Use of medical services and treatment for panic disorder with agoraphobia and for social phobia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the medical services and treatment for anxiety disorders reported by patients who had either panic disorder with agoraphobia or else social phobia. DESIGN: Archival research of consecutive records of psychiatric interviews conducted between January 1990 and December 1991. The records were examined by a trained research assistant who had had no contact with the patients. PATIENTS: One hundred patients who had panic disorder with agoraphobia and twenty-eight patients who had social phobia. SETTING: An anxiety disorders clinic in a university-affiliated psychiatric institute. OUTCOME MEASURES: Variables related to the use of medical services included history of hospitalization, emergency department visits and referrals to specialists. Variables related to treatment included types of medication received, whether behaviour therapy was received and types of health care professionals seen. RESULTS: Almost 30% of the patients with panic disorder and more than 20% of those with social phobia had a history of a major depressive episode at some time in their lives; 30% and 25% respectively had a current nonpsychiatric medical diagnosis. In the past year nearly one-third of both patient groups had seen three or more different health care professionals and almost one-fifth of those with panic disorder had gone to a general hospital emergency department. Of the patients with panic disorder 9% had previously been assessed by a cardiologist and 17% by a neurologist. At least two-thirds of each group had received benzodiazepines, often for use as needed. Although most of the patients in both groups had been seen by mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, few had received optimal treatment. Of those with panic disorder, only 15% had received the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine, 13% alprazolam and 11% cognitive-behavioural therapy. Only 4% of the patients with social phobia had received cognitive-behavioural therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Both groups of patients, and particularly those with panic disorder, are frequent users of medical services. Although most have had contact with mental health professionals, few have received appropriate treatment. Benzodiazepines appear to be overprescribed, whereas forms of treatment that have been shown to reduce the use of medical services, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, are infrequently given.     

Prescribing patterns for childhood asthma treatment in general practice

The treatment preferences of 109 general practitioners (GPs) for childhood asthma were determined. Availability and adherence to clinical practice guidelines (CPG) for the treatment of childhood asthma was also assessed. Ninety eight (90%), 60 (55%) and 33 (30%) GPs considered nocturnal symptoms > 2 times/week, exercise induced wheeze and cough respectively as indications for preventer therapy. An oral preparation was preferred for relief medication [72 (66%) for 2-5 years, 60 (55%) for > 5 years]. An inhaled preparation was however preferred for preventer medication [60 (55%) for 2-5 years, 85 (78%) for > 5 years]. The oral form was more likely prescribed for asthmatic children 2-5 years (p < 0.001). Corticosteroids and ketotifen were the commonest inhaled and oral preventer treatment prescribed respectively. Only 36(33%) GPs have a CPG copy for reference. Children with asthma symptoms that require preventer therapy may not always be identified in general practice. The oral route remains important for asthma medication especially in young children. The accessibility to the CPG among GPs is disappointing.     

Prescribing patterns of antibiotics at two teaching hospitals in Sanandaj

We report here the results of a prospective analysis of the pattern of antibiotics use over a one month period （May 2009） at two teaching hospitals in Sanandaj, western part of Iran. Data on antibiotic usage were obtained from the pharmacy services. Data was coded, computed and analyzed using SPSS version 11.5. A total of 1336 and 556 patients from Beasat and Tohid hospital respectively received antibiotic. Male patients represented 758 （41. 5 %） and females 1080 （58.5 % ） of the total number of patients evaluated by physicians at the two hospitals during the one month period. Usage of antibiotics varied from hospital to hospital; Beasat hospital had the highest usage. The ward-wise distribution of antibiotic use showed that the prevalence of prescribing was highest in the post partum ward （66.58%）. Similarly, a- mong Tohid hospital wards, men surgical ward and women surgical ward prescribed antibiotics significantly more than all other wards. The route of administration of antibiotics was parentrally for 85.5% and 88.2% at Beasat anf Tohid hospitals respectively. The distribution of use of individual antibiotics showed that cepfzoline was the most frequently prescribed antibiotics used at both the hospitals. Delivery （childbirth） and pneumonia were the most frequent diagnosed pat tern for which an antibiotic was prescribed at Beasat and Tohid hospital respectively. In conclusion our study suggests that there is considerable scope for improving prescribing pattern among the practitioners and minimizing the use of antibiotics. The improvement would be facilitated by providing feedback, prescriber education and hospital formulary.     

惊恐障碍患者的述情障碍

目的探讨惊恐障碍患者的述情障碍及其相关因素。方法采用多伦多述情障碍量表、汉密尔顿焦虑量表、汉密尔顿抑郁量表对伴或不伴广场恐怖的47名惊恐障碍患者和37名健康对照者进行评估。结果(1)伴或不伴广场恐怖的惊恐患者TAS因子Ⅱ分[分别为(3.30±0.70)分和(3.13±0.75)分]高于正常对照组[(2.58±0.67)分](均P<0.05),伴广场恐怖的惊恐患者的TAS总分[(75.4±10.1)分]高于对照组[(66.3±8.9)分](P<0.01),两患者组的因子Ⅰ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ分与对照组之间的差异无显著性(P>0.05),两患者组TAS及四个因子之间的差异亦无显著性(P>0.05);(2)伴与不伴广场恐怖的惊恐患者的HAMA和HAMD得分[HAMA分别为(17.0±6.13)分和(18.6±7.94)分,HAMD分别为(13.0±6.2)分和(15.3±6.96)分]均高于对照组[分别为(0.94±1.22)分和(1.08±0.27)分](P<0.001);(3)伴或不伴广场恐怖的惊恐障碍的TAS因子Ⅱ得分与病程及HAMA和HAMD的相关关系无显著性(P>0.05)。结论伴与不伴广场恐怖的惊恐障碍患者均存在述情障碍,以认识和区别情绪和躯体感受的能力欠缺明显,与其病程和焦虑抑郁状态无相关;其描述情感、幻想及外向型思维的能力可能未受损害。     

惊恐障碍患者的述情障碍

目的探讨惊恐障碍患者的述情障碍及其相关因素.方法采用多伦多述情障碍量表、汉密尔顿焦虑量表、汉密尔顿抑郁量表对伴或不伴广场恐怖的47名惊恐障碍患者和37名健康对照者进行评估.结果(1)伴或不伴广场恐怖的惊恐患者TAS因子Ⅱ分[分别为(3.30±0.70)分和(3.13±0.75)分]高于正常对照组[(2.58±0.67)分](均P＜0.05),伴广场恐怖的惊恐患者的TAS总分[(75.4±10.1)分]高于对照组[(66.3±8.9)分](P＜0.01),两患者组的因子Ⅰ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ分与对照组之间的差异无显著性(P＞0.05),两患者组TAS及四个因子之间的差异亦无显著性(P＞0.05);(2)伴与不伴广场恐怖的惊恐患者的HAMA和HAMD得分[HAMA分别为(17.0±6.13)分和(18.6±7.94)分,HAMD分别为(13.0±6.2)分和(15.3±6.96)分]均高于对照组[分别为(0.94±1.22)分和(1.08±0.27)分](P＜0.001);(3)伴或不伴广场恐怖的惊恐障碍的TAS因子Ⅱ得分与病程及HAMA和HAMD的相关关系无显著性(P＞0.05).结论伴与不伴广场恐怖的惊恐障碍患者均存在述情障碍,以认识和区别情绪和躯体感受的能力欠缺明显,与其病程和焦虑抑郁状态无相关;其描述情感、幻想及外向型思维的能力可能未受损害.