Exploring the harm reduction paradigm: the role of Board-Certified Psychiatric Pharmacists.

Deaths related to opioid overdoses continue to climb, and there remains a need for innovative strategies to address this ongoing crisis. Harm reduction (HR), a nonjudgmental philosophy aimed at reducing consequences associated with drug use and other potentially unsafe behavior, has emerged as a compassionate and effective approach. Harm reduction further emphasizes overdose prevention and fosters a shift in perspective that recognizes substance use disorder as a disease and not a moral failing.

Phase I Trial of GD2.CART Cells Augmented With Constitutive Interleukin-7 Receptor for Treatment of High-Grade Pediatric CNS Tumors.

Purpose: T cells modified with chimeric antigen receptors (CARTs) have demonstrated efficacy for hematologic malignancies; however, benefit for patients with CNS tumors has been limited. To enhance T cell activity against GD2+ CNS malignancies, we modified GD2-directed CART cells (GD2.CARTs) with a constitutively active interleukin (IL)-7 receptor (C7R-GD2.

Antipsychotics in child and adolescent patients with major depressive disorder: A retrospective analysis of prescribing patterns.

Introduction: Depression rates in children/adolescents in the United States have increased in the last 10 years. Fluoxetine and escitalopram are the only 2 antidepressants approved for the treatment of major depression disorder (MDD) in children/adolescents. In adults, some antipsychotics are approved for augmented treatment of MDD.

Consumer perception, knowledge, and uses of cannabidiol.

Introduction: The legalization of cannabidiol (CBD) across the United States, in varying degrees, has made CBD easily accessible to consumers for complementary and medical purposes. However, there is a paucity of scientific evidence on the benefits and risks of commercially available CBD. In the literature, 2 studies have gathered consumer perceptions and attitudes on cannabis products, specifically CBD, using survey-based questionnaires.

Comparison of inpatient psychiatric medication management in gender diverse youth with cisgender peers.

Introduction: The primary objective was to determine if gender diverse (GD) youth receive different psychotropic prescribing compared with cisgender (CG) peers with the same diagnosis. Secondary objectives include evaluation of readmission rates and the effect of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) on psychiatric outcomes in transgender (TG) patients.

Methods: A total of 255 GD youth patients were retrospectively matched to CG controls based on age, primary discharge diagnosis, and year of admission.

Fulminant Anti-Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein-Associated Cerebral Cortical Encephalitis: Case Series of a Severe Pediatric Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease Phenotype.

Background: We describe a cohort of children with severe myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-IgG-associated cerebral cortical encephalitis (CCE), manifesting with bilateral cortical cytotoxic edema and critical neurological illness.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our pediatric MOG antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) database and identified patients with specific radiographic pattern of bilateral, multifocal cortical cytotoxic lesions. We collected demographic, clinical, and outcomes data from these patients and compared select variables with radiographically distinct cerebral MOGAD syndromes (case-control analysis).

Pediatric Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) is a demyelinating disease with a high relapse rate and risk of disability accrual. The condition is an astrocytopathy, with antibodies to the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channel being detected in AQP4-IgG seropositive disease. Presentation is uncommon in the pediatric age range, accounting for about 3%-5% of cases.

Initiation of Antipsychotic Treatment for Amphetamine Induced Psychosis and Its Impact on Length of Stay.

A risk of amphetamine use is amphetamine-induced psychosis (AIP). Symptoms of AIP include hallucinations, delusions, and agitation. While AIP may resolve with abstinence from amphetamines, antipsychotics are commonly used despite not being FDA approved.

Implementation and Outcomes of COVID-19 Vaccinations at a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital.

Increasing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination rates has been identified by the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention as critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 10, 2021, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2; Pfizer, Inc, New York, New York, and BioNTech SE, Mainz, Germany) was approved for emergency use authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration for patients 12 years of age or older. Here we report a retrospective study describing the implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination program at our child and adolescent psychiatric hospital.

Assessing pharmacy students' knowledge and perceptions of urine drug testing following a pharmacy skills laboratory.

Introduction: Urine drug tests (UDTs) are commonly used in the healthcare setting to monitor adherence, abuse, and diversion of controlled substances. The goal of our study was to assess the knowledge and perceptions of third-year pharmacy students on UDTs following an educational experience.

Methods: Third-year pharmacy students completed pre- and post-questionnaires following a skills laboratory focused on the use of UDTs in clinical settings.

A nationwide survey of pharmacy students' knowledge and perceptions regarding medical cannabis.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to compare knowledge and perceptions of medical cannabis (MC) between pharmacy students who attended schools where MC was legal and illegal.

Design: A nationwide anonymous survey regarding MC was distributed to pharmacy students. The survey consisted of the following sections: (1) demographics and personal factors, (2) knowledge assessment of indications and adverse effects of MC, and (3) perceptions assessment.

Determination of combination therapy prescribing patterns for the treatment of acute agitation in psychiatric patients: A regression model of patient diagnoses and demographics.

Introduction: Guidelines for the treatment of acute agitation typically recommend monotherapy with an antipsychotic or a benzodiazepine, but combination therapy is frequently used in practice. We created a regression model to identify which factors lead to the prescribing of combination therapy for acute agitation on a psychiatry unit.

Methods: We collected retrospective data from hospitalized patients in the psychiatry unit.

Medical Students' Perceptions on the Role of Pharmacists.

Background:: Over the last decade, the pharmacists' role in health-care services has evolved and expanded to include more direct patient care and disease management services.

Objective:: To evaluate medical students' perceptions on pharmacists, their role in health care, and demographic or experiential factors that influenced the medical students' opinions.

Methods:: Medical students, at a Midwest, academic medical center, were solicited to complete a cross-sectional, web-based survey consisting of 3 domains: basic demographics, knowledge of the pharmacy profession, and opinions of pharmacists.

Middle Cerebral Artery Stroke as Amusement Park Injury: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Strokes as amusement park injuries are rare, but have been reported in the literature. Only about 20 cases of cerebrovascular accidents after amusement park visits have been described. We report a healthy 12-year-old boy who presented with facial droop, slurred speech, and inability to use his right arm after riding roller coasters at a local amusement park.

Clinical Interpretation of Urine Drug Tests: What Clinicians Need to Know About Urine Drug Screens.

Urine drug testing is frequently used in clinical, employment, educational, and legal settings and misinterpretation of test results can result in significant adverse consequences for the individual who is being tested. Advances in drug testing technology combined with a rise in the number of novel misused substances present challenges to clinicians to appropriately interpret urine drug test results. Authors searched PubMed and Google Scholar to identify published literature written in English between 1946 and 2016, using urine drug test, screen, false-positive, false-negative, abuse, and individual drugs of abuse as key words.

Psychotropic medication use in hospitalized patients with borderline personality disorder.

Introduction: Use of medications to treat symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD) is controversial. The purpose of this study was to describe psychotropic medication use in hospitalized patients with BPD and compare with a control group.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on hospitalized patients aged 18-65 years having a diagnosis of BPD and compared them with a control group of patients with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) without a personality disorder.

Pharmacy Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Medical Marijuana.

Objective: To determine pharmacy students' knowledge of and attitudes toward medical marijuana and to determine if pharmacy students need additional education on the topic.

Methods: Pharmacy students were asked to complete a survey on medical marijuana that assessed their knowledge of, medical uses of, adverse effects with, and attitudes toward medical marijuana through 23 Likert-scale questions.

Results: Three hundred eleven students completed the survey.

Pediatric Surfer's Myelopathy.

Background: We present the case of the youngest known patient diagnosed with surfer's myelopathy. Surfer's myelopathy is a rare nontraumatic myelopathy. The most likely etiology, presumably, is arterial insufficiency related to spine hyperextension.

Angiocentric glioma with high proliferative index: case report and review of the literature.

With less than 50 cases previously reported in literature, angiocentric glioma (AG) is an uncommon, slow-growing tumor of the CNS that typically exhibits a low proliferative rate and is generally surgically curable. We report the case of a 3-year-old child who presented with seizures and was found to have a non-enhancing parietal lobe lesion with overlying calvarial remodeling. Following complete resection of the tumor, histopathological examination revealed bipolar spindle cells centered on cortical blood vessels, forming pseudorosettes with an ependymomatous appearance.

Pituitary duplication with nasopharyngeal teratoma and cleft palate.

Pituitary gland duplication is a rare malformation of unknown cause that is often associated with a nasopharyngeal teratoma, among other secondary malformations. This clinical report describes a case of pituitary gland duplication with a nasopharyngeal teratoma, cleft palate, and hypothalamic hamartoma, as well as the surgical management of this patient. This case also raises the question of whether the nasopharyngeal teratoma is the cause of the pituitary duplication above and the cleft palate below or whether it is a result of the primary duplication of the notochordal process.

Quality of monitoring for metabolic effects associated with second generation antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia on public insurance.

Second generation antipsychotics (SGA) are associated with new onset diabetes, dyslipidemia and significant weight gain. Patients with schizophrenia are also at an increase risk of developing metabolic disorders, making routine metabolic monitoring important in patients with schizophrenia. The objective of our study was to identify glucose and lipid monitoring rates in Kansas Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia who received long-term SGA therapy both before and after metabolic concerns of SGA had been introduced in the medical literature and after publication of metabolic monitoring guidelines from professional organizations in 2004.

Decompression of Chiari malformation with and without duraplasty: morbidity versus recurrence.

Object: The optimal surgical management of Chiari malformation (CM) is evolving. Evidence continues to accrue that supports decompression without duraplasty as an effective treatment to achieve symptomatic relief and anatomical decompression. The risks and benefits of this less invasive operation need to be weighed against decompression with duraplasty.