Seasonality in Major Depressive Disorder: Effect of Sex and Age

Background: Aside from the concept of seasonal affective disorder, the evidence for a seasonal pattern (SP) of major depressive disorder (MDD) is controversial. Furthermore, the effect of sex and age is still unclear. Methods: This is a nationwide, registry-based study assessing all inpatient admissions in mental health hospitals due to MDD episodes according to ICD-10 (moderate (F32/33.1), severe (F32/33.2) and severe with psychotic features (F32/33.3)) in Austria across 14 years. Calculations were based on deviations from expected monthly admissions. Results: The sample comprised 231,824 hospitalisations (36.8% men) for MDD. A significant SP (p=0.001) in moderate and severe depressive episodes in both women and men with decreased admission rates in the summer months and December was detected. In psychotic depression a significant SP was only evidenced in women (p = 0.002, men: p = 0.291). Patients older than 55 years had a reduced SP compared to those being younger. Limitations: Only anonymised admission data of inpatient treatments were available. Hospitalization rates cannot fully be equated to the occurrence of MDD. Conclusions: The current study indicates a seasonal variation in MDD symptoms that may go beyond seasonal affective disorder. Knowledge about the predictability of depressive symptoms in patients should encourage preventive strategies

Supplementary Material for: Thiamine Substitution in Alcohol Use Disorder: A Narrative Review of Medical Guidelines

Aims: Patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) frequently suffer from cognitive deficits ranging from mild symptoms to most severe forms. Wernicke encephalopathy (WE), caused by thiamine deficiency, is a potentially fatal syndrome characterized by the clinical triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and confusion. WE frequently presents in patients with AUD and, if left untreated, can progress to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which constitutes severe anterograde amnesia, confabulation, and behavioral abnormalities. Due to oftentimes indistinct clinical presentation, WE remains undiagnosed in up to 80% of cases. We conducted a review of current treatment guidelines for AUD in order to identify recommendations for the use of thiamine. Methods: Three different keyword combinations (“alcohol treatment guideline,” “alcohol withdrawal guideline,” and “alcohol treatment recommendation”) were entered in PubMed and Scopus, additional guidelines were searched screening the online sites of the respective agencies or societies. In total, 14 guidelines were included. Results: Thiamine was mentioned in all but one of the reviewed publications. Specifications on application modalities and indications varied considerably. While the majority of reviewed guidelines recommended parenteral thiamine only for patients at high risk for WE, some gave no information regarding the application form or dosage. Conclusion: Substitution of parenteral thiamine in individuals with suspected WE is a well-established treatment regimen. However, suggestions according to guidelines vary widely. Furthermore, hardly any evidence-based recommendations exist on a more general use of thiamine as a preventative intervention in individuals with AUD. Further research is of utmost importance to raise awareness for this potentially undervalued problem

Seasonality in schizophrenia—An analysis of a nationwide registry with 110,735 hospital admissions

Abstract Background. Seasonal patterns in hospitalizations have been observed in various psychiatric disorders, however, it is unclear whether they also exist in schizophrenia. Previous studies found mixed results and those reporting the presence of seasonality differ regarding the characteristics of these patterns. Further, they are inconclusive whether sex is an influencing factor. The aim of this study was therefore to examine if seasonal patterns in hospitalizations can be found in schizophrenia, with special regard to a possible influence of sex, by using a large national dataset. Methods. Data on all hospital admissions within Austria due to schizophrenia (F20.0–F20.6) for the time period of 2003–2016 were included. Age standardized monthly variation of hospitalization for women and men was analyzed and the level of significance adjusted for multiple testing. Results. The database comprised of 110,735 admissions (59.6% men). Significant seasonal variations were found in the total sample with hospitalization peaks in January and June and a trough in December (p &lt; 0.0001). No significant difference in these patterns was found between women and men with schizophrenia (p &lt; 0.0001). Conclusion. Our study shows that schizophrenia-related hospitalizations follow a seasonal pattern in both men and women. The distribution of peaks might be influenced by photoperiod changes which trigger worsening of symptoms and lead to exacerbations in schizophrenia. Further research is necessary to identify underlying factors influencing seasonal patterns and to assess whether a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia is especially vulnerable to the impact of seasonal variations. </jats:sec

European Psychiatry / Seasonality in schizophrenia - An analysis of a nationwide registry with 110,735 hospital admissions

Background. Seasonal patterns in hospitalizations have been observed in various psychiatric disorders, however, it is unclear whether they also exist in schizophrenia. Previous studies found mixed results and those reporting the presence of seasonality differ regarding the characteristics of these patterns. Further, they are inconclusive whether sex is an influencing factor. The aim of this study was therefore to examine if seasonal patterns in hospitalizations can be found in schizophrenia, with special regard to a possible influence of sex, by using a large national dataset. Methods. Data on all hospital admissions within Austria due to schizophrenia (F20.0–F20.6) for the time period of 2003–2016 were included. Age standardized monthly variation of hospitalization for women and men was analyzed and the level of significance adjusted for multiple testing. Results. The database comprised of 110,735 admissions (59.6% men). Significant seasonal variations were found in the total sample with hospitalization peaks in January and June and a trough in December (p < 0.0001). No significant difference in these patterns was found between women and men with schizophrenia (p < 0.0001). Conclusion. Our study shows that schizophrenia-related hospitalizations follow a seasonal pattern in both men and women. The distribution of peaks might be influenced by photoperiod changes which trigger worsening of symptoms and lead to exacerbations in schizophrenia. Further research is necessary to identify underlying factors influencing seasonal patterns and to assess whether a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia is especially vulnerable to the impact of seasonal variations

The role of sunshine in suicide: an explanatory model for the suicide peak in spring

IntroductionIt is known from previous studies that suicide follows a seasonal pattern with a peak in spring.ObjectivesAnalyze whether suicidal behavior is associated with the increase in the duration of sunshine in spring.AimsTo investigate the effect of number of sunshine hours per month on suicide rates in Austria between 1996–2006.MethodsSuicide data, differentiated by month of suicide, gender, and method of suicide (violent vs. non-violent methods), were provided by Statistics Austria. Data on the average number of sunshine hours per month were provided by the Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology. For statistical analysis ANOVA tests and Pearson correlation tests were used.ResultsSuicide frequencies were highest between March and May, lowest between November and January (df = 11, F = 5.2, p &lt; .0001). The average number of sunshine hours per month was significantly correlated with the number of suicides among both genders r = .43 (p &lt; .0001), violent methods (r = .48; p &lt; .0001) but not with nonviolent methods (r = .03; p = .707).ConclusionsLight, possibly through interaction with melatonin, norepinephrine and serotonin, may improve motivation and drive first while mood improves at a later point in time. Thereby, a rapid increase in sunshine in spring might increase suicidal tendencies in vulnerable subjects.Fig. 1[Suicides and sunshine hours in Austria,1996-2006]</jats:sec