A five-year follow-up study of antioxidants, oxidative stress and polyunsaturated fatty acids in schizophrenia.

Objective: Oxidative stress and dysregulated antioxidant defence may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In the present study, we investigated changes in antioxidants and oxidative stress from an acute to a later stable phase. We hypothesised that the levels of oxidative markers are increased in schizophrenia compared with healthy controls; change from the acute to the stable phase; and are associated with the levels of membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and symptom severity.

Using motivational techniques to reduce cardiometabolic risk factors in long term psychiatric inpatients: a naturalistic interventional study.

Background: People with severe mental illness have markedly reduced life expectancy; cardiometabolic disease is a major cause. Psychiatric hospital inpatients have elevated levels of cardiometabolic risk factors and are to a high degree dependent of the routines and facilities of the institutions. Studies of lifestyle interventions to reduce cardiometabolic risk in psychiatric inpatients are few.

Cardiometabolic risk factors, physical activity and psychiatric status in patients in long-term psychiatric inpatient departments.

Purpose: Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause for the markedly reduced life expectancy in people with severe mental illness (SMI). Hospital departments should provide adequate prevention of cardiometabolic risk by optimizing prevention and treatment. Characteristics of cardiometabolic risk factors in inpatients are still not well known.

Lipid profiles in schizophrenia associated with clinical traits: a five year follow-up study.

Background: Alterations in serum and membrane lipids may be involved in schizophrenia pathophysiology. It is not known whether lipid profiles are associated with disease severity or current symptom level.

Methods: Clinical and lipid data were gathered from 55 patients with schizophrenia admitted to psychiatric emergency wards in an acute stage of the disease (T1).

[Combination treatment of depression].

Severe depression is a common diagnosis and a number of studies have demonstrated the superiority of antidepressants to placebos. More than half of the patients remain depressed despite initial treatment. If reasons like incorrect diagnosis and non-optimal choice of drug or doses are excluded, combination therapy may be considered.

Bimodal distribution of polyunsaturated fatty acids in schizophrenia suggests two endophenotypes of the disorder.

Background: There is conflicting evidence of whether polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in red blood cells are bimodally distributed in schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to examine the distribution of PUFA, as well as its links to plausible causal factors.

Methods: A 16-week cohort study and a case-control study as part of a randomized controlled trial.

[Treatment of bipolar disorder during pregnancy and in the postpartum period].

Background: Pharmacological treatment and prophylaxis of bipolar disorders during pregnancy and in the postpartum period imply complicated clinical assessments.

Material And Method: This article is based on a non-systematic search in PubMed and the authors' clinical experience.

Results: If a woman is already using a prophylactic drug at the time of pregnancy, she can in general continue to do so during pregnancy, with the exception of valproate.

[Follow-up of patients that use lithium].

Lithium has been among the most important pharmacological treatments of psychiatric disease for more than 50 years. The main indication is treatment and prophylaxis of bipolar disease. Lithium is also used in the treatment of schizophrenia conditions with affective symptoms.