Increased Readmission Risk and Healthcare Cost for Delirium Patients without Immediate Hospitalization in the Emergency Department.

Objective: Hospitalization of patients with delirium after visiting the emergency department (ED) is often required. However, the readmission risk after discharge from the ED should also be considered. This study aimed to explore whether (i) immediate hospitalization influences the readmission risk of patients with delirium; (ii) the readmission risk is affected by various risk factors; and (iii) the healthcare cost differs between groups within 28 days of the first ED visit.

The Association between the Level of Plasma Oxytocin and Craving among Former Heroin Users.

Background: Animal studies have demonstrated that oxytocin can influence addiction behaviors and might interact with the dopaminergic system, which is a key component of addiction behaviors. However, related evidence from clinical studies is scarce. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between plasma oxytocin level and heroin craving among patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment, and to ascertain whether this relationship is moderated by novelty-seeking.

Coexisting geriatric anxiety and depressive disorders may increase the risk of ischemic heart disease mortality-a nationwide longitudinal cohort study.

Objectives: In the elderly, the risk of mortality because of physical illnesses related to anxiety disorders varies with potential confounding influences, including comorbidity with depressive disorders. Our study aimed to explore (i) whether anxiety disorders increase the risk of mortality in the elderly, and (ii) whether the risk of mortality mediated by anxiety and depressive disorders differs between physical illnesses.

Methods: Our longitudinal cohort study included subjects aged over 60 years from the National Health Insurance Research Database.

Coexisting anxiety disorders alter associations with physical disorders in the elderly: A Taiwan cross-sectional nationwide study.

Aim: We used population-based analyses to explore whether anxiety disorders are associated with certain physical illnesses, as previous studies have suggested, and whether a greater number of comorbid anxiety disorders would influence physical illnesses in the elderly.

Methods: Using the National Health Insurance Research Database, we included subjects aged over 60 years. The study included 954 subjects with anxiety disorders (as defined by the ICD-9-CM) and 4770 control subjects without anxiety disorders.

Association between Blood Level of Plasma Oxytocin and Novelty Seeking among Methadone-Maintained Heroin Users.

Background: Oxytocin interacts with the dopaminergic system, which plays a role in addiction behaviors. The association between oxytocin and addiction was confirmed in animal studies. Novelty seeking is one of the predictors and indicators of drug addiction.

Associations among hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis function, novelty seeking, and retention in methadone maintenance therapy for heroin dependency.

Objective: The efficacy of methadone maintenance therapy for heroin dependence is compromised by the low retention rate. Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function, which is associated with stress response, and novelty seeking (NS), a personality trait associated with low dopaminergic activity, may play roles in retention.

Method: We conducted a prospective study in which HPA axis function and NS were assessed by the dexamethasone suppression test and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire at baseline, respectively.

Daily life events influence the results of the Dexamethasone Suppression Test in healthy women.

Although the Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) plays an important role in psychosomatic research, confounding factors limit the sensitivity and specificity of the DST. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the intensity of daily life stressors and DST results in healthy participants after controlling the confounding factors. The subjects of this study consisted of 75 healthy volunteers.

Comparison of the validity of the Chinese versions of the Hypomania Symptom Checklist-32 (HCL-32) and Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) for the detection of bipolar disorder in medicated patients with major depressive disorder.

Objective: The sensitivity and specificity of the Chinese versions of the Hypomania Symptom Checklist-32 (HCL-32) and Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) for detecting bipolar disorder in Taiwan were explored in this study.

Methods: In total, 59 participants who were initially diagnosed with unipolar depression were recruited from an outpatient clinic and were screened for bipolar disorder using the HCL-32 and MDQ; each participant also underwent a diagnostic interview based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis disorder patients (SCID).

Results: The results showed that the HCL-32 yielded the best combination of sensitivity (100%) and specificity (46.