Cannabis use and involuntary admission may mediate long-term adherence in first-episode psychosis patients: a prospective longitudinal study

Background: This study aimed to examine factors associated with treatment adherence in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients followed up over 8 years, especially involuntary first admission and stopping cannabis use. Methods: This prospective, longitudinal study of FEP patients collected data on symptoms, adherence, functioning,and substance use. Adherence to treatment was the main outcome variable and was categorized as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Cannabis use during follow-up was stratified as continued use, stopped use, and never used. Bivariate and logistic regression models identified factors significantly associated with adherence and changes in adherence over the 8-year follow-up period. Results: Of the 98 FEP patients analyzed at baseline, 57.1% had involuntary first admission, 74.4% bad adherence,and 52% cannabis use. Good adherence at baseline was associated with Global Assessment of Functioning score (p = 0.019), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score (p = 0.017) and voluntary admission (p < 0.001). Adherence patterns over 8 years included: 43.4% patients always bad, 26.1% always good, 25% improved from bad to good. Among the improved adherence group, 95.7% had involuntary first admission and 38.9% stopped cannabis use. In the subgroup of patients with bad adherence at baseline, involuntary first admission and quitting cannabis use during follow up were associated with improved adherence. Conclusions: The long-term association between treatment adherence and type of first admission and cannabis use in FEP patients suggest targets for intervention to improve clinical outcomes.

Nahikoa al da erizaintzak hipertentsio arterialaren tratamenduaren atxikidurari jartzen dion arreta?

Idioma: Euskera Helburuak: 1) hipertentsio arterialaren tratamenduarekiko atxikidura baxuaren faktore eragileak identifikatzea eta 2) tratamenduarekiko atxikiduran erizaintza gomendio eta interbentzioen aztertzea Metodologia: PubMed eta Cochrane Library izan dira erabilitako datu base nagusiak. Inklusio kriterioen barne daude HTA pairatzen duten 18 urtetik gorako gizon eta emakumeak Konklusioa: HTAren tratamenduarekiko atxikidura falta magnitude handiko arazoa da. Horren gain eragina duten faktoreei dagokionez, faktore sozioekonomikoak, terapia eta pazientearen baldintzekin erlazionaturiko faktoreekin batera, funtsezko garrantzia izango dute HTAren tratamenduaren atxikiduran. Erizaintza gomendioak funtsezko papera dute atxikiduran. Erizaintza interbentzioei dagokionez, aurrerapen teknologikoekin erlazionaturiko entseguak, auto-zainketak, eredu biopsikosozialaren aplikazioak, pilula kopurua gutxitzeak eta tratamendu indibidualizatuak atxikiduraren gaineko hobekuntza frogatu dute.

Adherencia al tratamiento en la esquizofrenia

[Es]La adherencia al tratamiento es un problema real en los pacientes esquizofrénicos, que dificulta su inserción en la sociedad y puede ocasionarles graves repercusiones médicas. Por ello, el objetivo de esta revisión es valorar la eficacia de las intervenciones psicoeducacionales con la ayuda del personal sanitario y/o familiares, en la adherencia al tratamiento de los pacientes esquizofrénicos. Se realizó una revisión sistemática para dar respuesta al objetivo planteado, analizando las respuestas de los individuos para las diferentes intervenciones realizadas con el apoyo de los profesionales sanitarios y/o familiares. Se incluyeron nueve artículos: 4 revisiones sistemáticas y 5 estudios randomizados. En los resultados se encontraron factores de riesgo clave que proporcionaban una mayor probabilidad de no-adherencia, lo que llevaba a más recaídas y peor pronóstico para la persona. Las intervenciones realizadas con los pacientes mejoraban esa adherencia a lo largo del tiempo. Se concluye por tanto que mejorar la adherencia al tratamiento en la esquizofrenia es un factor clave para los pacientes, su familia y la sociedad. Esto podría lograrse incidiendo en la adherencia al tratamiento y con un seguimiento por parte del personal sanitario.

Undertreatment of human immunodeficiency virus in psychiatric inpatients: a cross-sectional study of seroprevalence and associated factors

Background: The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of HIV and its associated demographic and clinical factors among psychiatric inpatients of a general hospital. Methods: This was a single-center, observational, cross-sectional study that included patients consecutively admitted to our unit aged 16 years or older and with no relevant cognitive problems. The patients were evaluated using a semistructured interview and an appropriate test for HIV infection. Results: Of the 637 patients who were screened, 546 (86%) who consented to participate were included in the analyses. Twenty-five (4.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0-6.8) patients were HIV-positive. The prevalence was higher among patients with substance misuse (17.4%, 95% CI 9.7-28.8). All except one of the 25 patients knew of their seropositive condition prior to participation in the study. Only 14 (56%) of the 25 seropositive patients had previously received pharmacological treatment for their infection. According to the multiple logistic regression analysis, the likelihood of HIV infection was lower in patients with higher levels of education and higher among patients who were single, had history of intravenous drug use, and had an HIV-positive partner, particularly if they did not use condoms. Among the patients with HIV infection, 18 (72%) had a history of suicide attempts compared with 181 (34.7%) of the patients without HIV infection (relative risk 2.1, 95% CI 1.6-2.7; P<0.001). Conclusion: HIV infection is highly prevalent in patients admitted to a psychiatric unit, especially those with a diagnosis of substance misuse. Seropositive patients show very poor treatment adherence. The risk of suicide seems to be very high in this population. Implementing interventions to reduce the suicide risk and improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy and psychotropic medications seems crucial.

Integrated treatment of first episode psychosis with online training (e-learning): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: The integrated treatment of first episode psychosis has been shown to improve functionality and negative symptoms in previous studies. In this paper, we describe a study of integrated treatment (individual psychoeducation complementary to pharmacotherapy) versus treatment as usual, comparing results at baseline with those at 6-month re-assessment (at the end of the study) for these patients, and online training of professionals to provide this complementary treatment, with the following objectives: 1) to compare the efficacy of individual psychoeducation as add-on treatment versus treatment as usual in improving psychotic and mood symptoms; 2) to compare adherence to medication, functioning, insight, social response, quality of life, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, between both groups; and 3) to analyse the efficacy of online training of psychotherapists. Methods/design: This is a single-blind randomised clinical trial including patients with first episode psychosis from hospitals across Spain, randomly assigned to either a control group with pharmacotherapy and regular sessions with their psychiatrist (treatment as usual) or an intervention group with integrated care including treatment as usual plus a psychoeducational intervention (14 sessions). Training for professionals involved at each participating centre was provided by the coordinating centre (University Hospital of Alava) through video conferences. Patients are evaluated with an extensive battery of tests assessing clinical and sociodemographic characteristics (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorders, Strauss and Carpenter Prognostic Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, Morisky Green Adherence Scale, Functioning Assessment Short Test, World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument WHOQOL-BREF (an abbreviated version of the WHOQOL-100), and EuroQoL questionnaire), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are measured in peripheral blood at baseline and at 6 months. The statistical analysis, including bivariate analysis, linear and logistic regression models, will be performed using SPSS. Discussion: This is an innovative study that includes the assessment of an integrated intervention for patients with first episode psychosis provided by professionals who are trained online, potentially making it possible to offer the intervention to more patients.