MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES IN COVID-19 SURVIVORS: ROLE OF CLINICAL PREDICTORS.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major worldwide impact resulting in more than 7 million deaths due to COVID-19. Mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been observed in COVID-19 survivors worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the psychological impact of COVID-19 survivors three months after discharge from hospital and examine associated risk factors.

Baclofen during alcohol detoxification reduces the need for additional diazepam: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Baclofen may reduce the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, as an alternative or as an adjuvant for benzodiazepines, but the available data are insufficient to support baclofen-assisted alcohol withdrawal. This study investigated the need for diazepam during acute alcohol withdrawal in patients receiving baclofen. In a single-blind, dose-dependent randomized controlled trial with three study arms, 63 patients with alcohol use disorder, starting in-patient benzodiazepine-assisted alcohol detoxification, were randomly assigned to receive placebo (n = 18), baclofen 30 mg/day (N = 20), or baclofen 60 mg/day (N = 25) for 7 days.

Remote Consultations for Mental Health: Patient Experiences.

Objective: An exponential implementation of remote mental health care has been observed, but little data is available on experiences and barriers of remote health from a patient's perspective. This study investigated experiences associated with several forms of remote consultations (both telephone and online video) for mental health care during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic with a particular focus on patients' experiences.

Methods: This study includes results of an online web-based survey filled in by 512 patients on the use and experiences of remote mental health consultations and circulating between March and October 2021.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after COVID-19 Intensive Care admission: Characteristics and Perspectives.

An increase of psychopathology such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is described in patients affected with COVID-19 that stayed at an intensive care unit (ICU). However, data on follow-up and on impact of contextual factors are limited. In a single-center, observational study, PTSD symptomatology was prevalent among 38% of participants (n=8), persisting in clinical PTSD in 2 participants after one year.

Self-Reported Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Use during COVID-19 Lockdown Measures: Results from a Web-Based Survey.

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has led to measures of social distancing and quarantine worldwide. This stressful period may lead to psychological problems, including increases in substance use.

Objective: To investigate changes in alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis consumption before and during COVID-19 lockdown and motives for these changes in substance use.

Pseudomalabsorption of Levothyroxine: A Challenge for the Endocrinologist in the Treatment of Hypothyroidism.

Background: Hypothyroidism due to non-compliance with levothyroxine therapy (pseudomalabsorption) is rare. The diagnosis is considered in patients with persistent severe hypothyroidism despite treatment with large doses of levothyroxine. Intestinal malabsorption, drug and dietary interference with levothyroxine absorption and nephrotic syndrome should be excluded.

Intensive HF-rTMS treatment in refractory medication-resistant unipolar depressed patients.

Background: Major depression is a worldwide severe mental health problem. Unfortunately, not all depressed patients respond to pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy, even when adhering to treatment guidelines. Even though current guidelines do not in particular advocate repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in refractory treatment resistant depression (TRD), using more intensive stimulation parameters might hold promise as a valuable alternative.

Successful ECT treatment after relapse during VNS therapy.

We present a case of a patient with severe treatment resistant depression who relapsed while being treated with vagus nerve stimulation. We describe that he was safely treated with unilateral ECT concomitantly with the VNS.

Combative HF-rTMS treatment, for a bipolar I patient, following unsuccessful ECT.

We aimed to Examine the safety and effectiveness of HF-rTMS in a treatment-refractory bipolar I patient in a mixed affective episode. Our case illustrates that "combative" HF-rTMS therapy could be a safe and valid treatment alternative for refractory bipolar I patients in mixed episode, not successfully treated with ECT.

Intensive rTMS applications in difficult to treat psychiatric patients: some cases.

Despite adherence to treatment guidelines, some patients are resistant to several psychopharmacological interventions. Guidelines to overcome treatment resistance are scarce and new treatment modalities are needed. When confronted with psychopharmacological failure, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) therapy can be considered.

Intensive high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment in an electroconvulsive shock therapy-resistant bipolar I patient with mixed episode.

This case report describes a 52-year-old woman who received a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder of the mixed type, resistant to bilateral electroconvulsive shock therapy (ECT) and successfully treated with intensive left-sided high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS).

Munchausen syndrome in the emergency department mostly difficult, sometimes easy to diagnose: a case report and review of the literature.

Munchausen syndrome is a rare psychiatric disorder in which patients inflict on themselves an illness or injury for the primary purpose of assuming the sick role. Because these patients can present with many different complaints and clinical symptoms, diagnosis is often made at a later stage of hospitalisation. In contrast we report a case of a 40-year old woman very easy to diagnose with Munchausen syndrome.