Clinical decision-making before discharge in hospitalized persons with schizophrenia: a Spanish Delphi expert consensus.

Introduction: The care of people with schizophrenia (PWS) is usually provided in an outpatient setting by community mental health teams. However, PWS frequently require inpatient treatment because of a wide array of clinical, personal and/or social situations. Unfortunately, to our knowledge, there are no guidelines available to help psychiatrists in the decision-making process on hospital discharge for PWS.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute inpatient psychiatric units in Spain.

Patients with more severe mental health symptoms are treated in acute inpatient psychiatric units (AIPUs), but the functioning of these units throughout Spain has been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. We therefore conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study to assess the situation. An online survey was distributed to all hospitals with AIPUs in Spain and made accessible for 28 days.

Performance of a measure to assess distress in bipolar disorder.

Introduction: Bipolar disorder is a condition that causes distress even for euthymic patients, having an impact on functional capabilities and quality of life. Personal and social variables are potential sources of distress. Yet, there is a lack of measures to identify specific distress in bipolar disorder.

Understanding social withdrawal in euthymic bipolar patients: The role of stigma.

Social withdrawal acts as a risk factor in mental health, disturbing clinical management and quality of life in euthymic bipolar patients. However, no previous study has analyzed what variables might predict it. We conducted a cross-sectional study in which 49 euthymic bipolar patients were assessed.

Expert consensus on information sheet proposals for patients under treatment with lithium.

Introduction: Lithium is one of the first therapeutic options for bipolar disorder, which is characterized by recurrent mood swings that strongly reduce quality of life. Our purpose was to achieve professional consensus criteria to define the contents of an information sheet for patients with bipolar disorder that are starting treatment with lithium.

Material And Methods: A modified Delphi method in two rounds was used.

Management of asenapine treatment in clinical practice: Recommendations from a panel of experts.

Introduction: The choice of an antipsychotic should be based on bipolar disorder (BD) symptoms and the particular needs of each patient, as well as the adverse events potentially associated with treatment. Asenapine is an atypical antipsychotic indicated for the management of type-I BD, with distinct pharmacokinetic and receptor affinity profiles.

Material And Methods: Recommendations document developed by a panel of experts with extensive experience in the use of asenapine in psychiatric care, including emergency department, hospital, and outpatient care.

A Review of Asenapine in the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder.

Bipolar disorder places a significant burden on the affected individuals, their family, healthcare systems and the overall economy. More treatment options are needed, especially those with better efficacy and tolerability. Asenapine is a second-generation antipsychotic approved in Europe (brand name Sycrest) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults, and in the US (brand name Saphris) for the treatment of manic or mixed episodes of bipolar I disorder in adults and children aged 10-17 years.

Mood stabilizers and antipsychotics during breastfeeding: Focus on bipolar disorder.

Breast milk is considered the best source of nutrients and provides much better protection than immune modified milk. However, the postpartum period is a phase of increased risk for all women to experience psychiatric symptoms and recurrences or new episodes of bipolar disorder (BD), especially in those who have discontinued treatment. This is a systematic review of the risks and benefits of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics during breastfeeding as they relate to the health and well-being of mothers and their infants.

Robust and sustained effect of ketamine infusions coadministered with conventional antidepressants in a patient with refractory major depression.

Antidepressant treatments show low capacity to achieve full clinical remissions. Electroconvulsive therapy is an alternative treatment which has been shown to be more effective but it is not well tolerated and there are concerns regarding its safety. We present the case of a patient with resistant depression and modest and transient response to ECT and who showed a robust and maintained response after six i.

Suboptimal treatment adherence in bipolar disorder: impact on clinical outcomes and functioning.

Background: The primary aim of this study was to assess drug treatment adherence in patients with bipolar disorder and to identify factors associated with adherence. The secondary aim was to analyze the impact of suboptimal adherence on clinical and functional outcomes.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of outpatients receiving an oral antipsychotic drug.

A short message service (SMS)-based strategy for enhancing adherence to antipsychotic medication in schizophrenia.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a short message service (SMS)-based strategy on adherence to antipsychotic treatment.

Methods: A multicentre, randomised, open-label, controlled, 6-month study with clinically stabilised outpatients with schizophrenia was conducted. The patients assigned to the intervention received daily SMS reminders to take their medication for 3 months.

[Variables associated with disability in elderly bipolar patients on ambulatory treatment].

Introduction: Studies on adult bipolar patients have demonstrated a disability associated with the bipolar disorder, even in euthymic patients, but there is a lack of data in the elderly population.

Material And Method: A cross-sectional, multicentre study on a consecutive sample of ambulatory bipolar patients (DSM-IV-TR criteria), aged 65 years or over. Retrospective and cross-sectional sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, as well as the Clinical Global Impression for Bipolar Modified scale (CGI-BP-M) and the level of disability using the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO/DAS).

[Opinions and beliefs of the Spanish population on serious mental illnesses (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder)].

Introduction: To find out the opinions, beliefs and concerns of the Spanish population on serious mental diseases: schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Material And Methods: An ad-hoc questionnaire was constructed for the survey. A panel of seven experts extracted the contents.

Factors associated with the effectiveness of a telephone-based nursing strategy for enhancing medication adherence in schizophrenia.

A post hoc analysis was made to identify factors associated with success following a 4-month telephone-based strategy for enhancing adherence to antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia. A total of 928 stable outpatients were randomized to receive a monthly telephone call provided by a nurse or routine clinical care. Logistic regression with a backward stepwise procedure was used.

Telephone-based nursing strategy to improve adherence to antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia: A controlled trial.

Abstract Objective. Adherence to prescribed antipsychotic medication is a major factor in achieving optimal long-term clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a telephone-based strategy provided by a nurse on adherence to antipsychotic treatment among patients with schizophrenia.

Strategies for successful clinical management of schizophrenia with ziprasidone.

Importance Of The Field: This review addresses practical clinical issues related to the use of ziprasidone in the treatment of schizophrenia using information from clinical trials, unpublished data, manufacturer's information, and input from an expert faculty of European psychiatrists with extensive experience of the use of ziprasidone, both in clinical trials and in everyday clinical practice.

Areas Covered In This Review: A Medline search of published data (1998 - 2010) was carried out, together with a review of unpublished data and manufacturer's information. In addition, expert opinion was sought from psychiatrists with extensive experience of ziprasidone in the treatment of schizophrenia in clinical settings across Europe.

Unexplained liver laceration after metastasis radiofrequency ablation.

Many studies have established the role of radiofrequency (RF) ablation as a minimally invasive treatment for liver metastases. Although relatively safe, several complications have been reported with the increased use of RF ablation. We describe here a case of unexplained liver laceration after a RF procedure.