dL) were assigned to atorvastatin, simvastatin, or fenofibrate. Serum lipid and metabolic parameters were measured at baseline and at 6 and 12 weeks of treatment. Homocysteine correlated positively with serum creatinine and uric acid levels and inversely with serum folic acid levels. All treatment modalities reduced total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels significantly increased only in the fenofibrate-treated patients (47.9 +/- 12.5 vs. 50.7 +/- 12.6 vs. 51.2 +/- 12.8 mg/dL, p < 0.01). Atorvastatin and fenofibrate treatment resulted in a significant reduction of serum uric acid levels (5.3 +/- 1.6 vs. 4.9 +/- 1.4 vs. 4.8 +/- 1.4 mg/dL, p < 0.0001 for atorvastatin; 5.6 +/- 1.6 vs. 4.3 +/- 1.4 vs. 4.4 +/- 1.4 mg/dL, p < 0.0001 for fenofibrate). Homocysteine levels were significantly increased only by fenofibrate (10.3 +/- 3.3 vs. 14.1 +/- 3.8 vs. 14.2 +/- 3.6 microU/L, p < 0.001) but did not change from baseline following statin treatment. Neither statins nor fenofibrate had any effect on serum vitamin B12 and folic acid levels. In contrast to fenofibrate, therapeutic dosages of atorvastatin and simvastatin have a neutral effect on serum homocysteine levels, which is in favor of their "cardioprotective" properties.     

Sertraline and fluoxetine treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: results of a double-blind, 6-month treatment study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the comparative efficacy and tolerability of sertraline and fluoxetine in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Outpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for OCD, with a Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive (Y-BOCS) total score >or= 17, an NIMH Global Obsessive-Compulsive (NIMH-OC) scale score >or= 7, and a CGI-Severity score >or= 4 were randomized to 24 weeks of double-blind treatment with sertraline (N = 77) or fluoxetine (N = 73). Primary efficacy measures consisted of the Y-BOCS, the NIMH-OC scale, and the CGI-Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) scales. Equivalent and significant (p < 0.001) improvement was found at week 24 in Y-BOCS and NIMH-OC scale scores for sertraline and fluoxetine. After 12 weeks, 49.2% of patients on sertraline were rated on the CGI-S scale as being mildly ill or not ill compared to 24.6% on fluoxetine (p < 0.01). A Cox analysis found patients on sertraline to have a statistically nonsignificant 42% greater likelihood of achieving a response by week 12 (CGI-I, much or very much improved; 95% CI, 0.85, 2.38; p = 0.18). Sertraline treatment also resulted in a higher proportion of remissions than fluoxetine (defined as a CGI-I 相似文献   

Impact of escitalopram treatment on Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire scores in major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder

Administration of the same Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) in major depressive disorder (MDD) and in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) before and after treatment allowed us to compare quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction in these two disorders and to compare outcome based on symptoms versus functioning. Q-LES-Q and symptom-specific Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) data from eight randomized, 8-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials with escitalopram were used. MDD (n=1,140) or GAD (n=1,045) patients report a substantial degree of quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction impairment (baseline scores 64% and 76% of community norm, respectively). Treatment resulted in statistically and clinically significant improvement in quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction. The improvement was greater in patients treated with escitalopram than with placebo. In MDD, the majority of remitters (MADRS相似文献   

滥用止咳药水与叶酸缺乏相关研究

目的:探讨止咳药水滥用与叶酸缺乏的关系。方法:根据入选标准收集2008年4月至2012年4月间住院的止咳药水成瘾患者200例为病例组;同期健康体检者200例为对照组,检测两组血清叶酸、维生素B12水平。结果:病例组(止咳药水滥用组)血清叶酸水平显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.001);病例组血小板计数显著高于对照组(P<0.05);病例组血清维生素B12水平显著低于对照组(P<0.01)。病例组中,血清叶酸和维生素B12缺乏的发生率分别为40%(对照组6%,P<0.001,RR=6.0)和25%(对照组0%)。维生素B12水平和血清叶酸水平之间存在正相关(P=0.004,R=0.28)。结论:叶酸缺乏可能与止咳药水滥用有关。