Adjunctive mood stabilizer treatment for hospitalized schizophrenia patients: Asia psychotropic prescripton study (2001-2008)

Recent studies indicate relatively high international rates of adjunctive psychotropic medication, including mood stabilizers, for patients with schizophrenia. Since such treatments are little studied in Asia, we examined the frequency of mood-stabilizer use and its clinical correlates among hospitalized Asian patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2001-2008. We evaluated usage rates of mood stabilizers with antipsychotic drugs, and associated factors, for in-patients diagnosed with DSM-IV schizophrenia in 2001, 2004 and 2008 in nine Asian regions: China, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore. Overall, mood stabilizers were given to 20.4% (n=1377/6761) of hospitalized schizophrenia patients, with increased usage over time. Mood-stabilizer use was significantly and independently associated in multivariate logistic modeling with: aggressive behaviour, disorganized speech, year sampled (2008 vs. earlier), multiple hospitalizations, less negative symptoms, younger age, with regional variation (Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore>Taiwan or China). Co-prescription of adjunctive mood stabilizers with antipsychotics for hospitalized Asian schizophrenia patients increased over the past decade, and was associated with specific clinical characteristics. This practice parallels findings in other countries and illustrates ongoing tension between evidence-based practice vs. individualized, empirical treatment of psychotic disorders.published_or_final_versio

Wireless body sensor design for intra-vaginal temperature monitoring

Sensor nodes are small devices able to collect and retrieve sensorial data. The use of these sensors for medical purposes offers valuable contributions to improve patients’ healthcare, both for diagnosis and therapeutics monitoring. An important and common parameter used on healthcare diagnosis is the body temperature. It is monitored on several matters related with gynecological and obstetrics issues but, usually it is measure at the skin surface. Then, this paper proposes the design concepts of a new intra-body sensor for long-term intra-vaginal temperature collection. The embedded IEEE 802.15.4 communication module allows the integration of this sensor in wireless sensor networks for remote data access and monitoring. It is presented the sensor architecture, the construction of the corresponding testbed, and its performance evaluation. This sensor may be used on several applications, including fertile and ovulation period detection, and preterm labor prevention

Schizophrenia in Thailand: prevalence and burden of disease

Background: A previous estimate of the burden of schizophrenia in Thailand relied on epidemiological estimates from elsewhere. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence and disease burden of schizophrenia in Thailand using local data sources that recently have become available

ヴィタミン類の局所作用の硏究(第二報). Vitamin D の局所作用

10.5414/CP201505International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics496382-387ICTH

Clinical features of depression in Asia: Results of a large prospective, cross-sectional study

10.1111/appy.12104Asia-Pacific Psychiatry54259-26

QTc prolongation in schizophrenia patients in Asia: clinical correlates and trends between 2004 and 2008/2009

ObjectiveLittle is known about the pattern of QT interval (QTc) prolongation in Asian patients with schizophrenia. This study examined trends of QTc prolongation in schizophrenia inpatients in six Asian countries and territories between 2004 and 2008/2009 and its independent demographic and clinical correlates. MethodData on 3482 hospitalized schizophrenia patients (2004=1826 and 2008/2009=1656) in six Asian countries and territories were collected by either chart review or interviews during a 1-month period. Patients\u27 sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, prescriptions of psychotropic drugs, and QTc interval were recorded using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure. ResultsThe frequency of QTc prolongation (\u3e456ms) was 2.4% in the whole sample, decreasing from 3.1% in 2004 to 1.6% in 2008/2009 (p=0.004) with wide intercountry variations. However, this decreased trend was driven by decreased QTc prolongation detected in China and Hong Kong (both p-value