MELD score and antibiotics use are predictors of length of stay in patients hospitalized with hepatic encephalopathy.

Background: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) represents a significant burden to the healthcare system. The aim of this study was to determine factors influencing the hospital length of stay among patients hospitalized with HE.

Methods: A data warehouse query was performed to identify 316 patients with a first hospitalization during which HE occurred, between April 2010 and February 2012.

An open study of aripiprazole and escitalopram for psychotic major depressive disorder.

Objective: This 7-week trial assessed the efficacy and tolerability of aripiprazole combined with escitalopram in the acute treatment of major depressive disorder, with psychotic features (MD-Psy).

Methods: Sixteen male and female patients with a Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, diagnosis of MD-Psy were recruited for this study from September 13, 2004 to August 9, 2006. Escitalopram and aripiprazole were flexibly dosed for 7 weeks, with maximum dosages of 20 and 30 mg/d, respectively.

The impact of galantamine on cognition and mood during electroconvulsive therapy: a pilot study.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to: (1) assess the effectiveness of galantamine in the prevention of cognitive impairments during ECT treatment and (2) to explore the safety and tolerability of galantamine during ECT treatment.

Methods: Nine consecutive ECT patients were given galantamine 4 mg bid throughout the course of their ECT treatments followed by a second cohort of eight consecutive ECT patients who did not receive galantamine. Objective measures of cognitive functioning and depression severity were performed pre-ECT and post-ECT.

Hopelessness as a predictor of non-response to fluoxetine in major depressive disorder.

Background: The purpose of this study was to study hopelessness as a predictor of response to fluoxetine in outpatients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

Methods: The degree of hopelessness was assessed during the baseline visit with the use of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) in 312 patients with MDD (56.1% women; 39.

The combination of duloxetine and bupropion for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder.

Our objective was to assess the effectiveness and safety of the combination of duloxetine and bupropion for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TRD). A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who had not experienced full remission of symptoms following an adequate trial of either duloxetine (n = 3) or bupropion (n = 7), and who then received the combination of these two antidepressants for TRD. Ten patients [37.