Initial lithium augmentation improves the antidepressant effects of standard TCA treatment in non-resistant depressed patients

The hypothesis was tested that an initial lithium-tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) combination has a better antidepressant effect than standard TCA treatment in non-refractory depression at the beginning of an episode. Twenty bipolar melancholic type depressed inpatients under lithium-TCA treatment were compared with 20 patients with the same diagnosis and TCA-placebo treatment for 5 weeks under double-blind conditions. All patients were male. Initial lithium-TCA treatment reduced depressive symptoms significantly more than antidepressant treatment with TCA and placebo after 5 weeks, but not in weeks 1 or 2. It can be concluded that lithium augmentation of TCA treatment should be started even at the beginning of antidepressant TCA treatment to provide a better treatment response in those patients who will profit from long-term lithium prophylaxis, e.g. bipolar patients with melancholic type depression.     

西酞普兰与氯丙咪嗪治疗颈椎间盘突出症术后抑郁焦虑症状的对照研究

目的比较西酞普兰与氯丙咪嗪治疗颈椎间盘突出症伴抑郁焦虑症状的疗效和不良反应。方法对200例颈椎间盘突出症伴抑郁焦虑症状患者分别以西酞普兰与氯丙咪嗪治疗,共治疗6周。采用汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD)评定临床疗效,采用副反应量表(TESS)评定副反应。结果西酞普兰组有效率91%;氯丙咪嗪组有效率90%,2组疗效相当。但西酞普兰组起效时间平均(11.1±5.6)d,而氯丙咪嗪组平均(15.1±8.2)d,以西酞普兰组显著较快(P<0.01)。西酞普兰组不良反应发生率为13%,而氯丙咪嗪组发生率为50%,西酞普兰组不良反应发生率较低。结论西酞普兰治疗颈椎间盘突出症术后伴抑郁焦虑症状的疗效与氯丙咪嗪相当,副反应少,值得推广应用。     

Scales of depression,ill-being and the quality of life—is there any difference? An assay in taxonomy

The application of a model based on the three time dimensions of past, present and future can be used to generate an alternative taxonomy for the classification of depression, ill-being and quality of life. In relation to time, depression can be defined as the passage from a healthy past to a painful present, ill-being as the painful present of the individual and the quality of life (QOL) as the degree to which the subject's present life is commensurate with his aspirations. Such an approach opens up conceptual and methodological areas of research which will allow the construction of a new type of scale. Depression scales should be constructed with two time dimensions: past and present; ill-being scales only refer to the present and QOL scales should have two time dimensions: present and future. It would be possible to combine these three scales into a single scale with three dimensions. Such a scale would enable depression and ill-being to be quantified, accurately diagnosed and monitored. The relative importance of principal symptoms could be assessed, facilitating the choice of therapy and follow-up methods.     

No difference in symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome between healthy subjects and patients with recurrent depression in remission

There is bidirectional comorbidity between anxiety/depression and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). To investigate the prevalence of IBS symptoms, and factors associated with gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with recurrent depressive disorder. Patients (n = 95) with recurrent type of major depression according to DSM-IV criteria and sex- and age-matched controls (n = 190) were sent questionnaires investigating symptoms of IBS [Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS)-IBS] and symptoms of anxiety and depression [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)]. Medical records were checked over a 10-year period for chronic somatic symptoms or diseases. Seventy-three patients with unipolar disorder (mean age 63.6 years SD 13.8; range 23-86 years) and 156 controls (mean age 59.2 years SD 11.6, range 21-85 years) responded. Patients with recurrent depression had higher GSRS-IBS scores and showed a strong correlation between symptoms of IBS and anxiety-depression (r(s) = 0.54; P < 0.001). IBS symptoms were also associated with multiple pain symptoms, higher health-seeking behaviour and selective-serotonin-reuptake inhibitor intake. However, patients with recurrent depression (n = 46) in remission (HADS-Depression score <8) did not have more symptoms of IBS than controls (GSRS-IBS median score 6.0 vs 6.5; P = 0.46). There is a strong association between symptoms of IBS and symptoms of anxiety and depression, whereas depressive patients in remission do not have more IBS symptoms than controls.     

瑞波西汀与多虑平治疗老年抑郁症对照研究

目的观察瑞波西汀治疗老年抑郁症的疗效和安全性。方法随机将60例年龄≥60岁的老年抑郁症患者分为多虑平组（30例）和瑞波西汀组（30例），疗程6周，采用汉密尔顿抑郁量表（HAMD）和副反应量表（TESS）在治疗前和治疗后1、2、4、6周末评定药物疗效和副反应。结果两组疗效无显著差异，HAMD总分反各因子分从疗后2周至6周均较治疗前显著降低，两组间比较无显著性差异；治疗结束时TESS评分瑞波西汀组显著低于多虑平组。结论瑞波西汀适合于老年抑郁症患者的治疗，服用方便、安全，可首选使用。     

腹膜透析患者应对压力的方式与焦虑抑郁情绪的关系

目的：探讨应对压力的方式与腹膜透析患者的焦虑抑郁情绪的关系。方法：采用自填式结构问卷，对81例腹膜透析患者进行调查，了解患者的一般情况和患者应对措施，同时用综合性医院焦虑和抑郁情绪量表测量他们的焦虑与抑郁情绪。结果：控制年龄等因素后的等级回归分析表明：使用“面对”和“自我缓解”应对方式显著降低患者的焦虑情绪，采用“屈从”应对方式增加焦虑的发生；文化程度高的患者采用逃避应对方式则大大增加焦虑情绪的程度，女性和经济收入高者采用面对应对方式可以大大降低焦虑情绪的发生；“自我缓解”应对方式显著降低患者抑郁情绪发生的可能性。结论：不同的应对方式对腹膜透析患者的焦虑抑郁情绪存在差异。     

氟西汀治疗高血压伴抑郁症状的疗效分析

目的 评价氟西汀治疗高血压伴抑郁症状的效果。方法 70例原发高血压病伴抑郁症状的患者，分成治疗组和对照组，两组均用降压药物治疗，治疗组加用氟西汀，两周后观察疗效。结果 治疗组和对照组的有效率分别为78．9％和56．3％。两组比较差异显著。结论 氟西汀治疗高血压伴抑郁症状有显著疗效。     

认知疗法并用文拉法新缓释剂治疗老年抑郁症的对照研究

目的探讨认知疗法在老年抑郁症治疗中的作用。方法将70例老年抑郁症患者随机分为两组,A组为认知疗法合并文拉法新缓释剂治疗组;B组为单纯用文拉法新缓释剂治疗组。于治疗前后分别用汉密顿抑郁量表(HAMD)、汉密顿焦虑量表(HAMA)、疗效总评量表(CGI-GI)评定疗效,半年后随访。结果A、B组的HAMD评分于治疗2周末呈非常显著下降(P<0.01),HAMA于治疗4周末出现这种变化(P<0.01)。A组治疗8周末的3个量表评分均显著低于B组(P<0.01),A组有效率达87.5%,高于B组的60.61%(P<0.05),半年复发率(6.25%)也显著低于B组(30.3%)。结论认知疗法是适合老年抑郁症的心理治疗方法。     

Depression and mental health in neoliberal times: A critical analysis of policy and discourse

Depression has received increasing attention as a significant public health issue over the past ten years, both in Canada and elsewhere in the industrialized west. During the same period, many of the social and economic policies adopted by governments in these jurisdictions have reflected neoliberal goals and orientations. The purpose of this article is to explore the points of contact between these two features of contemporary social and political life in the industrialized west, using the Canadian province of British Columbia as an empirical site. My analysis draws on the Foucauldian literature on governmentality in presenting a close reading of provincial government documents concerned with depression and mental health literacy that have been produced since the election of the Liberal Party to office in British Columbia in 2001. This analysis identifies discourses of “responsibilization” circulating in these documents, within which individuals, families, communities and workplaces – rather than publicly-funded services – appear as key resources in responding to experiences of mental distress. It also points to a number of strategies visible in the documents that work to align the interests of individuals and their practitioners in pursuing particular approaches to treatment with a governing interest in reducing public spending on services and supports. The article concludes by identifying a number of resistive discourses and proposing further research in a range of empirical contexts within which they may be evident.     

Switching to the bingeing/purging subtype of anorexia nervosa is frequently associated with suicidal attempts

OBJECTIVE: Anorexia nervosa has the highest suicide mortality ratio of psychiatric disorders, suicide being associated with many factors. We assessed the first lifetime occurrence of these factors taking into account their possible overlap. METHOD: Three hundred and four in- and out-patients with anorexia nervosa (DSM-IV) were systematically recruited in three hospitals of Paris suburbs, between December 1999 and January 2003. Patients were assessed by a face-to-face interview (DIGS). Current eating disorder dimensions were measured, and patients interviewed by a trained clinician to assess minimal BMI and, retrospectively, the age at which anorexia nervosa, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders and switch to bingeing/purging type occurred for the first time, if applicable. RESULTS: Major depressive disorder (p<0.001) and subtype switch from the restrictive to the bingeing/purging type (p<0.001) were the two factors significantly more frequently occurring before suicidal attempts, and remained involved when a multivariate analysis is performed, whether syndromic or dimensional measures are being used. Taking into account lifetime occurrence with a survival analysis, the switch to bingeing/purging type of anorexia appears as a major predictive factor, with a large increase of the frequency of suicidal attempts (OR=15) when compared to patients with neither major depressive disorder nor bingeing/purging type. CONCLUSIONS: Bingeing/purging type of anorexia nervosa is largely associated with suicidal attempts, and may deserve specific attention. If confirmed on a prospectively designed study, these results would argue for early detection and/or more intensive and specific therapeutic intervention on this aspect of bingeing and purging behaviors.