Electroconvulsive Therapy for Catatonia in Children and Adolescents.

Catatonia may be more common in children and adolescents than previously thought. A boost for the recognition of pediatric catatonia comes from changes in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, facilitating the diagnosis in a wide range of pediatric and adult patients with associated developmental and autistic spectrum disorders; and schizophrenic, affective, and medical disorders. The current status, assessment, and treatment of pediatric catatonia are described.

Electroconvulsive Treatment for Catatonia in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Catatonia has been increasingly recognized in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Assessment, diagnosis, and treatments are reviewed and illustrated with 2 new case vignettes. The use of electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) is recommended in patients who fail to respond to medical treatments, including a trial of lorazepam or another benzodiazepine.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus markers in Sri Lankan patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.

A high prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been reported in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. There are, however, doubts regarding the specificity of the first generation anti-HCV antibody assays used. We prospectively investigated HCV status in 47 Sri Lankan patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.