Web-Based Psychoeducation Program for Caregivers of First-Episode of Psychosis: An Experience of Chinese Population in Hong Kong

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The Effect of Paternal Age on Relapse in First-Episode Schizophrenia

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Clinical and treatment-related determinants of subjective quality of life in patients with first-episode psychosis

Subjective quality of life (SQoL) has been increasingly studied in first-episode psychosis (FEP). Prior research primarily examined the impact of psychiatric symptoms on SQoL. Relationship between treatment-related factors and SQoL is under-studied. In this study, 159 Chinese patients who had completed 2-year treatment from early intervention service in Hong Kong were recruited. Assessments on premorbid adjustment, clinical profiles including social anxiety measure, functioning, antipsychotic-induced extrapyramidal side-effects and attitude toward medication treatment were conducted. SQoL was evaluated by Chinese version SF36 which generated mental and physical component summary (MCS and PCS) scores for analysis. Our results showed that more severe positive symptoms, higher level of depression, greater social anxiety, more negative attitude toward antipsychotic medications and greater degree of akathisia independently predicted lower MCS score. Higher social anxiety level and poorer functioning predicted lower PCS score. Our results indicate that affective and positive symptoms, functioning, and treatment-related variables are critical determinants of SQoL in FEP patients. These identified factors thus represent potentially malleable therapeutic targets for early detection and prompt intervention to promote enhancement of SQoL in the early stage of illness.postprin

Sustainability of treatment effect of a 3-year early intervention programme for first-episode psychosis

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The Hong Kong mental morbidity survey: background and study design

Mental disorders are highly prevalent conditions with immense disease burden. To inform health and social services policy formulation, local psychiatric epidemiological data are required. The Hong Kong Mental Morbidity Survey is a 3-year population-based study in which 5700 community-dwelling Chinese adults aged between 16 and 75 years were interviewed with the aim of evaluating the prevalence, co-morbidity, functional impairment, physical morbidity, and social determinants of significant mental disorders in the population. This paper describes the background and design of the survey, and is the first territory-wide psychiatric epidemiological study in Hong Kong. 精神障礙非常普遍，且對社會造成巨大的疾病負擔。收集本地精神病流行病學資料，對計劃相關的衛生及社會服務政策至為重要。香港精神健康調查是一個為期3年，以人口為基礎的大型研究，透過對5700名介乎16歲至75歲之華裔市民進行精神健康評估，檢視重要的精神障礙的現患率、共病、功能障礙、身體疾病以及社會決定因素。本文闡述這項首個全港大型精神病流行病研究的背景和設計。published_or_final_versio

The use of nanocrystal quantum dot as fluorophore reporters in molecular beacon-based assays

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SARS-CoV-2 Omicron-B.1.1.529 leads to widespread escape from neutralizing antibody responses

On 24th November 2021, the sequence of a new SARS-CoV-2 viral isolate Omicron-B.1.1.529 was announced, containing far more mutations in Spike (S) than previously reported variants. Neutralization titers of Omicron by sera from vaccinees and convalescent subjects infected with early pandemic Alpha, Beta, Gamma, or Delta are substantially reduced, or the sera failed to neutralize. Titers against Omicron are boosted by third vaccine doses and are high in both vaccinated individuals and those infected by Delta. Mutations in Omicron knock out or substantially reduce neutralization by most of the large panel of potent monoclonal antibodies and antibodies under commercial development. Omicron S has structural changes from earlier viruses and uses mutations that confer tight binding to ACE2 to unleash evolution driven by immune escape. This leads to a large number of mutations in the ACE2 binding site and rebalances receptor affinity to that of earlier pandemic viruses

Efficacy of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) as a Treatment for Persistent Hallucinations in Patients With Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Issue Section: Posters (Monday)Background: Hallucinations are common symptoms in schizophrenia occurring in about 60% to 80% of patients. Antipsychotics are effective in 70% to 80% of patients, while the remaining 20% to 30% of patients continue to experience persistent hallucinations despite medication. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive neurostimulation technique, which has been studied as a treatment for persistent hallucinations in schizophrenia. Given the growing clinical interest in using tDCS as a treatment for persistent hallucination, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of tDCS for alleviating hallucinations in schizophrenia. Methods: Systematic search of Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews, and CINAHL for relevant studies was done up to March 16, 2016. Bibliographies of retrieved articles and previous reviews were also included in the search. Eligibility criteria for study selection included randomized controlled trials that compared the efficacy of tDCS with sham stimulation for treating persistent hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study risk of bias. Standard mean differences across trials were pooled. Subgroup analyses were performed, and heterogeneity and potential publication bias were assessed. The GRADE system was used to evaluate the quality of evidence and confidence in the conclusions. Main outcome measure Hallucination severity evaluated by a random effects meta-analysis model. Results: Five eligible randomized sham-controlled trials involving 121 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Most patients were reported to have persistent hallucinations despite adequate antipsychotic treatment. Active tDCS (2 mA stimulation for 20 min) was administered once or twice daily, for 5 to 15 sessions, with cathode over the left temporo-parietal junction and anode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or right supraorbital ridge. The pooled effects from all trials with an overall “moderate quality” (GRADE) was −0.15 (95% CI −0.55 to 0.25), indicating no beneficial effects of tDCS on persistent hallucination in schizophrenia. The heterogeneity between trials was low (I2 = 37%) and no serious adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: Based on current moderate-quality evidence, tDCS has no beneficial effects on persistent hallucination in schizophrenia, particularly when administered once daily. Future studies should focus on twice daily stimulations to determine if tDCS is effective for treating persistent hallucinations in schizophrenia