SYMPTOM SEVERITY IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS WITH NPAS3, DYSBINDIN-1 AND/OR TRIOBP PROTEIN PATHOLOGY IN THEIR BLOOD SERUM: A PANSS-BASED FOLLOW UP STUDY

Background: It has been proposed that aggregation of specific proteins in the brain may be a pathological element in schizophrenia and other chronic disorders. Multiple such aggregating proteins have now been implicated through post mortem investigation, including NPAS3 (Neuronal PAS domain protein 3), dysbindin-1 (encoded by the DTNBP1, Dystrobrevin Binding Protein 1, gene) and TRIOBP (Trio-Binding Protein, multiple isoforms). While the presence of protein aggregates in the brain is interesting in terms of understanding pathology, it is impractical as a biomarker. These proteins were therefore investigated recently in blood serum of schizophrenia patients and controls, showing patients to have higher levels of NPAS3 in their serum generally. TRIOBP-1 and dysbindin-1 were also found in an insoluble state, implying aggregation, but did not clearly corresponding to disease state. Subject and methods: We revisit 47 of the originally recruited 50 patients with schizophrenia, all of whom are Croatian and aged between 18 and 72. We assessed their symptom specificity and severity using PANSS (the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale), comparing those with NPAS3, insoluble dysbindin-1 and/or insoluble TRIOBP-1 in their blood serum to those lacking any such protein dysregulation. Results: The frequency of each individual potential protein pathology among these patients was too low for meaningful statistical analysis, however the 11 patients that displayed one or more of these pathologies (NPAS3, dysbindin-1, TRIOBP-1 and/or TRIOBP- 5/6) showed a subtle but significant increase in total PANSS scores compared to the 36 patients displaying none of the pathologies (p = 0.031), seemingly driven principally by increased scores on the general psychopathology scale. Conclusion: While the numbers of patients involved do not allow firm conclusions to be drawn at this time, this provides the first indication that disturbed proteostasis in blood serum, of proteins that aggregate in the brains of schizophrenia patients, may correlate with the severity of schizophrenia symptoms

SATISFACTION WITH LIFE AND COPING SKILLS IN THE ACUTE AND CHRONIC URTICARIA

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in satisfaction with life and coping strategies between patients with acute and chronic urticaria. Subjects and methods: Sixty patients with urticaria were divided into 2 groups after 6 weeks of standardized dermatology treatment (33 patients with acute and 27 patients with chronic urticaria). At baseline, all patients answered the following questionnaires: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI-A), The Multidimensional Coping Inventory (COPE) and General questionnaire (age, gender, education, employment, marital status). After six weeks all the participants were re-tested with 2 questionnaires: SWLS and PWI-A. Results: Six weeks after the initial testing there was a statistically significant difference in satisfaction with life between patients with acute and chronic urticaria. Patients with acute urticaria were more satisfied with their lives than patients with chronic urticaria. Also, there was a statistically significant difference in the use of emotion-focused coping, seeking social support for emotional reasons and seeking social support for instrumental reasons. Patients with acute urticaria used emotion-focused coping and sought social support for emotional and instrumental reasons to a greater degree than patients with chronic urticaria. Conclusion: Patients with acute urticaria were more satisfied with their lives than patients with chronic urticaria. Patients with acute urticaria used emotion-focused coping and sought social support for emotional and instrumental reasons to a greater degree than patients with chronic urticaria

Intensive psychiatric care – psychiatric emergencies

Intenzivna psihijatrijska skrb jest vrsta psihijatrijskog liječenja bolesnika koja se provodi na zatvorenom psihijatrijskom odjelu i po mogućnosti u jedinici intenzivnog liječenja, a sadržaji su joj dijagnostika, liječenje i opservacija hitnih stanja, odnosno bolesnika u psihijatriji. Uključuje sveobuhvatnu razinu skrbi, 24-satnu opservaciju te mogućnost fizičkog sputavanja i odvajanja bolesnika u slučaju gubitka kapaciteta za samokontrolu. Najčešća hitna stanja koja zahtijevaju intenzivnu psihijatrijsku skrb jesu suicidalnost, auto i hetero agresivnost i krizna stanja. Pregled bolesnika uključuje anamnezu, heteroanamnezu, opis psihijatrijskog statusa, opći somatski i neurološki pregled, laboratorijske pretrage, a ponekad CT i MRI mozga. U liječenju hitnog psihijatrijskog bolesnika upotrebljavaju se psihofarmakoterapija, psihoterapija (kratka, individualna dinamski orijentirana, ventilacija, debriefing, suportivna psihoterapija i obiteljska), te ponekad fizičko sputavanje i odvajanje bolesnika u izolacijsku prostoriju zbog moguće opasnosti za sebe i/ili okolinu. Članovi medicinskog tima su psihijatri te medicinske sestre i tehničari koji su stručno i posebno educirani u kliničkoj hitnoj psihijatriji i koji će odmah po prijamu bolesnika odrediti prioritete postupaka, dijagnostike i liječenja. Vrijeme provedeno u jedinici za intenzivnu psihijatrijsku skrb različito je, ali najčešće je od 2 do 6 dana. Po smirivanju akutne kliničke slike koja je i bila razlogom prijama u takvu jedinicu, bolesnika se premješta na odgovarajući psihijatrijski odjel sukladno njegovom općem psihofizičkom stanju i psihijatrijskoj dijagnozi. Iako se općenito misli da su postupci intenzivne psihijatrijske skrbi ponekad naglašeno specifični ili izvan okvira kompetencija osoblja koje radi u tim jedinicama, one su nužne i medicinski opravdane.Intensive psychiatric care is a type of psychiatric treatment of patients conducted in a closed psychiatric ward, and engages the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric emergencies. Includes a comprehensive level of care, 24-hour observation, and the possibility of physical restraint and isolation of patients in the event of loss of capacity for self-control. Psychiatric disorders treated in such departments are deteriorating mental state within the various mental disorders. The most common emergencies that require intensive psychiatric care are suicide, auto and hetero aggressiveness and states of crisis. Examination of the patient includes medical history, heteroanamnesis, description of psychiatric status, general and neurological examination, laboratory tests, and sometimes CT and MRI of the brain. In order to take care of urgent psychiatric patients in use is pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy (brief, individual dynamically oriented, ventilation, debriefing, supportive and family psychotherapy), and sometimes physical restraint and isolation of patients in isolation room because of possible danger to himself and / or the environment. The principal members of the medical team are psychiatrists, nurses and technicians who are highly qualified and trained in clinical psychiatry emergency and will immediately determine procedure, diagnosis and treatment of the patient. Time spent in psychiatric intensive care unit varies, but is usually from 2-6 days. By calming the acute clinical picture which is the reason for admission to such department, the patient is transferred to other psychiatric wards in accordance with its general mental and physical condition and psychiatric diagnosis. Although it is generally thought that the procedures for intensive psychiatric care is sometimes too hard or beyond the competence of personnel working in such departments, they are medically necessary and justified

Intensive psychiatric care – psychiatric emergencies

Intenzivna psihijatrijska skrb jest vrsta psihijatrijskog liječenja bolesnika koja se provodi na zatvorenom psihijatrijskom odjelu i po mogućnosti u jedinici intenzivnog liječenja, a sadržaji su joj dijagnostika, liječenje i opservacija hitnih stanja, odnosno bolesnika u psihijatriji. Uključuje sveobuhvatnu razinu skrbi, 24-satnu opservaciju te mogućnost fizičkog sputavanja i odvajanja bolesnika u slučaju gubitka kapaciteta za samokontrolu. Najčešća hitna stanja koja zahtijevaju intenzivnu psihijatrijsku skrb jesu suicidalnost, auto i hetero agresivnost i krizna stanja. Pregled bolesnika uključuje anamnezu, heteroanamnezu, opis psihijatrijskog statusa, opći somatski i neurološki pregled, laboratorijske pretrage, a ponekad CT i MRI mozga. U liječenju hitnog psihijatrijskog bolesnika upotrebljavaju se psihofarmakoterapija, psihoterapija (kratka, individualna dinamski orijentirana, ventilacija, debriefing, suportivna psihoterapija i obiteljska), te ponekad fizičko sputavanje i odvajanje bolesnika u izolacijsku prostoriju zbog moguće opasnosti za sebe i/ili okolinu. Članovi medicinskog tima su psihijatri te medicinske sestre i tehničari koji su stručno i posebno educirani u kliničkoj hitnoj psihijatriji i koji će odmah po prijamu bolesnika odrediti prioritete postupaka, dijagnostike i liječenja. Vrijeme provedeno u jedinici za intenzivnu psihijatrijsku skrb različito je, ali najčešće je od 2 do 6 dana. Po smirivanju akutne kliničke slike koja je i bila razlogom prijama u takvu jedinicu, bolesnika se premješta na odgovarajući psihijatrijski odjel sukladno njegovom općem psihofizičkom stanju i psihijatrijskoj dijagnozi. Iako se općenito misli da su postupci intenzivne psihijatrijske skrbi ponekad naglašeno specifični ili izvan okvira kompetencija osoblja koje radi u tim jedinicama, one su nužne i medicinski opravdane.Intensive psychiatric care is a type of psychiatric treatment of patients conducted in a closed psychiatric ward, and engages the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric emergencies. Includes a comprehensive level of care, 24-hour observation, and the possibility of physical restraint and isolation of patients in the event of loss of capacity for self-control. Psychiatric disorders treated in such departments are deteriorating mental state within the various mental disorders. The most common emergencies that require intensive psychiatric care are suicide, auto and hetero aggressiveness and states of crisis. Examination of the patient includes medical history, heteroanamnesis, description of psychiatric status, general and neurological examination, laboratory tests, and sometimes CT and MRI of the brain. In order to take care of urgent psychiatric patients in use is pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy (brief, individual dynamically oriented, ventilation, debriefing, supportive and family psychotherapy), and sometimes physical restraint and isolation of patients in isolation room because of possible danger to himself and / or the environment. The principal members of the medical team are psychiatrists, nurses and technicians who are highly qualified and trained in clinical psychiatry emergency and will immediately determine procedure, diagnosis and treatment of the patient. Time spent in psychiatric intensive care unit varies, but is usually from 2-6 days. By calming the acute clinical picture which is the reason for admission to such department, the patient is transferred to other psychiatric wards in accordance with its general mental and physical condition and psychiatric diagnosis. Although it is generally thought that the procedures for intensive psychiatric care is sometimes too hard or beyond the competence of personnel working in such departments, they are medically necessary and justified

SYMPTOMS OF AGITATED DEPRESSION AND/OR AKATHISIA

Akathisia is a syndrome characterized by the unpleasant sensation of “inner” restlessness that manifests itself in the inability of sitting still or not moving. Many types of medicaments can cause akathisia as an adverse event of their use and they include: antipsychotics, antidepressants, antiemetics, antihistamines, and psychoactive substances. We will present the case of a 50 year old patient, treated on two occasions for psychotic depression. During the second hospitalization it is possible that antipsychotic treatment combined with an antidepressant caused akathisia or there were symptoms of agitated depression and akathisia present at the same time, which is very difficult to determine in everyday clinical practice. We can conclude that in this case, as in many others, akathisia as a possible adverse effect of psychopharmacs was very hard to identify. Therefore, it is necessary to have akathisia in mind when using certain medicaments, especially when combining several that use the same enzymatic system and consequently raise levels of at least one of them

The role of psychosocial factors in development of urticaria : doctoral thesis

Koža zauzima specijalno mjesto u psihijatriji obzirom da se putem nje iskazuju različite emocije kao što su ljutnja, strah, sram i druge. Koža igra važnu ulogu i u procesu socijalizacije koji počinje u djetinjstvu i nastavlja se do odrasle dobi. Povezanost kože i mozga očituje se i u njihovom zajedničkom ektodermalnom podrijetlu, a određeni su i zajedničkim hormonskim i neurotransmiterskim sustavom. Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati razlike između ispitanika s akutnom i kroničnom urtikarijom u zadovoljstvu životom, strategijama suočavanja, crtama ličnosti, anksioznosti, depresiji i percipiranom stresu. Ispitano je sto pedeset (150) ispitanika koji boluju od urtikarije a koji su podijeljeni u 2 skupine nakon 6 tjedana standardiziranog dermatološkog liječenja (88 akutnih i 62 kronična ispitanika). U početku su svi ispitanici ispunjavali slijedeće upitnike: upitnik kvalitete života -SWES, upitnik osobnog zadovoljstva životom-PWI-A, upitnik suočavanja sa stresom -COPE, Beckov inventar depresivnsoti -BDI, ljestvica za mjerenje anskioznosti kao trenutnog stanja i kao crte ličnosti -STAI, skalu percepcije stresa - PSS, Eysenckov upitnik ličnosti -EPQ i opći upitnik - dob, spol, obrazovanje, zapošljavanje, bračni i roditeljski status. Nakon šest tjedana svi sudionici su ponovno testirani s 2 upitnika: kvaliteta života i skala osobnog zadovoljstva. Dobiveni rezultati ukazuju da su ispitanici s akutnom urtikarijom zadovoljniji životom od bolesnika s kroničnom urtikarijom nakon 6 tjedana. Ispitanici s akutnom urtikarijom više koriste emocijama usmjereno suočavanje, pozitivnu reinterpretaciju i rast ličnosti, potiskivanje drugih aktivnosti od ispitanika s kroničnom urtikarijom, te traže socijalnu podršku iz emocionalnih i instrumentalnih razloga u većoj mjeri od ispitanika s kroničnom urtikarijom. Ispitanici s kroničnom urtikarijom u manjoj mjeri koriste ventiliranje emocija i mentalni dezangažman od ispitanika s akutnom urtikarijom. Veći neuroticizam kod ispitanika s akutnom urtikarijom rezultira češćim korištenjem problemu i emocijama usmjerenog suočavanja, te izbjegavanja. Viši nivo anksioznosti kao stanja u ispitanika s akutnom urtikarijom dovodi do korištenja emocijama usmjerenog suočavanja i izbjegavanja. Veći neuroticizam kod ispitanika s kroničnom urtikarijom rezultira češćim korištenjem izbjegavanja. Viši nivo anksioznosti kao stanja i crte ličnosti u ispitanika s kroničnom urtikarijom dovodi do češćeg korištenja izbjegavanja. Viša razina neuroticizma i anksioznosti (kao crte ličnosti i kao stanja) kod pacijenata s akutnom i kroničnom urtikarijom, rezultira depresivnošću, dovodi do veće percepcije stresa i češćeg korištenje izbjegavanja. Na osnovu dobivenih rezultata treba istaći potrebu intredisciplinarnog pristupa u liječenju urtikarije, koji bi uključivao i aktivnu ulogu psihijatra u liječenju iste, a u cilju redukcije kronifikacije smetnji kako bi se poboljšala kvaliteta života ovih pacijenata te pomoglo bolesnicima u razvijanju adekvatnih strategija suočavanja koje bi im omogućile bolje nošenje sa bolešću.Skin occupies a special place in psychiatry because it express different emotions such as anger, fear, shame, and others. The skin plays an important role in the socialization process that begins in childhood and continues to adulthood. The link between the skin and the brain is also reflected in their common ectodermal origin, and common hormonal and neurotransmitter systems. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences between acute and chronic urticaria subjects in satisfaction with life, coping strategies, personality traits, anxiety, depression and perception of stress One hundred and fifty (150) subjects with urticaria were divided into 2 groups after 6 weeks of standardized dermatology treatment (88 acute and 62 chronic urticaria subjects). At baseline, all subjects answered the following questionnaires: Satisfaction with Life Scale-SWLS, Personal Wellbeing Index-PWI-A, The Multidimensional Coping Inventory – COPE, Beck Depression inventory-BDI, State trait Anxiety Inventory -STAI, Perception of stress scale-PSS, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire - EPQ and General questionnaire - age, gender, education, employment, marital and parental status. After six weeks all the participants were re-tested with 2 questionnaires: Satisfaction with life scale and Personal wellbeing index. Subjects with acute urticaria are more satisfied with their lives than patients with chronic urticaria after 6 weeks. Participants with acute urticaria largely used emotion-focused coping, positive reinterpretation and growth, supression of competing activities than patients with chronic urticaria. Subjects with acute urticaria seek social support for emotional issues and for the instrumental reason to a greater degree than patients with chronic urticaria. Subjects with chronic urticaria use venting of emotions and mental disengagement to a lesser degree than subjects with acute urticaria. The higher neuroticism in subjects with acute urticaria is, the greater is using problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping and avoidance. A higher level of anxiety as a state in participants with acute urticaria leads to use of emotion-focused coping and avoidance. The higher neuroticism in subjects with chronic urticaria results in frequent use of avoidance. A higher level of anxiety as a state and personality trait in participants with chronic urticaria leads to more frequent use of avoidance. Higher levels of neuroticism and anxiety (as a personality trait and as a condition) in patients with acute and chronic urticaria, results in higher depression, greater perception of stress and frequent use of avoidance. Based on the obtained results, there is a need for interdisciplinary approach in the treatment of urticaria, which would include the active role of the psychiatrist in the treatment, with the aim of reduction of chronification of the disorder in order to improve the quality of life of those patients, and also to help patients to develop appropriate coping strategies that would enable them to better cope with the disease

The role of psychosocial factors in development of urticaria : doctoral thesis

Koža zauzima specijalno mjesto u psihijatriji obzirom da se putem nje iskazuju različite emocije kao što su ljutnja, strah, sram i druge. Koža igra važnu ulogu i u procesu socijalizacije koji počinje u djetinjstvu i nastavlja se do odrasle dobi. Povezanost kože i mozga očituje se i u njihovom zajedničkom ektodermalnom podrijetlu, a određeni su i zajedničkim hormonskim i neurotransmiterskim sustavom. Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitati razlike između ispitanika s akutnom i kroničnom urtikarijom u zadovoljstvu životom, strategijama suočavanja, crtama ličnosti, anksioznosti, depresiji i percipiranom stresu. Ispitano je sto pedeset (150) ispitanika koji boluju od urtikarije a koji su podijeljeni u 2 skupine nakon 6 tjedana standardiziranog dermatološkog liječenja (88 akutnih i 62 kronična ispitanika). U početku su svi ispitanici ispunjavali slijedeće upitnike: upitnik kvalitete života -SWES, upitnik osobnog zadovoljstva životom-PWI-A, upitnik suočavanja sa stresom -COPE, Beckov inventar depresivnsoti -BDI, ljestvica za mjerenje anskioznosti kao trenutnog stanja i kao crte ličnosti -STAI, skalu percepcije stresa - PSS, Eysenckov upitnik ličnosti -EPQ i opći upitnik - dob, spol, obrazovanje, zapošljavanje, bračni i roditeljski status. Nakon šest tjedana svi sudionici su ponovno testirani s 2 upitnika: kvaliteta života i skala osobnog zadovoljstva. Dobiveni rezultati ukazuju da su ispitanici s akutnom urtikarijom zadovoljniji životom od bolesnika s kroničnom urtikarijom nakon 6 tjedana. Ispitanici s akutnom urtikarijom više koriste emocijama usmjereno suočavanje, pozitivnu reinterpretaciju i rast ličnosti, potiskivanje drugih aktivnosti od ispitanika s kroničnom urtikarijom, te traže socijalnu podršku iz emocionalnih i instrumentalnih razloga u većoj mjeri od ispitanika s kroničnom urtikarijom. Ispitanici s kroničnom urtikarijom u manjoj mjeri koriste ventiliranje emocija i mentalni dezangažman od ispitanika s akutnom urtikarijom. Veći neuroticizam kod ispitanika s akutnom urtikarijom rezultira češćim korištenjem problemu i emocijama usmjerenog suočavanja, te izbjegavanja. Viši nivo anksioznosti kao stanja u ispitanika s akutnom urtikarijom dovodi do korištenja emocijama usmjerenog suočavanja i izbjegavanja. Veći neuroticizam kod ispitanika s kroničnom urtikarijom rezultira češćim korištenjem izbjegavanja. Viši nivo anksioznosti kao stanja i crte ličnosti u ispitanika s kroničnom urtikarijom dovodi do češćeg korištenja izbjegavanja. Viša razina neuroticizma i anksioznosti (kao crte ličnosti i kao stanja) kod pacijenata s akutnom i kroničnom urtikarijom, rezultira depresivnošću, dovodi do veće percepcije stresa i češćeg korištenje izbjegavanja. Na osnovu dobivenih rezultata treba istaći potrebu intredisciplinarnog pristupa u liječenju urtikarije, koji bi uključivao i aktivnu ulogu psihijatra u liječenju iste, a u cilju redukcije kronifikacije smetnji kako bi se poboljšala kvaliteta života ovih pacijenata te pomoglo bolesnicima u razvijanju adekvatnih strategija suočavanja koje bi im omogućile bolje nošenje sa bolešću.Skin occupies a special place in psychiatry because it express different emotions such as anger, fear, shame, and others. The skin plays an important role in the socialization process that begins in childhood and continues to adulthood. The link between the skin and the brain is also reflected in their common ectodermal origin, and common hormonal and neurotransmitter systems. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences between acute and chronic urticaria subjects in satisfaction with life, coping strategies, personality traits, anxiety, depression and perception of stress One hundred and fifty (150) subjects with urticaria were divided into 2 groups after 6 weeks of standardized dermatology treatment (88 acute and 62 chronic urticaria subjects). At baseline, all subjects answered the following questionnaires: Satisfaction with Life Scale-SWLS, Personal Wellbeing Index-PWI-A, The Multidimensional Coping Inventory – COPE, Beck Depression inventory-BDI, State trait Anxiety Inventory -STAI, Perception of stress scale-PSS, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire - EPQ and General questionnaire - age, gender, education, employment, marital and parental status. After six weeks all the participants were re-tested with 2 questionnaires: Satisfaction with life scale and Personal wellbeing index. Subjects with acute urticaria are more satisfied with their lives than patients with chronic urticaria after 6 weeks. Participants with acute urticaria largely used emotion-focused coping, positive reinterpretation and growth, supression of competing activities than patients with chronic urticaria. Subjects with acute urticaria seek social support for emotional issues and for the instrumental reason to a greater degree than patients with chronic urticaria. Subjects with chronic urticaria use venting of emotions and mental disengagement to a lesser degree than subjects with acute urticaria. The higher neuroticism in subjects with acute urticaria is, the greater is using problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping and avoidance. A higher level of anxiety as a state in participants with acute urticaria leads to use of emotion-focused coping and avoidance. The higher neuroticism in subjects with chronic urticaria results in frequent use of avoidance. A higher level of anxiety as a state and personality trait in participants with chronic urticaria leads to more frequent use of avoidance. Higher levels of neuroticism and anxiety (as a personality trait and as a condition) in patients with acute and chronic urticaria, results in higher depression, greater perception of stress and frequent use of avoidance. Based on the obtained results, there is a need for interdisciplinary approach in the treatment of urticaria, which would include the active role of the psychiatrist in the treatment, with the aim of reduction of chronification of the disorder in order to improve the quality of life of those patients, and also to help patients to develop appropriate coping strategies that would enable them to better cope with the disease

Intensive psychiatric care – psychiatric emergencies

Intenzivna psihijatrijska skrb jest vrsta psihijatrijskog liječenja bolesnika koja se provodi na zatvorenom psihijatrijskom odjelu i po mogućnosti u jedinici intenzivnog liječenja, a sadržaji su joj dijagnostika, liječenje i opservacija hitnih stanja, odnosno bolesnika u psihijatriji. Uključuje sveobuhvatnu razinu skrbi, 24-satnu opservaciju te mogućnost fizičkog sputavanja i odvajanja bolesnika u slučaju gubitka kapaciteta za samokontrolu. Najčešća hitna stanja koja zahtijevaju intenzivnu psihijatrijsku skrb jesu suicidalnost, auto i hetero agresivnost i krizna stanja. Pregled bolesnika uključuje anamnezu, heteroanamnezu, opis psihijatrijskog statusa, opći somatski i neurološki pregled, laboratorijske pretrage, a ponekad CT i MRI mozga. U liječenju hitnog psihijatrijskog bolesnika upotrebljavaju se psihofarmakoterapija, psihoterapija (kratka, individualna dinamski orijentirana, ventilacija, debriefing, suportivna psihoterapija i obiteljska), te ponekad fizičko sputavanje i odvajanje bolesnika u izolacijsku prostoriju zbog moguće opasnosti za sebe i/ili okolinu. Članovi medicinskog tima su psihijatri te medicinske sestre i tehničari koji su stručno i posebno educirani u kliničkoj hitnoj psihijatriji i koji će odmah po prijamu bolesnika odrediti prioritete postupaka, dijagnostike i liječenja. Vrijeme provedeno u jedinici za intenzivnu psihijatrijsku skrb različito je, ali najčešće je od 2 do 6 dana. Po smirivanju akutne kliničke slike koja je i bila razlogom prijama u takvu jedinicu, bolesnika se premješta na odgovarajući psihijatrijski odjel sukladno njegovom općem psihofizičkom stanju i psihijatrijskoj dijagnozi. Iako se općenito misli da su postupci intenzivne psihijatrijske skrbi ponekad naglašeno specifični ili izvan okvira kompetencija osoblja koje radi u tim jedinicama, one su nužne i medicinski opravdane.Intensive psychiatric care is a type of psychiatric treatment of patients conducted in a closed psychiatric ward, and engages the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric emergencies. Includes a comprehensive level of care, 24-hour observation, and the possibility of physical restraint and isolation of patients in the event of loss of capacity for self-control. Psychiatric disorders treated in such departments are deteriorating mental state within the various mental disorders. The most common emergencies that require intensive psychiatric care are suicide, auto and hetero aggressiveness and states of crisis. Examination of the patient includes medical history, heteroanamnesis, description of psychiatric status, general and neurological examination, laboratory tests, and sometimes CT and MRI of the brain. In order to take care of urgent psychiatric patients in use is pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy (brief, individual dynamically oriented, ventilation, debriefing, supportive and family psychotherapy), and sometimes physical restraint and isolation of patients in isolation room because of possible danger to himself and / or the environment. The principal members of the medical team are psychiatrists, nurses and technicians who are highly qualified and trained in clinical psychiatry emergency and will immediately determine procedure, diagnosis and treatment of the patient. Time spent in psychiatric intensive care unit varies, but is usually from 2-6 days. By calming the acute clinical picture which is the reason for admission to such department, the patient is transferred to other psychiatric wards in accordance with its general mental and physical condition and psychiatric diagnosis. Although it is generally thought that the procedures for intensive psychiatric care is sometimes too hard or beyond the competence of personnel working in such departments, they are medically necessary and justified

Satisfaction with life and coping skills in the acute and chronic urticaria

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in satisfaction with life and coping strategies between patients with acute and chronic urticaria. Sixty patients with urticaria were divided into 2 groups after 6 weeks of standardized dermatology treatment (33 patients with acute and 27 patients with chronic urticaria). At baseline, all patients answered the following questionnaires: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI-A), The Multidimensional Coping Inventory (COPE) and General questionnaire (age, gender, education, employment, marital status). After six weeks all the participants were re-tested with 2 questionnaires: SWLS and PWI-A. Results: Six weeks after the initial testing there was a statistically significant difference in satisfaction with life between patients with acute and chronic urticaria. Patients with acute urticaria were more satisfied with their lives than patients with chronic urticaria. Also, there was a statistically significant difference in the use of emotion-focused coping, seeking social support for emotional reasons and seeking social support for instrumental reasons. Patients with acute urticaria used emotion-focused coping and sought social support for emotional and instrumental reasons to a greater degree than patients with chronic urticaria. Patients with acute urticaria were more satisfied with their lives than patients with chronic urticaria. Patients with acute urticaria used emotion-focused coping and sought social support for emotional and instrumental reasons to a greater degree than patients with chronic urticaria

Influence of Personality Traits on Sexual Functioning of Patients Suffering from Schizophrenia or Depression

Aim of this research was to establish effects and influence of personality traits on sexual functioning of schizophrenic and depressive patients, compared to healthy individuals. 300 participants were included in this research. For patients suffering from schizophrenia it was established that the more they are open to experience and the less they are neurotic their sexual drive is stronger. For patients suffering from depression it was established that the more they are open to experience and conscientious and the less they are agreeable their sexual drive is stronger. Furthermore, higher openness is a significant predictor for easier sexual arousal and the more those patients are conscientious and the less they are agreeable easier is for them to achieve orgasms. Personality traits proved to be significant predictors of sexual functioning in schizophrenic and depressive patients, but not in healthy individuals