10 research outputs found
Excessive weight gain after remission of depression in a schizophrenic patient treated with risperidone: case report
BACKGROUND: The use of atypical antipsychotics in schizophrenic patients has been associated with a risk of weight gain. Similarly, recovery from depression is often followed by improved appetite, greater food intake and potential increase in weight. CASE PRESENTATION: A Caucasian 33-year-old schizophrenic female patient was being treated with 6 mg/day of risperidone and 15 mg/day of clorazepate. She developed depressive symptomatology and 40 mg/day of fluoxetine was gradually added to her treatment regimen for about 9 months. After the remission of depression, and the discontinuation of fluoxetine, she experienced an increase in appetite and subsequently excessive weight gain of 52 kg. Re-administration of fluoxetine did not reverse the situation. The patient developed diabetes mellitus, which was successfully controlled with metformin 1700 mg/day. The addition at first of orlistat 360 mg/day and later of topiramate 200 mg/day has helped her to lose a significant part of the weight gained (30 kg). CONCLUSION: The case suggests a probable association between the remission of depressive symptomatology and weight gain in a schizophrenic patient
Insomnia and its correlates in a representative sample of the Greek population
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Insomnia is a major public health concern affecting about 10% of the general population in its chronic form. Furthermore, epidemiological surveys demonstrate that poor sleep and sleep dissatisfaction are even more frequent problems (10-48%) in the community. This is the first report on the prevalence of insomnia in Greece, a southeastern European country which differs in several socio-cultural and climatic aspects from the rest of European Community members. Data obtained from a national household survey (n = 1005) were used to assess the relationship between insomnia symptoms and a variety of sociodemographic variables, life habits, and health-related factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A self-administered questionnaire with questions pertaining to general health and related issues was given to the participants. The Short Form-36 (Mental Health subscale), the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) as a measure of insomnia-related symptoms, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were also used for the assessment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of insomnia in the total sample was 25.3% (n = 254); insomnia was more frequent in women than men (30.7% vs. 19.5%) and increased with age. Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant association of insomnia with low socio-economical status and educational level, physical inactivity, existence of a chronic physical or mental disease and increased number of hospitalizations in the previous year.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study confirms most findings reported from other developed countries around the world regarding the high prevalence of insomnia problems in the general population and their association with several sociodemographic and health-related predisposing factors. These results further indicate the need for more active interventions on the part of physicians who should suspect and specifically ask about such symptoms.</p
Combination therapy with amisulpride and antidepressants: Clinical observations in case series of elderly patients with psychotic depression
Psychotic depression is classified as a clinical subtype of major
depressive disorder. The combination of an antidepressant with an
antipsychotic agent has been demonstrated to be efficacious for the
treatment of psychotic depression. However, in elderly patients with
psychotic depression, little information is available on the efficacy of
such combinations. Therefore, we have evaluated combination treatment
for 5 weeks with amisulpride and antidepressants in non-demented elderly
patients with psychotic depression. Eleven patients were treated with
either citalopram 20-40 mg/day (n = 5) or mirtazapine 30-60 mg/day (n =
6), and amisulpride 75-100 mg/day for 5 weeks. Clinical status was
evaluated at baseline and after 3 and 5 weeks using the Brief
Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17
items (HDRS) and the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-S). In 5 of
the 11 patients there was remission of depression, while in another 5
patients there was partial remission of depression and in one patient
there was no remission. Finally, there was resolution of psychotic
symptoms in all the patients involved. One patient developed tremor and
rigidity but insisted on continuing with the drug since her
psychopathology has improved considerably after the addition of
amisulpride to antidepressant treatment. In conclusion, some of the
elderly patients with psychotic depression may benefit from the
combination of amisulpride and antidepressant pharmacotherapy. (C) 2008
Published by Elsevier Inc
Amisulpride for the treatment of very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis
Background Although schizophrenia affects all age groups, late or
very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis has not been well studied
and various treatment issues remain unresolved. The objective of the
present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of amisulpride
monotherapy in a diagnostically homogeneous group of elderly patients
without cognitive impairment suffering from very-late-onset
schizophrenia.
Methods Twenty-six patients of mean age 76.2 +/- 5.8 years, fulfilling
both the recent consensus criteria for very late-onset
schizophrenia-like psychosis and the DSM-IV-TR criteria for
schizophrenia, were assessed by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the
Clinical Global Impression Scale and the Positive and Negative Syndrome
Scale at baseline and five weeks following amisulpride (50-200 mg/day)
administration; also, the presence of abnormal movements was evaluated
with the Simpson-Angus Scale, the Barnes Akathisia Scale, and the
Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale.
Results A highly significant (p < 0.001) improvement on all measures of
psychotic symptomatology was observed in all patients. Amisulpride was
very well tolerated by the patients and no clinically significant
adverse effects were observed. Scores on all abnormal movement scales
did not differ significantly prior to and after amisulpride treatment.
Conclusion Preliminary results indicate that amisulpride appears to be
an efficacious and safe atypical antipsychotic for the treatment of
very-late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis. Copyright (C) 2008 John
Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Jacksonian seizure in a manic patient treated with rTMS
This is a report of a jacksonian seizure in a non-psychotic manic
patient who was treated with right prefrontal high frequency rTMS
concomitant to pharmacotherapy
Excessive weight gain after remission of depression in a schizophrenic patient treated with risperidone: case report
Background: The use of atypical antipsychotics in schizophrenic patients
has been associated with a risk of weight gain. Similarly, recovery from
depression is often followed by improved appetite, greater food intake
and potential increase in weight.
Case presentation: A Caucasian 33-year-old schizophrenic female patient
was being treated with 6 mg/day of risperidone and 15 mg/day of
clorazepate. She developed depressive symptomatology and 40 mg/day of
fluoxetine was gradually added to her treatment regimen for about 9
months. After the remission of depression, and the discontinuation of
fluoxetine, she experienced an increase in appetite and subsequently
excessive weight gain of 52 kg. Re-administration of fluoxetine did not
reverse the situation. The patient developed diabetes mellitus, which
was successfully controlled with metformin 1700 mg/day. The addition at
first of orlistat 360 mg/day and later of topiramate 200 mg/day has
helped her to lose a significant part of the weight gained (30 kg).
Conclusion: The case suggests a probable association between the
remission of depressive symptomatology and weight gain in a
schizophrenic patient
Excessive weight gain after remission of depression in a schizophrenic patient treated with risperidone: case report
Abstract Background The use of atypical antipsychotics in schizophrenic patients has been associated with a risk of weight gain. Similarly, recovery from depression is often followed by improved appetite, greater food intake and potential increase in weight. Case presentation A Caucasian 33-year-old schizophrenic female patient was being treated with 6 mg/day of risperidone and 15 mg/day of clorazepate. She developed depressive symptomatology and 40 mg/day of fluoxetine was gradually added to her treatment regimen for about 9 months. After the remission of depression, and the discontinuation of fluoxetine, she experienced an increase in appetite and subsequently excessive weight gain of 52 kg. Re-administration of fluoxetine did not reverse the situation. The patient developed diabetes mellitus, which was successfully controlled with metformin 1700 mg/day. The addition at first of orlistat 360 mg/day and later of topiramate 200 mg/day has helped her to lose a significant part of the weight gained (30 kg). Conclusion The case suggests a probable association between the remission of depressive symptomatology and weight gain in a schizophrenic patient.</p