Impacts of Covid-19 on mental health service provision in the Western Cape, South Africa: The MASC study.

In the context of an already large treatment gap in South Africa, this study aimed to examine how Covid-19 and the related lockdown measures affected the availability, accessibility, quality, and continuity of mental health services in the Western Cape province in South Africa. A mixed-methods design was employed, using narrative surveys, quantitative surveys, and qualitative semi-structured interviews, with 17 public mental health providers, and secondary data from the District Health Information System. We analysed and combined the data using descriptive statistics, template analysis and methodological triangulation.

The place of non-invasive brain stimulation in the RANZCP clinical practice guidelines for mood disorders.

Clinical practice guidelines are important documents as they have the capacity to significantly influence and shape clinical practice in important areas of therapeutics. As such, they need to be developed informed by comprehensive and quality-based systematic reviews, involve consensus deliberations representative of the appropriate experts in the field and be subject to thorough critical review. A revised clinical practice guideline for the management of patients with mood disorders was recently published under the auspices of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

Prostatic Artery Embolization Allows to Maintain Full Sexual Activity in Patients Suffering from Bothersome Lower Urinary Tracts Symptoms related to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Introduction: The effect of prostate artery embolization (PAE) on male sexual function is currently the subject of debate in the literature. The main purpose of this study was to define changes in all domains of sexual activity after PAE, using the international index of erectile function score (IIEF-15).

Methods: A single-center retrospective study was conducted on 129 patients (mean age of 65.

Phase II study of tosedostat with cytarabine or decitabine in newly diagnosed older patients with acute myeloid leukaemia or high-risk MDS.

Tosedostat, an oral aminopeptidase inhibitor, has synergy with cytarabine and hypomethylating agents. We performed a Phase II trial to determine rates of complete remission (CR) and survival using tosedostat with cytarabine or decitabine in older patients with untreated acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Thirty-four patients ≥60 years old (median age 70 years; range, 60-83) were randomized to receive tosedostat (120 mg on days 1-21 or 180 mg continuously) with 5 d of either cytarabine (1 g/m2 /d) or decitabine (20 mg/m2 /d) every 35 d.

A phase I/II study of oral clofarabine plus low-dose cytarabine in previously treated acute myeloid leukaemia and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome patients at least 60 years of age.

Outcomes for older adults with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are generally poor, and new effective therapies are needed. We investigated oral clofarabine combined with low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) in patients aged 60 years and above with relapsed or refractory AML or high-risk MDS in a phase I/II trial. A 3 + 3 dose escalation of oral clofarabine was followed by a phase II expansion with the aim of obtaining a complete response (CR) rate ≥30%.

Idarubicin, cytarabine, and pravastatin as induction therapy for untreated acute myeloid leukemia and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.

Previous studies suggest that idarubicin/cytarabine(ara-C)/pravastatin (IAP) is an active salvage regimen for patients with AML. We therefore investigated this regimen in patients with newly-diagnosed AML or MDS (≥10% blasts). Patients were eligible if the anticipated treatment-related mortality (TRM) was <10%.

Outpatient bendamustine and idarubicin for upfront therapy of elderly acute myeloid leukaemia/myelodysplastic syndrome: a phase I/II study using an innovative statistical design.

Combinations of agents may improve outcomes among elderly acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients. We performed an adaptive phase I/II trial for newly-diagnosed AML or high-risk MDS patients aged ≥50 years using a Bayesian approach to determine whether 1 of 3 doses of bendamustine (45, 60, 75 mg/m(2) days 1-3), together with idarubicin (12 mg/m(2) days 1-2), might provide a complete response (CR) rate ≥40% with <30% grade 3-4 non-haematological toxicity. We treated 39 patients (34 AML; five MDS with >10% marrow blasts; median age 73 years).