Group cognitive behaviour therapy for adults with Asperger syndrome and anxiety or mood disorder: a case series

Individuals with Asperger syndrome are at increased risk for mental health problems compared with the general population, especially with regard to mood and anxiety disorders. Generic mental health services are often ill‐equipped to offer psychotherapeutic treatments to this population, and specialized supports are difficult to find. This case series used a manualized cognitive behaviour therapy group programme (Mind Over Mood) with three adults diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, who were each unable to access psychotherapy through mainstream mental health services. This review highlights the benefits of a cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) group approach for adults with Asperger syndrome and suggests some potential modifications to traditional CBT provision. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message: ? As a group, adults with Asperger syndrome are at high risk for anxiety disorders and depression. ? Cognitive behaviour therapy can be adapted to help adults with Asperger syndrome cope with anxiety or depression. ? Group cognitive behaviour therapy for adults with Asperger syndrome may hold a number of advantages to individual therapy.     

A pilot study of cognitive behaviour therapy for panic disorder augmented by panic surfing

This pilot study reports the outcome of cognitive behaviour therapy for panic disorder augmented by panic surfing. This treatment approach encourages acceptance of feelings rather than control of symptoms and anxiety, at the same time also targeting catastrophic misinterpretations, bodily vigilance and safety‐seeking behaviours. Eighteen participants completed a brief group treatment for panic disorder incorporating psychoeducation, panic surfing, interoceptive exposure, graded exposure and cognitive restructuring. Significant improvements occurred over the course of this treatment and were maintained at a 1‐month follow‐up. Results suggest that cognitive behaviour therapy augmented by panic surfing may be effective in the treatment of panic disorder, but there is a need for controlled studies and investigation of the relative contribution of its various components. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

General practitioners and women with urinary incontinence.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence is a common problem for adult women. It results in a large financial and psychosocial cost. Much urinary incontinence goes unreported. Women with urinary incontinence can be successfully assessed and treated in general practice but studies have shown that many GPs manage the condition inadequately. AIM: This study aims to examine GPs' awareness of urinary incontinence in women and their management of, and attitudes to, female urinary incontinence. METHOD: A qualitative study was conducted with 21 GPs responding to semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was carried out on these interviews, with recurrent views and experiences being identified and grouped. RESULTS: The interviews of 11 male and nine female GPs were suitable for analysis. GPs were aware of the prevalence and under-reporting of urinary incontinence in women. Many were unhappy with their own management of the condition and with the management options available to them. Male GPs in particular were reluctant to carry out gynaecological examinations, and few GPs expressed enthusiasm for teaching pelvic floor exercises or bladder drills. Medications were frequently used but generally considered ineffective or intolerable. The services of both public health nurses and practice nurses were under-used, largely because of lack of training in this area. Although incontinence nurses were employed in the area, many GPs did not know of their availability and, of those who did, few referred to them more than infrequently. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that many GPs avoid dealing with the problem of urinary incontinence in women and that they find it to be a difficult, chronic problem to treat. Specialist options seem not to be useful in general practice. The findings need to be explored in other GP settings.     

New surgical approaches for urinary incontinence in women

Urinary incontinence (UI) is highly prevalent and common complaint. A large proportion of women with UI can be correctly diagnosed by their symptoms alone. First line of treatment should follow conservative route in a form of pelvic floor muscle training for stress UI and bladder training for the urgency UI. If conservative management is ineffective, medical and surgical treatment is the next considered. For the treatment of over-active bladder and urgency UI, intra-vesical injections of botulinum toxin A, utilising a flexible or rigid cystoscope has become an established treatment. An alternative to the use of onaBoNTA is sacral nerve stimulation (SNS).     

Estrogen and urinary incontinence in women

Objective: The purpose of this study was to review the efficacy of estrogen therapy for urinary incontinence by examining published trials and to review the epidemiologic and physiologic evidence for its action. Data Sources: Controlled and uncontrolled trials of estrogen therapy in the English literature were collected. Eight controlled and 14 uncontrolled trials were identified. Methods of Study Selection: Trials were selected if they were prospective. All types of estrogen treatment were included. All types of outcome measurements were included. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Trials were categorized by type of estrogen used; outcome variables (subjective improvement vs. objective urodynamic data); and cure/improvement rates. Conclusions: Published trials do not support estrogen replacement as efficacious therapy for stress urinary incontinence. It may be useful for incontinence associated with urgency and frequency. Adequately large controlled trials that evaluate estrogen replacement regimens used in the USA remain to be done.     

Efficacy and safety of duloxetine in elderly women with stress urinary incontinence or stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of duloxetine in community-dwelling women > or =65 years with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence (S-MUI) versus placebo. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned for 12 weeks to placebo (N=134) or duloxetine (N=131) (20mg twice daily [BID] for 2 weeks and 40 mg BID for an additional 10 weeks), followed by a double-blind 4-week dose de-escalation/discontinuation phase. The primary efficacy variable was the percent change in incontinence episode frequency (IEF) from baseline to endpoint. Other variables included absolute IEF change, responder rate, changes in mean time between voids (MTBV), weekly continence pad usage, the impact of treatment on quality of life, patient's global impression of improvement (PGI-I), and changes in depression and cognition. RESULTS: Duloxetine-treated patients had a significantly greater decrease from baseline to endpoint in mean IEF/week than placebo-treated patients (-52.47% vs. -36.70%, P<0.001). The IEF responder rate (> or =50% reduction in IEF/week) was 57.1% in the duloxetine group and 35.2% in the placebo group (P<0.001). Significant benefits of duloxetine were also demonstrated for weekly continence pad usage (P=0.011), MTBV (P<0.001), incontinence quality of life questionnaire (I-QOL) scores (P<0.001), and PGI-I ratings (P<0.001). Patients with depressive symptoms and cognitive impairments were few and changes were insignificant. The proportion of patients with > or =1 treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) was similar with both treatments, but dry mouth, fatigue, constipation, and hyperhidrosis were significantly more common in women taking duloxetine. CONCLUSIONS: Duloxetine is a safe and effective treatment for elderly women with symptoms of SUI or S-MUI.     

Management of urinary incontinence in women.

Control of micturition is a complex physiological and anatomical process which often fails in women. The sequelae of urinary incontinence in women range from inconvenience to social and psychological stigmatization. Surprisingly, many women are tolerant of often quite severe sequelae, despite a range of management techniques that exist to alleviate or cure incontinence. Some of the more successful techniques are well suited to general practice management and can be carried out by the patient under the supervision of her doctor, district nurse, practice nurse or midwife. This paper reviews the physiology of micturition, stress urinary incontinence and incontinence caused by detrusor instability, and the management techniques available to alleviate or cure the problem.     

Treatment seeking behavior for urinary incontinence among north Indian women

Background: Urinary incontinence is a common but neglected problem of women. Aims: To ascertain the treatment seeking behavior of north Indian women having urinary incontinence (UI). Setting: Two residential colonies of Chandigarh. DESIGN: Cross-sectional face-to-face interview based study. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted by a trained nurse during April 2005-July 2005 among women aged 18 years and above. Women with UI were identified in a screening survey. They were interviewed individually regarding their treatment seeking behavior and socio-demographic data. Statistical Analysis Used: Percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test. Results: Of the 220 enlisted incontinent women 20% (44) women consulted some health agency. Only 8.6% (19) women had heard about pelvic floor muscle exercises. Seventy-two percent (158) cases had UI for more than one year. The most common reason quoted for not seeking treatment was, 'UI was considered as 'normal', 'did not take it seriously' and 'shyness.' Many (153;70%) women reported that UI affected their daily routine as well as social activities like shopping and visiting friends. Conclusion: Urinary incontinence seriously affected the quality of life of women. Still, consultation rate for UI was low in the north Indian women.     

Cognitive behaviour therapy in patients with schizophrenia who are not prescribed antipsychotic medication: A case series

Objectives . Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) as an adjunct to medication has been shown to improve symptom management in patients with schizophrenia. However, little is understood about the value of CBT for people who are not prescribed antipsychotic medication. Design . A post hoc case series design was used to examine the outcome data of three participants selected from a randomized controlled trial for CBT for schizophrenia. The participants were included if they had received CBT and were not prescribed antipsychotic medication during active treatment. Results . The three patients improved on outcome measures of psychopathology, depression, or negative symptoms, some to a clinically significant degree. Conclusions . CBT is a feasible treatment for people with schizophrenia who are not prescribed antipsychotic medication. It may be a valuable alternative to medication in treating symptoms of schizophrenia.     

Quality of life and urinary incontinence in women

Urinary incontinence greatly diminishes quality of life. It is important to diagnose the three main types of urinary incontinence correctly - stress, urge or mixed incontinence - and to evaluate the impact of incontinence on quality of life. After a detailed history, a bladder diary and questionnaires are the most useful tools with which to determine what aspects of quality of life are most impaired - daily, work-related, recreational or sexual activities. In general, urgency and urge incontinence have a worse effect on quality of life than stress urinary incontinence. Measures of quality of life have become essential in developing management plans and in follow-up.