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Psychopharmacology Mar 2024The efficacy and safety of antidepressant augmentation therapy with aripiprazole (AATA) has been established; however, the ongoing effects of continuing aripiprazole...
RATIONALE
The efficacy and safety of antidepressant augmentation therapy with aripiprazole (AATA) has been established; however, the ongoing effects of continuing aripiprazole after remission remain unclear because no studies have examined this issue.
OBJECTIVES
We aimed to explore the effect of AATA discontinuation on the major depressive disorder (MDD) recurrence risk in patients with remitted MDD after AATA.
METHODS
This 24-week, multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial evaluated recurrence risk in patients with MDD who achieved remission with AATA. Differences in MDD recurrence, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, between the two groups were compared using survival analysis. The differences in depressive symptom severity and social functioning between the two groups were compared using a mixed model with repeated measures. Extrapyramidal symptoms and akathisia were also assessed.
RESULTS
Twenty-three participants were randomized and treated. Two patients in each group experienced recurrence during the study. Kaplan-Meier analysis with Log-rank comparison showed no difference in recurrence between groups (p = 0.642). No significant difference in interactions between group and period was observed in the 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale (p = 0.492) or the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale (p = 0.638). No patients developed extrapyramidal symptoms or akathisia.
CONCLUSIONS
Definitive conclusions could not be drawn owing to the small sample size. This study represents a starting point for investigating the safety of aripiprazole discontinuation on recurrence in patients with MDD who have achieved remission with AATA. Future studies with appropriate sample sizes calculated based on this study are needed.
PubMed: 38538921
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06581-1 -
Cureus Feb 2024Meningitis is a rare but possible complication of sinusitis. We present a case of a 21-year-old woman with a history of fever, headache and nasal obstruction who...
Meningitis is a rare but possible complication of sinusitis. We present a case of a 21-year-old woman with a history of fever, headache and nasal obstruction who presented at the emergency department with psychomotor agitation. Orotracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation were given to protect airway. Blood analysis showed leukocytosis and elevated C-reactive protein. Cerebral and maxillofacial computed tomography (CT) demonstrated pansinusitis with gas foci more prominent in the left frontal sinus with an area of bone rarefaction on the posterior wall with possible communication with the cranial cavity. Lumbar puncture was performed. Empirical antibiotic and corticosteroid therapy were started. Neurosurgery (NC) and Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeons declined indication for urgent surgery and she was admitted at General ICU. On the fourth day of hospitalization, a brain magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) was performed, revealing subdural empyema and cerebritis adjacent to the frontal sinus. She was transferred to the reference neurosurgical center for surgical interventions and was admitted post-operatively at the Neurocritical Care Unit (NCCU). Reevaluation MRI showed residual anterior frontal empyema and absence of focus control in peri-nasal sinusitis, requiring a new ENT surgery. A spp was isolated from the blood, from the pus collected from the sinuses, and the CSF was sterile. The patient completed 21 days of antibiotic therapy. She was extubated on the 19th day, with Broca's aphasia and right hemiparesis, and on the 23rd day transferred to the ENT Service and later to the Rehabilitation Service. We present a case of atypical central nervous system (CNS) infection by a rare agent, highlighting the importance of vigilance, focus control, and neurocritical care. In a severe and complex manifestation like this, the management typically involves medical and surgical interventions. Subdural empyema should be treated as a neurosurgical emergency due to the potential rapid deterioration in patient's neurological condition, attributed to secondary damage. In this case, brain multimodal monitoring, was very helpful in acute phase management. Neurocritical care teams should be involved early in patients with this presentation of CNS infection to provide optimal management, reducing complications and secondary brain lesions therefore improving patient outcomes.
PubMed: 38533169
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54864 -
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry Mar 2024
Topics: Humans; Antipsychotic Agents; Psychotic Disorders; Dementia; Anxiety; Psychomotor Agitation
PubMed: 38518288
DOI: 10.4088/JCP.23l15153 -
Asian Journal of Psychiatry May 2024Cariprazine is an orally active dopamine D3-preferring D3/D2 receptor and serotonin 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist, being considered as a treatment for refractory MDD.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Role of adjunctive cariprazine for treatment-resistant depression in patients with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
INTRODUCTION
Cariprazine is an orally active dopamine D3-preferring D3/D2 receptor and serotonin 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist, being considered as a treatment for refractory MDD. Therefore, we aim to perform the first meta-analysis of current literature, to collate changes in depression from baseline and assess tolerability of adjunctive cariprazine in MDD populace.
METHODS
PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.Gov, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception till 1st September 2023. RCTs of adult patients with refractory MDD under adjunctive cariprazine vs. placebo were included. Primary outcomes included improvement in MADRS, CGI-S, and HAM-D 17 scores. Secondary outcomes included treatment-emergent adverse events. The statistical analysis was performed using generic inverse variance with random-effects model. The overall risk ratios (RR) were calculated for dichotomous outcomes.
RESULTS
A total of five RCTs were analysed, enrolling 2013 participants (cariprazine: 959 participants, Placebo: 1054). Supplementation of ADT with cariprazine demonstrated a significant improvement in MADRAS, CGI-S and HAMD-17 scores from baseline (LSMD: -1.88, 95% CI [-2.94, -0.83], p=0.0005), (LSMD: -0.18, 95% CI [-0.29, -0.07], p=0.002), and (LSMD: -0.96, 95% CI [-1.70, -0.21], p=0.01) respectively. Treatment with adjunctive cariprazine therapy demonstrated significantly increased incidence of akathisia, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, restlessness, somnolence, and tremors when compared with placebo.
CONCLUSION
Our meta-analysis provides evidence supporting the efficacy of adjunctive cariprazine in patients with refractory MDD. However, it is essential to consider the safety profile of cariprazine, particularly the increased risk of adverse events. The vigilant monitoring and management of these side effects should be integrated into clinical practice to minimize discontinuation rates and optimize patient outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Depressive Disorder, Major; Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant; Piperazines; Drug Therapy, Combination; Antidepressive Agents; Outcome Assessment, Health Care
PubMed: 38513509
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2024.104005 -
Pain Physician Mar 2024The central nervous system contains steroid receptors, particularly in the hypothalamic and limbic systems. These systems are responsible for driving certain emotions in... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
The central nervous system contains steroid receptors, particularly in the hypothalamic and limbic systems. These systems are responsible for driving certain emotions in humans, especially stress, anxiety, motivation, energy levels, and mood. Thus, corticosteroids may precipitate patients to experience these emotions. Most existing studies report neuropsychiatric side effects after oral or intravenous corticosteroids rather than epidural.
OBJECTIVES
This study examines the neuropsychiatric side effects after epidural steroid injections (ESIs), with a focus on whether certain factors in patients' histories further exacerbate symptomatology.
STUDY DESIGN
Prospective observational cohort study.
SETTING
Fluoroscopy suite at an urban academic teaching hospital.
METHODS
Patients were called 24 hours and one week after their ESIs and asked if they experienced certain neuropsychiatric symptoms more than usual compared to baseline.
PATIENTS
Seventy-four patients undergoing a lumbosacral ESI (interlaminar (ILESI), caudal or transforaminal (TFESI)) were invited to take part in the study the day of his or her procedure.
INTERVENTION/MEASUREMENT
Assessed whether psychiatric history, gender, race, type of ESI, or the number of levels injected affected frequency and duration of neuropsychiatric symptoms at one day and one week after an ESI.
RESULTS
Significantly (P < 0.05) more patients with a psychiatric history experienced restlessness and irritability at day one than those without a psychiatric history. At week one, male gender (IRR 2.29, 95% CI 1.37, 3.83, P = 0.002), ILESI (IRR 7.75, 95% CI 1.03, 58.6, P = 0.047), and 2-level injections (IRR 2.14, 95% CI 1.13, 4.06, P = 0.019) were significantly associated to more total symptoms.
LIMITATIONS
Single center study, reliance on subjective responses from patients, lack of follow-up after one week post-ESI.
CONCLUSION(S)
This study demonstrates that neuropsychiatric symptoms are rare overall after an ESI, though certain factors may influence patients experiencing these symptoms. Restlessness and irritability were more likely to occur one day after an ESI in those with a psychiatric history. Those who had a 2-level injection were more likely to keep experiencing most symptoms by week one, suggesting a possible correlation between corticosteroid dose and neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Prospective Studies; Psychomotor Agitation; Anxiety; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Steroids
PubMed: 38506682
DOI: No ID Found -
CNS Drugs Apr 2024Drug-induced movement disorders (DIMDs) are associated with use of dopamine receptor blocking agents (DRBAs), including antipsychotics. The most common forms are... (Review)
Review
Drug-induced movement disorders (DIMDs) are associated with use of dopamine receptor blocking agents (DRBAs), including antipsychotics. The most common forms are drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP), dystonia, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia (TD). Although rare, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a potentially life-threatening consequence of DRBA exposure. Recommendations for anticholinergic use in patients with DIMDs were developed on the basis of a roundtable discussion with healthcare professionals with extensive expertise in DIMD management, along with a comprehensive literature review. The roundtable agreed that "extrapyramidal symptoms" is a non-specific term that encompasses a range of abnormal movements. As such, it contributes to a misconception that all DIMDs can be treated in the same way, potentially leading to the misuse and overprescribing of anticholinergics. DIMDs are neurobiologically and clinically distinct, with different treatment paradigms and varying levels of evidence for anticholinergic use. Whereas evidence indicates anticholinergics can be effective for DIP and dystonia, they are not recommended for TD, akathisia, or NMS; nor are they supported for preventing DIMDs except in individuals at high risk for acute dystonia. Anticholinergics may induce serious peripheral adverse effects (e.g., urinary retention) and central effects (e.g., impaired cognition), all of which can be highly concerning especially in older adults. Appropriate use of anticholinergics therefore requires careful consideration of the evidence for efficacy (e.g., supportive for DIP but not TD) and the risks for serious adverse events. If used, anticholinergic medications should be prescribed at the lowest effective dose and for limited periods of time. When discontinued, they should be tapered gradually.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Dystonia; Cholinergic Antagonists; Psychomotor Agitation; Movement Disorders; Tardive Dyskinesia; Antipsychotic Agents; Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome; Dystonic Disorders
PubMed: 38502289
DOI: 10.1007/s40263-024-01078-z -
Journal of Movement Disorders Mar 2024Since the release of vaccines against COVID-19, there have been reports of vaccine-related neurologic complications. This study aimed to create a descriptive systematic...
OBJECTIVES
Since the release of vaccines against COVID-19, there have been reports of vaccine-related neurologic complications. This study aimed to create a descriptive systematic review of movement disorders associated with COVID-19 vaccines.
METHODS
We described the demographics, clinical presentation, management, outcomes, and proposed patho-mechanism. A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. A standardized tool was used to assess the quality of the cases.
RESULTS
We have identified 8 articles that met our inclusion criteria consisting of 10 patients who developed movement disorders after vaccination. The majority were males (n = 8), with a median age of 64.5 years. The most common movement disorder was hemichorea. The rest presented with generalized chorea with myoclonus, cervical dystonia, and akathisia. Most cases responded with immunotherapy. The standardized tool used showed that most studies have a low risk of bias.
CONCLUSION
The reported incidence of vaccine-related movement disorders was low in occurrence based on available published cases that were found.
PubMed: 38500249
DOI: 10.14802/jmd.24001 -
An automated ICU agitation monitoring system for video streaming using deep learning classification.BMC Medical Informatics and Decision... Mar 2024To address the challenge of assessing sedation status in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), we aimed to develop a non-contact automatic classifier...
OBJECTIVE
To address the challenge of assessing sedation status in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), we aimed to develop a non-contact automatic classifier of agitation using artificial intelligence and deep learning.
METHODS
We collected the video recordings of ICU patients and cut them into 30-second (30-s) and 2-second (2-s) segments. All of the segments were annotated with the status of agitation as "Attention" and "Non-attention". After transforming the video segments into movement quantification, we constructed the models of agitation classifiers with Threshold, Random Forest, and LSTM and evaluated their performances.
RESULTS
The video recording segmentation yielded 427 30-s and 6405 2-s segments from 61 patients for model construction. The LSTM model achieved remarkable accuracy (ACC 0.92, AUC 0.91), outperforming other methods.
CONCLUSION
Our study proposes an advanced monitoring system combining LSTM and image processing to ensure mild patient sedation in ICU care. LSTM proves to be the optimal choice for accurate monitoring. Future efforts should prioritize expanding data collection and enhancing system integration for practical application.
Topics: Humans; Psychomotor Agitation; Artificial Intelligence; Deep Learning; Intensive Care Units; Critical Care
PubMed: 38500135
DOI: 10.1186/s12911-024-02479-2 -
Alzheimer's & Dementia : the Journal of... May 2024Wrist-worn actigraphy can be an objective tool to assess sleep and other behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD). We investigated the feasibility of...
BACKGROUND
Wrist-worn actigraphy can be an objective tool to assess sleep and other behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD). We investigated the feasibility of using wearable actigraphy in agitated late-stage dementia patients.
METHODS
Agitated, late-stage Alzheimer's dementia care home residents in Greater London area (n = 29; 14 females, mean age ± SD: 80.8 ± 8.2; 93.1% White) were recruited to wear an actigraphy watch for 4 weeks. Wearing time was extracted to evaluate compliance, and factors influencing compliance were explored.
RESULTS
A high watch-acceptance (96.6%) and compliance rate (88.0%) was noted. Non-compliance was not associated with age or BPSD symptomatology. However, participants with "better" cognitive function (R = 0.42, p = 0.022) and during nightshift (F= 8.075, p = 0.005) were less compliant. Female participants were also marginally less compliant (F= 3.790, p = 0.062).
DISCUSSIONS
Wrist-worn actigraphy appears acceptable and feasible in late-stage agitated dementia patients. Accommodating the needs of both the patients and their carers may further improve compliance.
Topics: Humans; Female; Actigraphy; Feasibility Studies; Male; Wrist; Aged, 80 and over; Dementia; Psychomotor Agitation; Aged; Wearable Electronic Devices; Patient Compliance; London; Sleep
PubMed: 38497216
DOI: 10.1002/alz.13772 -
Journal of Clinical PsychopharmacologyIt is still not well known whether antipsychotic monotherapy versus polypharmacy differs in terms of efficacy in the emergency department (ED) utilization, presentation... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND
It is still not well known whether antipsychotic monotherapy versus polypharmacy differs in terms of efficacy in the emergency department (ED) utilization, presentation with agitation/aggression, and rehospitalization in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) patients. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of antipsychotic monotherapy and polypharmacy for these outcomes in the real world.
METHODS/PROCEDURES
The study was conducted with electronic health records of 669 SSD patients admitted to the ED. Patients were evaluated in 4 groups according to antipsychotic use at the first admission to ED: antipsychotic noncompliance for more than 90 days, antipsychotic noncompliance for 15 to 90 days, antipsychotic monotherapy, and polypharmacy. All patients followed up for at least 1 year after index admission. The primary outcomes determined an association between antipsychotic monotherapy versus polypharmacy and all-cause psychiatric hospitalization between the groups after index admission in the SSD.
FINDINGS/RESULTS
The groups, including patients with antipsychotic noncompliance, had higher ED visits, more hospitalizations, and more admissions with agitation/aggression compared with antipsychotic monotherapy or polypharmacy. However, no differences were found between monotherapy and polypharmacy groups regarding these outcomes. In addition, there was no difference in the risk of hospitalization in monotherapy antipsychotic users compared with polypharmacy users. Patients discharged with monotherapy or polypharmacy also had similar rehospitalization rates at follow-up.
IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS
There is no positive evidence that recommending polypharmacy over antipsychotic monotherapy is superior with regard to the resulting frequency of ED visits, ED admissions with agitation/aggression, hospitalization, and rehospitalization. In this context, antipsychotic monotherapy may be preferred over polypharmacy in patients who are not resistant to treatment.
Topics: Humans; Antipsychotic Agents; Female; Male; Polypharmacy; Schizophrenia; Adult; Middle Aged; Emergency Service, Hospital; Hospitalization; Patient Readmission; Medication Adherence; Aggression; Retrospective Studies; Psychomotor Agitation
PubMed: 38489589
DOI: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000001837