Are Opioids Agitating? A Data Analysis of Baseline Data from the STAN Study.

 Agitation, a common dementia symptom often arising from untreated pain, lacks comprehensive research on its connection with opioids prescribed for long-term pain. This study investigated the relationship between opioid use and agitation in dementia patients. Participants ( = 188) were categorized into opioid, acetaminophen PRN, or no-pain medication groups.

Electroconvulsive Therapy for Neuropsychiatric Symptoms due to Major Neurocognitive Disorder: A Prospective, Observational Study.

Objectives: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) in those with major neurocognitive disorder (MNCD) include the responsive behaviors of agitation and aggression. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has shown some effectiveness based on retrospective studies and one open label prospective study. We hypothesized that ECT will reduce NPSs between baseline and after treatment in those with medication-refractory behaviors.

The Rationale and Design of Behavioral Interventions for Management of Agitation in Dementia in a Multi-Site Clinical Trial.

Background: Agitation and aggression are common in patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and pose a significant burden on patients, caregivers, and the healthcare systems. Guidelines recommend personalized behavioral interventions as the first-line treatment; however, these interventions are often underutilized. The Standardizing Care for Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Quality of Life in Dementia (StaN) study (ClinicalTrials.

Role of tissue plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor as potential biomarkers in psychosis.

The identification of biological markers for psychosis has an impact on its diagnosis, prognosis, and likelihood of treatment response. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is involved in important functions such as synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation and neurogenesis. Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) is the most important inhibitor of tPA.

Inpatient oncology rehabilitation in Toronto: a descriptive 18-month retrospective record review.

Purpose: The purpose was twofold: (1) to develop a comprehensive profile of patients discharged from an inpatient oncology rehabilitation unit and (2) to explore the relationships between patient characteristics and functional status.

Methods: A retrospective review of electronic data from all patients discharged from oncology rehabilitation between November 1, 2008, and March 31, 2010, was conducted. Data elements included age, sex, primary language, living arrangements, cancer diagnosis, comorbidities, and admission and discharge Functional Independence Measure (FIM(™)) scores.