Relationship between clinical outcomes measures and personal and social performance functioning in a prospective, interventional study in schizophrenia.

Objectives: To explore clinical and demographic characteristics impacting patient functioning by determining extent of overlap in factors driving change in Personal and Social Performance (PSP) and other clinical outcomes.

Methods: Post-hoc analysis from a single-arm trial of paliperidone extended release in adult patients with nonacute symptomatic schizophrenia. Psychosocial functioning measures: PSP, Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Short-Form 36 (SF-36), treatment satisfaction, sleep quality/daytime drowsiness, and Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale.

Paliperidone extended-release in patients with non-acute schizophrenia previously unsuccessfully treated with other oral antipsychotics.

Objective: This study explores relevant outcomes with flexibly dosed paliperidone extended-release (ER) in a real-world design.

Research Design And Methods: Patients were recruited from 23 countries. Adults with non-acute schizophrenia (n = 1812), previously unsuccessfully treated with other oral antipsychotics, were transitioned to paliperidone ER and prospectively treated for 6 months.

[Prevalence of dementia in a rural population].

Aim: This study was aimed at investigating the prevalence of dementia in an aging population in a rural area near Gdańsk.

Method: A total of 1000 subjects were selected randomly from the total population (n=2527) of over 60 years of age from the dwelling communes of Pruszcz Gdański, Trabki Wielkie and Pszczółki. A two-phase study consisting of a phase I screening survey using the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and a phase II diagnostic examination using the ICD-10 criteria was conducted.

[Environment and cognitive functions in a population 60 years and older].

Aim: The aim of the study was the evaluation of cognitive functions of town and village inhabitants.

Method: One thousand people who were more than 60 years old were randomized from the list of inhabitants of Pruszcz Gdański city and another thousand from the communes: Pruszcz Gdański, Tratbki Wielkie i Pszczółki. The cognitive functions were assessed according to the MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination) which were next calculated according to an algorithm proposed by Mungas et al.

[Preliminary assessment of ginkgo biloba (Ginkofar) in patients with dementia].

Aim: This preliminary open-label study was undertaken to assess the efficacy and tolerability of ginkgo biloba (Ginkofar) (manufactured by Biofarm Poznań) during a 6-month period in Alzheimer type dementia, vascular and mix dementia.

Method: Patients were required to have at entry a diagnosis of dementia Alzheimer type or vascular according to ICD-10 criteria. The presence of both types of dementia was classified as mix dementia.

[Assessment of early traumatic life events influence on intensity and frequency of symptoms in patients aged 50 years and over].

Aim: Assessment of early traumatic life events influence on psychological symptoms of depressive syndromes.

Method: 88 patients with diagnosis of depression were included. The inventory of psychopathological symptoms--AMDP and depression rating scales--MADRS, GDS were applied.

Olanzapine in the treatment of agitation in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective and schizofreniform disorders.

Background: Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic with proven therapeutic effect, though it is rarely used in agitated patients. This study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of a 20-mg initial dose of olanzapine to control agitation of hospitalized patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective and schizofreniform disorders.

Material/methods: A group of 95 patients aged 18-65 years was observed for 7 days.

[Geriatric Depression Scale as auxiliary diagnostic tool used in patients 55 years and older].

The purpose of this study was to examine the Geriatric Depression Scale translated into Polish for its sensitivity and specificity in relation to obligatory criterions ICD-10. 208 at random select patients from Psychiatry Department and Psychiatry Clinic were included into study. Diagnosis was based on ICD 10 criteria.

[The cognitive deficits in the late-life depression and their prognostic value for pharmacotherapy].

The cognitive deficits in the late-life depression are considered as risk factor for presentation of dementia in the long-term prognosis. In this research we were looking for correlations between the cognitive deficits and depression, their influence for the short-term prognosis and the activity of daily living in the elderly. 90 patients with depression (ICD-10 criteria were used) were assessed with scales: MADRS, MMSE, ADAS, IADL.

[Efficacy of selected antidepressants in senile depressive disorders--the author's own research].

Apart from dementia, depressive disorders are the commonest psychiatric disorders of elderly people. The treatment of these patients encounters numerous limitations due to their susceptibility to undesirable effects. Therefore, new better drugs are being searched for, which would be as effective as tricyclic (TLPD) antidepressants.

[The loss of close person and the cognitive functions of persons with Alzheimer type dementia].

Aim: The aim of the present investigations was qualification of influence of loss of near and dear persons on cognitive functions in persons with Alzheimer's disease.

Method: The initial population consisted of all the people who in the period from 1/02 to 30/10/2000 were treated at one of the following psychiatric treatment institutions: psychiatric ward of the hospital, psychiatric regional outpatient clinic, psychiatric department. The qualifying criteria were:--patient's consent to the examinations;--possibility of obtaining an objective interview;--no psychic diseases in the interview;--recognition of dementia syndrome on the basis of DSM IV criteria.