Psychosomatics
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Older adults comprise a growing proportion of the United States population that is at risk for burns. However, few studies have examined cognitive function in this patient population. ⋯ Physicians should have high suspicion for dementia and delirium in older patients admitted for burn injuries. Dementia and delirium are associated with morbidity in older patients with burn injuries.
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Individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) are at high risk for depression and anxiety, which are associated with worse medical outcomes. Novel therapies for CF hold great promise for improving physical health, but the effects of these therapies on mental health remain poorly understood. ⋯ Although CFTR modulator therapies provide hope for improving clinical outcomes, worsening depression and anxiety occurs in some patients when starting these novel agents. This phenomenon may be multifactorial, with hypothesized contributions from CFTR modulator-psychotropic medication interactions, direct effects of CFTR modulators on central nervous system function, the psychologic effect of starting a potentially life-altering drug, and typical triggers of depression and anxiety such as stress, pain, and inflammation. The medical and psychiatric complexity of many individuals with CF warrants more direct involvement of mental health specialists on the multidisciplinary CF team. Inclusion of mental health variables in patients with CF registries will facilitate further examination at an epidemiologic level.