Journal of affective disorders
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effects of aripiprazole adjunctive to standard antidepressant treatment on the core symptoms of depression: a post-hoc, pooled analysis of two large, placebo-controlled studies.
Although antipsychotic agents have a long history of use in depression, their effectiveness in treating core symptoms of depression such as loss of interest has been questioned. Adjunctive aripiprazole is beneficial for the treatment of patients with major depressive disorder but its effects on specific symptoms have not been reported. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of aripiprazole on core symptoms of depression. ⋯ Aripiprazole augmentation of standard ADT results in significant, clinically meaningful changes in the core symptoms of depression. It is also associated with significant change in anxiety, insomnia, and drive components of the 17-item HAM-D.
-
We sought to identify risk factors and trends that might underlie the greatly increased incidence of charcoal-burning suicide in Taiwan and to learn whether the increasing accessibility of a single suicide method can increase overall suicide rates. ⋯ Romanticizing suicide by charcoal burning by the media and cultural influences may have contributed to the increased suicides. Prohibiting sale of charcoal in convenience stores, enforcing media guidelines, and setting up carbon monoxide detectors may help prevent suicide by charcoal burning.
-
Comparative Study
Perceived stigma among individuals with common mental disorders.
Severe mental disorders are associated with social distance from the general population, but there is lack of data on the stigma reported by individuals with common mental disorders. ⋯ Individuals with mental disorders are more likely to report stigma if they have lower education, are married, or are unemployed. Perceived stigma is associated with considerably decrease in quality of life and role functioning. Health professionals and society at large must be aware of these findings, which suggest that fighting stigma should be a public health priority.
-
Comparative Study
Use of lithium in the adult populations of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Lithium is an important drug in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Earlier epidemiological studies of lithium use have depended on sales statistics, clinical surveys or population surveys. The national prescription databases in Denmark, Norway and Sweden may help provide more reliable information on the epidemiology of lithium use. ⋯ This study is the first attempt to use prescription databases in all three Scandinavian countries to describe in detail the epidemiology of a drug's use. The analysis revealed subtle differences in the clinical use of lithium that cannot be explained by differences in the epidemiology of bipolar disorder.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Low frequency (1-Hz), right prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) compared with venlafaxine ER in the treatment of resistant depression: a double-blind, single-centre, randomized study.
Previous studies have shown effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of depression. This double-blind study compared efficacy of l Hz rTMS over the right prefrontal dorsolateral cortex with venlafaxine ER in the treatment of resistant depression. ⋯ The findings of this study suggest that, at least in the acute treatment, the right sided rTMS produces clinically relevant reduction of depressive symptomatology in patients with resistant depression comparable to venlafaxine ER. Larger sample sizes are required to confirm these results.