Prevalence of benzodiazepines use during pregnancy in Lebanon.

Pregnancy is a period of heightened risk period for many psychiatric disorders, particularly anxiety disorders. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the usage of psychotropic medications during pregnancy. Over the past decade there has been a notable increase in the use of medications during pregnancy, with benzodiazepines being the primary choice for alleviating anxiety.

The risk of eating disorders following the August 4th, 2020 explosion in Beirut and its relationship with trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms.

Introduction: To date, no study has demonstrated the link between the diagnosis of provisional PTSD and ED in people exposed to the explosion of August 4th, 2020.

Methods: Online participants were classified into 4 categories according to the degree of exposure to the explosion (unexposed, slightly exposed, moderately exposed, and severely exposed). The screening for ED was done using the standardized SCOFF questionnaire and the screening for provisional PTSD using the standardized IES-R questionnaire.

Effects of a multilayered crisis on psychiatric hospitalizations in a university hospital in Lebanon; a retrospective study.

Lebanon is struggling with a multilayered crisis following the COVID-19 breakout, the economic crisis, and the Beirut port explosion. The aim of this article is to assess the effect of these crisis on the characteristics of patients hospitalized in psychiatry. This is a retrospective study conducted at the psychiatric ward of Hotel Dieu de France in Beirut between January 2017 and march 2022.

Mania associated olfactory dysfunction: A comparison between bipolar subjects in mania and remission.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the olfactory functions of patients with bipolar disorder in manic phase and to compare them to those of bipolar subjects in remission and healthy controls.

Methods: We recruited 96 participants divided in 3 groups: bipolar mania (MB), euthymic bipolar in remission (EB) and healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent an assessment of their olfactory functions using the Sniffin' sticks threshold and identification tests.

Ensuring Care Continuity in Extreme Crises: A Participatory Action Research Approach.

The Lebanese healthcare system has been facing major challenges due to an unprecedented financial crisis, socio-political instability, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine the impact of overlapping major crises on care continuity and to propose IT-based solutions to address current challenges and build future resilience. To this end, we adopted a participatory action research approach and conducted a two-phase qualitative study - six semi-structured interviews followed by three future workshops with local stakeholders including physicians and interns practicing in Lebanon.

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physicians' Use and Perception of Telehealth: The Case of Lebanon.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced physicians to quickly adapt and find ways to provide their usual offline services by using online tools. We aimed to understand how physicians adapted to the sudden need for telehealth and if their perception of telehealth changed due to their experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study.

Early identification of women at risk of postpartum depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in a sample of Lebanese women.

Background: During the postpartum period, women are vulnerable to depression affecting about 10 to 20% of mothers during the first year after delivery. However, only 50% of women with prominent symptoms are diagnosed with postpartum depression (PPD). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is the most widely used screening instrument for PPD .

Adiponectin in eating disorders.

Purpose: To elucidate the possible role of adiponectin, an adipokine secreted by white adipose tissue that plays an important role in the neuromodulation of food intake, in the pathogenesis of eating disorders.

Methods: A comprehensive review of the available literature via MedLine is done using the term "adiponectin" in association with one of the following terms: "anorexia nervosa", "bulimia nervosa", "binge eating disorder" or "eating disorders".

Results: The majority of studies evaluating serum adiponectin levels in patients with eating disorders show that serum adiponectin levels are increased in patients with anorexia nervosa.

Potential role of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in obesity.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive technique with mild side effects. Some forms of obesity may arise from eating disorders and recent data suggest that rTMS treatment could have beneficial effects in eating disorders.

Purpose: The purpose of this comprehensive review is to hypothesize that rTMS may play a role in obesity.