Oxidative stress induced by chlorpromazine in patients treated and acutely poisoned with the drug.

Background/aim: Although chlorpromazine (CPZ) is an antipsychotic drug widely used in clinical practice for a long time, its mechanism of action has not been entirely defined. An extremely difficult managing of patients acutely poisoned with CPZ is additional reason for detailed studying its toxicity mechanisms. In this clinical study, we investigated whether the oxidative stress (OS) mediates CPZ toxic effects in the exposed patients.

Re-evaluating disability assessment in war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Background/aim: Sametimes war veterans may resort to such strategies as preducing exaggerated symptoms and malingerating in order to obtain material compensation rights. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the basis of which war veterans were entitled to a financial compensation due to their disability.

Methods: The diagnoses of 259 war veterans were re-evaluated.

A series of drawings of a patient with schizophrenia-like psychosis associated with epilepsy: captured illustration of multifaced self- expression.

Introduction: Drawings may give an insight into the complex mental process, however they have been underutilized in patients with psychosis associated with epilepsy.

Case Report: A 33-year-old, right handed female, diagnosed with schizophrenia-like psychosis associated with epilepsy, was treated in the Day Unit due to psychosocial rehabilitation. Besides other treatments, the patient underwent group analysis of drawings once a week.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and art group therapy: Self-expression of traumatic inner world of war veterans.

Background/aim: Art therapy and drawings may serve as alternative means of expression and release from trauma among veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods: The retrospective clinical study of drawings of war veterans was performed. A total of 89 war veterans met the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) PTSD criteria and were consecutively admitted to the Day Hospital during 5 years.

Bridging psychological barriers between the child and the father after his returning from the war: Could group art therapy help?

Introduction: War veterans with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have poorer family and parenting functioning, but little research has focused on these impairments.

Case Report: This paper presented how the series of drawings and the group art therapy process enhanced bridging the psychological barriers of a 33-year-old male PTSD war veteran to engagement with the child. After two years of deployment he returned home and suffered mostly from PTSD numbness and avoidance symptoms.

Correlation and characteristics of self-rating and clinically rating depression among alcoholics in the course of early abstinence.

Background/aim: Depression is an alcoholism relapse risk factor, but frequently stays underdiagnosed among treated alcoholics. The correlation and characteristics of self-reported and clinically assessed depression in the course of early alcohol abstinence were explored.

Methods: A total of 100 inpatient, primary male alcoholics (20-60 years) diagnosed according to Classificaton of Mental and Behavioural Disorders (ICD-10) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) were recruited consecutively.

Group art therapy as adjunct therapy for the treatment of schizophrenic patients in day hospital.

Introduction: The schizophrenics are frequently disinterested and resistant to standard care.

Case Report: We presented clinical observations of group art therapy of two schizophrenic patients during integrative therapy in Day Hospital. We modified the original "Synallactic collective image technique" (Vassiliou G, Vassiliou V.

[Gender differences in victims of war torture: types of torture and psychological consequences].

Background/aim: Torture for political reasons is an extreme violence in interpersonal relations resulting in not only acute psychiatric disorders but also very often in very severe and far reaching negative consequences for the overall psychosocial functioning of a victim. The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in types of torture and psychological consequences in subjects who experienced war torture.

Methods: A sample (410 men and 76 women) included clients of "Centre for rehabilitation of torture victims--IAN, Belgrade" who experienced torture in prisons and concentration camps during civil wars in ex-Yugoslavia 1991-1995 and 1999.

Pain syndromes after missile-caused peripheral nerve lesions: part 2--treatment.

Objective: To analyze treatment procedures and treatment outcomes of painful missile-caused nerve injuries and factors influencing the outcome.

Methods: The study included 326 patients with clinically significant pain syndromes, including complex regional pain syndrome Type II, deafferentation pain, reinnervation pain, and neuralgic pain. Treatment modalities included drug therapy, nerve surgery, sympatholysis, and dorsal root entry zone operation.

Pain syndromes after missile-caused peripheral nerve lesions: part 1--clinical characteristics.

Objective: To report on the clinical characteristics of pain and factors influencing pain intensity in patients with missile-caused nerve injuries.

Methods: The prospective study included 326 patients with clinically significant pain syndromes including complex regional pain syndrome Type II, deafferentation pain, reinnervation pain, and neuralgic pain. Diagnostic procedures were analyzed, factors influencing the pain intensity were identified, and the patients' characteristics, pain characteristics, and other clinical symptoms and signs were compared between different types of pain syndromes.

[Possibility to predict the development of secondary depression in primary alcoholics during abstinence].

Background/aim: [corrected] The relationship between alcoholism and depression is observed in clinical trials. The factors which could predict persistence of secondary depression after alcohol withdrawal are not enough explored on admission. The differencies between depressed (DA) and non-depressed (NDA) alcoholics regarding the degrees of severity of withdrawal, severity of depression and the intensity of cognitive disfunctions were explored on admission to investigate possibility of prediction of the development of secondary depression in alcoholics.