Different cytokine patterns associate with melancholia severity among inpatients with major depressive disorder

Background: Six melancholic features (MFs) of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D6) represent the construct of melancholia along a continuum of severity (from least to most severe: depressed mood, work and activities, somatic symptoms, psychic anxiety, guilty feelings, psychomotor retardation). We aimed to evaluate the association between these MFs and inflammatory cytokines (IC) in the blood. Methods: Each IC [interferon gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17] was associated with the HAM-D6 MFs of 139 severely depressed inpatients, using multiple linear regressions adjusted for covariates. Levels were compared with those of 100 healthy controls. Results: Depressed mood was associated with higher levels of IL-4 (β = 0.167; p = 0.041). Psychic anxiety: lower IL-17 levels (β = –0.173; p = 0.039). Guilt feelings: lower IL-2 levels (β = −0.168; p = 0.041) Psychomotor retardation: higher IL-6 levels (β = 0.195; p = 0.017). Depressed patients’ TNF-α, INF-γ, and IL-4 levels were not significantly different from controls. Depressed patients’ IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 levels were higher than those of controls (p <0.001). Conclusion: Less severe MFs (depressed mood, psychic anxiety, and guilt feelings) were associated with an anti-inflammatory pattern (higher IL-4, lower IL-17 and lower IL-2, respectively). The presence of the most severe MF, psychomotor retardation, was associated with a higher pro-inflammatory response (higher IL-6)

Two-thumb technique is superior to two- finger technique in cardiopulmonary resuscitation of simulated out-of- hospital cardiac arrest in infants

BACKGROUND: To compare the 2-finger and 2-thumb chest compression techniques on infant manikins in an out-of- hospital setting regarding efficiency of compressions, ventilation, and rescuer pain and fatigue. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a randomized crossover design, 78 medical students performed 2 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation with mouth-to- nose ventilation at a 30:2 rate on a Resusci Baby QCPR infant manikin (Laerdal, Stavanger, Norway), using a barrier device and the 2-finger and 2-thumb compression techniques. Frequency and depth of chest compressions, proper hand position, complete chest recoil at each compression, hands-off time, tidal volume, and number of ventilations were evaluated through manikin-embedded SkillReporting software. After the interventions, standard Likert questionnaires and analog scales for pain and fatigue were applied. The variables were compared by a paired t-test or Wilcoxon test as suitable. Seventy-eight students participated in the study and performed 156 complete interventions. The 2-thumb technique resulted in a greater depth of chest compressions (42 versus 39.7 mm; P<0.01), and a higher percentage of chest compressions with adequate depth (89.5% versus 77%; P<0.01). There were no differences in ventilatory parameters or hands-off time between techniques. Pain and fatigue scores were higher for the 2-finger technique (5.2 versus 1.8 and 3.8 versus 2.6, respectively; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In a simulation of out-of- hospital, single-rescuer infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the 2-thumb technique achieves better quality of chest compressions without interfering with ventilation and causes less rescuer pain and fatigue

Increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor are associated with high intrinsic religiosity among depressed inpatients

Recognition of the importance of religion and spirituality in psychiatry is increasing, and several studies have shown a predominantly inverse relationship between religiosity and depression. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a widely studied brain neurotrophin responsible for synaptic plasticity, dendritic and neuronal fiber growth, and neuronal survival. The objective of the present study was to evaluate BDNF levels across high and low intrinsic religiosity (IR) in depressed inpatients. Serum BDNF levels were evaluated from 101 depressed inpatients at hospital admission and 91 inpatients at discharge. Religiosity was assessed using a validated version of the Duke University Religion Index. High IR patients had significantly higher serum BDNF at discharge than do low IR (52.0 vs. 41.3 ng/mL, P = 0.02), with a Cohen’s d effect size difference of 0.56. High IR patients had a statistically significant increase in BDNF levels from admission to discharge (43.6 ± 22.4 vs. 53.8 ± 20.6 ng/mL, −1.950 (paired t-statistic), P = 0.05). The relationship between IR and BDNF levels (F = 6.199, P = 0.00) was controlled for the effects of depressive symptoms (β = 2.73, P = 0.00) and psychiatric treatments, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (β = 0.17, P = 0.08), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) (β = −0.23, P = 0.02), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) (β = −0.17, P = 0.10), lithium (β = 0.29, P = 0.00), anticonvulsants (β = 0.22, P = 0.03), antipsychotics (β = −0.05, P = 0.61), and electroconvulsive therapy (β = 0.00, P = 0.98). The current findings suggest a potential pathway to help understand the protective effect of religiosity in depressive disorders

The EUROHIS-QOL 8-Item Index: Comparative Psychometric Properties to Its Parent WHOQOL-BREF

AbstractObjectivesTo test the psychometric properties of the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index, a shortened version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF).MethodsThe sample consisted of 2359 subjects identified from primary care settings, with 1193 having a confirmed diagnosis of depression. Data came from six countries (Australia, Brazil, Israel, Russia, Spain, and the United States) involved in a large international study, the Longitudinal Investigation of Depression Outcomes. The structure of the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index follows that of the WHOQOL-BREF assessment. Internal consistency was measured by using Cronbach's alpha. Convergent validity was assessed by using correlations with different measures for mental health (Symptom Checklist 90), physical health (self-evaluation), and quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF and short form 36 health survey). Discriminant group validity was assessed between diagnosed depressed and nondepressed patients. Differential item functioning and unidimensionality were analyzed by using Rasch analysis. Factor structure was assessed with structural equation modeling analyses.ResultsInternal consistency was acceptable (ranged between 0.72 and 0.81 across countries), and the index discriminated well between depression (t = 6.31–20.33; P < 0.001) across all countries. Correlations between the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index and different measures—Symptom Checklist 90 (r = −0.42), physical health (r = −0.42), WHOQOL-BREF domains (r = 0.61–0.77), and short form 36 health survey (r = 0.58)—were all significant (P < 0.001). The index is unidimensional with desired item fit statistics. Two items (“daily living activities” and “enough money to meet your needs”) had residuals exceeding 4. Differential item functioning was observed with general quality of life, general health, relationships, and home items for age. A common one-factor structure with acceptable fit was identified in three out of six countries (comparative fit index = 0.85, root mean square error of approximation = 0.11).ConclusionsThe EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index showed acceptable cross-cultural performance and a satisfactory discriminant validity and would be a useful measure to include in studies to assess treatment effectiveness

El cambio de psicoterapeuta y el impacto en el estado general de los pacientes en las clínicas ambulatorias en psiquiatría

O processo de troca de psicoterapeuta durante o tratamento em psicoterapia de orientação analítica, em geral, caracteriza-se por ser prejudicial e até mesmo traumático em boa parte dos casos. Porém, trata-se da realidade assistencial em hospitais universitários, em virtude da necessidade de rodízio de atendimentos pelos médicos residentes em formação psiquiátrica durante seu treinamento em psicoterapia e de psiquiatras realizando especialização em psicoterapia. Este trabalho visa revisar este tema pouco abordado na literatura através da proposição de possíveis cenários de como a troca de terapeuta pode ser encarada pelo paciente, ilustrando com algumas vinhetas clínicas. Concluímos que o tema precisa ser expandido para avaliar o melhor encaminhamento para esse contexto clínico, institucional e socioeconômico, visto não haver consenso teórico e técnico que norteiem a abordagem mais adequada e menos traumática para o paciente.The process of changing psychotherapist during treatment in analytically oriented psychotherapy is often harmful and even traumatic in most cases. However, this is the reality of care in university hospitals, due to the need for rotation of care by medical residents in training during their qualification in psychotherapy and psychiatrists performing specialization in psychotherapy. This paper aims to review this little addressed theme in the literature by proposing possible scenarios of how the therapist change can be viewed by the patient, illustrating with some clinical vignettes. We conclude that the theme needs to be expanded to evaluate the best referral to this clinical, institutional and socioeconomic context, since there is no theoretical and technical consensus that guides the most appropriate and least traumatic approach for the patient.El proceso de cambio de terapeuta durante el tratamiento en psicoterapia de orientación analítica, en general, se caracteriza por ser perjudicial e, incluso, traumático en gran parte de los casos. Sin embargo, se trata de la realidad asistencial en hospitales universitarios, en virtud de la necesidad de rotación en la atención por parte de los residentes en formación en psicoterapia y psiquiatras que realizan especialización en psicoterapia. Este trabajo busca revisar este tema poco analizado en la literatura a través de la proposición de posibles escenarios de cómo el cambio de terapeuta puede ser tomado por el paciente, ilustrando algunos casos clínicos. Concluimos que el asunto necesita ser ampliado para evaluar cuál sería el mejor camino para este contexto clínico, institucional y socioeconómico, una vez que no hay consenso teórico y técnico que orienten hacia un abordaje más adecuado y menos traumático para el paciente

Longitudinal investigation of psychotherapy outcomes (LIPO) : description of the study protocol

Background: Despite extensive research in the field of psychotherapies, few studies have compared the primary psychotherapies of naturalistic design, which represents real-life situations. Objective: The objectives of this study were to evaluate three modalities of evidence-based psychotherapy for clinical, psychosocial, and biological outcomes and to identify the mediators and confounders of this process. Our primary hypothesis is that all psychotherapies will improve clinical and psychosocial outcomes and will increase BDNF levels. Methods: Design: longitudinal, naturalistic. Participants: One hundred twenty-six patients who underwent one of three evidence-based modalities of individual psychotherapy [psychodynamic psychotherapy (PDT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), and cognitive–behavioral psychotherapy (CBT)] were included. Measure: Primary outcomes are divided into three domains of variables: clinical (general psychiatric symptoms), biological (serum BDNF levels), and psychosocial (resilience, quality of life, coping strategies, social support, and quality of life-adjusted years of life). Confounding/mediator variables included clinical (personality traits, type of psychotherapy, number of sessions, concomitant use of pharmacological treatment, history of previous psychotherapeutic treatment, medical and psychiatric comorbidities, and psychiatric diagnosis), psychosocial (psychosocial stressors, therapeutic alliance, and defense mechanism style), and other (religiosity) factors. Procedure: The follow-up period will be baseline and 6 months and 1 year after entering the study. The study will include 42 controls for biological variables only. Sample size calculation considered a significance level of 5% and a power of 80% to detect a difference of 0.22 with a standard deviation of 0.43, assuming losses of 20–30% of patients. The comparison between the modalities of psychotherapy will be by generalized estimating equations (GEE) model, the analysis of mediators by the Hayes method, and confounders by multivariate logistic regression. Discussion: The findings of this study are intended to demonstrate the outcomes of evidence-based psychotherapies for clinical, psychosocial, and biological parameters and to understand the mediators and confounders of this process in a real-life setting for patients with severe mental illness, thus contributing to the establishment of evidence-based public health policies in the field of psychological interventions

Psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-SRPB BREF, Brazilian Portuguese version

Objective: To test the reliability and the discriminant and convergent validity of the abbreviated Brazilian Portuguese World Health Organization’s Quality of Life Instrument – Spirituality, Religion, and Personal Beliefs module (WHOQOL-SRPB BREF). Methods: In a sample of 404 individuals, we applied a general questionnaire, the WHOQOL-BREF, the long-form SRPB, the Brief Religious-Spiritual Coping Scale (RCOPE), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Priority was given to the 9-item SRPB assessment: its unidimensionality was tested through confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis of the 9-item SRPB assessment indicated an adjusted model with acceptable fit to data. In the Rasch analysis, general fit measures showed adequate performance. The 9-item SRPB assessment showed good internal consistency (alpha = 0.85), and could differentiate (discriminant validity) between religious and atheist/agnostic respondents (mean = 74.7614.1 and 56.8615.5, respectively; t = 6.37; degrees of freedom [df] = 402; p o 0.01) and between nondepressed and depressed respondents (mean = 76.5612.9 and 67.1616.5; t = 5.57; df = 190.5; p o 0.01). Correlations (convergent validity) were significant with the positive-RCOPE subscale (r = 0.58, p o 0.01) and the WHOQOL-BREF domains (Pearson coefficient ranging between 0.24 and 0.49; p o 0.01), but were in the negative direction with the negative-RCOPE subscale (r = -0.10, p o 0.05). Correlation with the long-form SRPB domain (r = 0.934) was almost perfect. Conclusion: The Brazilian Portuguese 9-item SRPB has good psychometric properties and confirmed the findings of the long-form Brazilian Portuguese version and the abbreviated English version

Airway resistance and respiratory compliance in children with acute viral bronchiolitis requiring mechanical ventilation support

Background: Acute viral bronchiolitis (AVB) is a very frequent disease that affects the lower airways of young children increasing the inspiratory and expiratory resistance in variable degree as well as reducing the pulmonary compliance. It would be desirable to know whether these variables are associated with the outcome. Objectives: To evaluate the respiratory mechanics in infants with AVB requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) support and to evaluate if respiratory mechanics predict outcomes in children with AVB supported on MV. To evaluate the respiratory mechanics in infants with AVB submitted to MV. Materials and methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in two pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) between February 2016 and March 2017. Included were infants (1 month to 1 year old) admitted with AVB and requiring MV for >48 hours. Auto-PEEP, dynamic compliance (Cdyn), static compliance (Cstat), expiratory resistance (ExRes), and inspiratory resistance (InRes) were evaluated once daily on the second and third day of MV. Results: A total of 64 infants (median age of 2.8 months and a mean weight of 4.8 ± 1.7 kg) were evaluated. A mean positive inspiratory pressure (PIP) of 31.5 ± 5.2 cmH2O, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5.5 ± 1.4 cmH2O, resulting in a mean airway pressure (MAP) of 12.5 ± 2.2 cmH2O and delta pressure of 22.5 ± 4.4 cmH2O without difference between the two hospitals. Measurements of respiratory mechanics showed high values of InRes and ExRes (median 142 [IQ25–75 106–180] cmH2O/L/s and 158 [IQ25–75 130–195.3] cmH2O/L/s, respectively), accompanied by decreased Cdyn and Cstat (0.46 ± 0.19 and 0.81 ± 0.25 mL/kg/cmH2O, respectively). None of the variables was associated with mortality, length of MV, or length of PICU stay. Conclusion: Infants with AVB requiring MV support present very high InRes and ExRes values. These findings might be the reason for the aggressive ventilatory parameters, especially PIP, required to ventilate this group of children with lower airway obstruction. Clinical significance: Monitoring respiratory mechanics could represent a useful tool to guide the ventilatory strategy to be adopted in patients with AVB

Estrangulamento acidental em crianças por fechamento automático de vidro de carro

Among the main causes of death in our country are car accidents, drowning and accidental burns. Strangulation is a potentially fatal injury and an important cause of homicide and suicide among adults and adolescents. In children, its occurrence is usually accidental. However, in recent years, several cases of accidental strangulation in children around the world have been reported. A 2-year-old male patient was strangled in a car window. The patient was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 and presented with progressive worsening of respiratory dysfunction and torpor. The patient also presented acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute pulmonary edema and shock. He was managed with protective mechanical ventilation, vasoactive drugs and antibiotic therapy. He was discharged from the intensive care unit without neurological or pulmonary sequelae. After 12 days of hospitalization, he was discharged from the hospital, and his state was very good. The incidence of automobile window strangulation is rare but of high morbidity and mortality due to the resulting choking mechanism. Fortunately, newer cars have devices that stop the automatic closing of the windows if resistance is encountered. However, considering the severity of complications strangulated patients experience, the intensive neuro-ventilatory and hemodynamic management of the pathologies involved is important to reduce morbidity and mortality, as is the need to implement new campaigns for the education of parents and caregivers of children, aiming to avoid easily preventable accidents and to optimize safety mechanisms in cars with electric windows