Encephale

AIM: To use the Arabic version of the MADRS in Lebanese depressed patients, check its validity and reproducibility compared to other versions of the questionnaire and assess risk factors affecting the total MADRS score. METHODS: This case-control study, performed between September 2016 and January 2017, included 200 patients (100 patients, 100 controls). The questionnaire included two parts, the first one concerning the socio-demographic characteristics another one that included the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) questions, which was translated from English to Arabic through an initial translation and back translation process. RESULTS: The MADRS scale items converged over a solution of one factor that had an Eigenvalue over 1, explaining a total of 83.90% of the variance. A Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy of 0.953 was found, with a significant Bartlett's test of sphericity (P<0.001). A stepwise linear regression, using the total MADRS score as continuous variable, showed that a university level of education would significantly decrease the total MADRS score by 20 points (beta=-20.02, CI: from -26.337 to -13.709, P<0.001). Unemployment was significantly more associated with an increase in the total MADRS score level by 10.23 points (beta=10.23, CI: 3.944-16.526, P=0.002). CONCLUSION: This study shows that the Arabic version of the MADRS has promising psychometric properties, and thus it is a good tool to use for the diagnosis of patients with depression. Based on this study, health care professionals and researchers can readily use the MADRS questionnaire to estimate the overall severity of depression among psychiatric patients in Lebanon

Community Ment Health J

The study goal is to document the prevalence of salvia use among patients admitted for detoxification of other illicit drug use and to determine its effect. This cross-sectional study included 47 heavy drug users who were admitted for detoxification of other illicit drug abuse at a psychiatric hospital in Lebanon. The prevalence of salvia use was 66%. The salvia effect started and dissipated rapidly (15 min). No significant difference was found between salvia and non-salvia users in terms of affect, cognition and somaesthesia subscales of the Hallucinogen Rating Scale. Ratings of intensity and volition subscales were higher in non-salvia users than salvia users, while perception score was higher in users. Salvia use was correlated with perceptual alteration and hallucinogenic effects

Relation entre la violence intra-hospitalière des patients avec psychoses et la violence dans la communauté

International audienc