Baseline Serum Prolactin in Drug-naive, First-episode Schizophrenia and Outcome at Five Years: Is it a Predictive Factor?

Objective: Serum prolactin is influenced by antipsychotic use but its relationships with psychopathology and general functioning are not clear. This study aimed to assess these relationships.Design: Serum prolactin levels were measured in patients with schizophrenia before being treated with antipsychotics and at various follow-up points.Setting: The study was conducted in a nongovernmental psychiatric treatment center in Mumbai, India.Participants: The participants included 30 male and 30 female drug-na?ve patients with schizophrenia and 31 control participants.Measurements: The severity of psychopathology at baseline, three weeks, six weeks, and five years following treatment was assessed using a modified Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. The Global Assessment of Functioning questionnaire was used at baseline and five years follow up.Results: Contrary to our hypotheses, prolactin levels in male but not female patients at baseline were twice those of control volunteers. Correlations between prolactin, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and Global Assessment of Functioning measurements were not significant for any time point up to six weeks, but were only significant at the five-year follow-up appointments, indicating that those patients with higher levels of serum prolactin had a better outcome at five years.Conclusion: Baseline serum prolactin levels in drug-naive patients with schizophrenia may be used for long-term prognosis, but are not reliable indicators of psychopathology and prognosis in the short term. Future research is needed to conclude with confidence whether or not prolactin can be used as a biomarker of psychopathological and overall functioning in schizophrenia.     

Suicide risk in first episode psychosis: a selective review of the current literature

Many studies have confirmed that the risk of suicide in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) is high, and high rates of premature mortality, particularly from suicide, may occur in the early phases of schizophrenia. However, suicide rates are difficult to measure in FEP patients, even in carefully defined samples, and there is relatively little specific information about the risk of suicide at illness onset or retrospectively concerning the untreated psychotic period. This selected review of the literature investigates suicidal behaviour with particular regard to severe suicidality (plans and attempts) and risk factors associated with suicide in FEP patients. A search was performed to identify all papers and book chapters during the period 1965-2010, and approximately 100 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most of evidence suggests that risk of suicidal behaviour is relatively high in FEP patients. The research reports highlight the need for universal, comprehensive, public mental health interventions aimed, not only toward early detection, but also toward the rapid engagement in treatment of people with psychoses. These interventions should include an adequate assessment of suicidal behaviour in patients with FEP, and an examination of the efficacy of specific components of the interventions.     

Efficacy of embolization in traumatic uterine vascular malformations

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of embolotherapy in patients with bleeding traumatic uterine arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent pelvic arterial embolization at our institution between July 1992 and September 2002 was performed. Fifteen patients were diagnosed with a uterine vascular malformation on duplex ultrasonography and correlative MR imaging. Serial beta-human chorionic gonadotropin levels were measured to exclude gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. All patients underwent transcatheter embolization of the uterine arteries. Embolizations were performed with use of standard 4-5-F catheters and microcatheters when necessary. Embolic agents in the 25 procedures included glue only (n = 13), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles and glue (n = 4), PVA particles (n = 2), Gelfoam (n = 2), coils (n = 1), PVA particles and coils (n = 1), glue and Gelfoam (n = 1), and glue and coils (n = 1). PVA particle size ranged from 350 to 1,000 micro m. Outcomes assessed were cessation of bleeding, persistence or resolution of the AVM, complications, and pregnancy after embolization. These were assessed by chart, laboratory, and imaging reviews. RESULTS: A total of 25 embolization procedures were performed in 15 patients. Six patients required repeat embolization (one patient underwent embolization on six occasions; five patients had two embolization procedures each) for recurrence of bleeding. Sixteen procedures were performed on an elective basis and nine were performed on an emergent basis. The technical success rate of embolization was 100%. The clinical success rate was 93%: bleeding was controlled in 14 of 15 patients and one patient underwent a hysterectomy. Four of the 15 patients subsequently had a total of five uneventful intrauterine pregnancies carried to term. The 14 patients who underwent successful embolization had no recurrence of bleeding at a median follow-up of 53 months (range, 3-124 months) after treatment. Three patients were eventually lost to follow-up. One minor complication (0.4%) of non-flow-limiting dissection of the internal iliac artery occurred. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous embolotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for traumatic AVMs. This procedure allows for preservation of uterine function with the possibility of future pregnancy and should be considered as a primary treatment option.     

Mixed sclerosing bone dysplasia--a case report with literature review

We report a case of mixed sclerosing bone dysplasia in a 26-year-old man. This is a very rare disorder characterized by a variable combination of melorheostosis, osteopoikilosis and osteopathia striata. The disease may be generalized or may show unilateral involvement.     

Typhoid immunisation

Since the desired improvement in the sanitation and nealth facilities is not likely in most areas of the third world in the near future, the necessity for typhoid vaccination cannot be easily disputed. The mechanisms of immune response in typhoid, especially with regard to the local gut factors are poorly understood. Parental vaccines have been in use for over 80 yr, but controlled field trials establishing their efficacy were conducted barely two decades back. Several studies in endemic areas under the auspices of the World Health Organisation established success in providing 51 to 94 percent protection with parenteral typhoid vaccine. The immunity, however, is not as complete as with some viral or toxoid vaccines, and can be overcome by a large infective dose of S. typhi. The acetone-inactivated vaccine is superior to other vaccines. Two sub-cutaneous doses of 0.5 ml each are as effective as intradermal doses of 0.1 ml each. The intradermal administration causes less local and systemic reactions. A mutant strain of Salmonella typhi Ty 21 a, lacking UDP galactose epimerase enzyme showed promise as a live oral vaccine in volunteer and field trials. More work, however, is needed to establish its efficacy and practical utility. This vaccine may possibly be the most effective vaccine ever prepared for typhoid fever. oral killed vaccine has been shown to have no beneficial effect in controlled trials. New modalities in developing vaccines such as using Vi capsular polysaccharide antigen and other mutants of S. typhi are being worked out. This article is based on the talk given at a Workshop on Immunisation held at the Department of Virology, Christian Medical College, from 25th to 27th August, 1983.     

Epidural anesthesia for cesarean section in a patient with Eisenmenger's syndrome

Eisenmenger's syndrome is a complex combination of cardiovascular abnormalities and is defined as pulmonary hypertension at systemic pressure level with reversed or bi-directional shunt through an intracardiac or aortopulmonary communication. Patients with Eisenmenger's syndrome are at high risk for peripartum morbidity and mortality. Multigravid patients with this disease are therefore uncommon. We report the anesthetic management for cesarean section of a 27-year-old multigravid female at 35 weeks' gestation with Eisenmenger's syndrome. Titrated epidural anesthesia was administered with incremental doses of 2% lidocaine. Intraoperative course was uneventful except for an episode of hypotension immediately after delivery of the baby, which was managed successfully. We conclude that carefully titrated epidural anesthesia may be safe, appropriate, and effective for patients with Eisenmenger's syndrome for cesarean section.     

Transtibial amputation with plantar flap for congenital deficiency of the tibia

Disarticulation of the knee has been the preferred treatment for the severe type (Type Ia and Type Ib classification of Jones et al) of congenital deficiency of the tibia because of marked flexion contracture of the knee and loss of quadriceps function. In such cases, the disarticulated stump is often small and poorly covered by soft tissues because of dysplastic femoral condyles and calf muscles. Therefore, stump complications after disarticulation may prevent early aggressive walking exercises and delay independent ambulation. To overcome this problem, a greater weightbearing surface was created by a transtibial amputation with a short stump of the fibula using the flexed knee. By this method, the distal femoral condyle and the anterior surface of the fibula were used for weightbearing. In addition, coverage of the new weightbearing area by a neurovascular pedicled sensate plantar flap provided a more tolerable weightbearing site. The purpose of the current study was to report a 5-year-old boy with bilateral congenital total deficiency of both tibias, who was treated using this technique. The patient was ambulating independently 15 weeks after surgery. A transtibial amputation with a plantar flap is an alternative procedure to knee disarticulation for the severe type of congenital deficiency of the tibia.     

Porphyria erythropoietica

Summary A 10-year-old child with porphyria erythropoietica is reported with detailed biochemical investigations. This is the eighth published case in India. A brief review of porphyria is presented. From the Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 16.