Clinical Psychiatry News articles from March 2008

Clinical Psychiatry News archives from March 2008

Try CBT first for anxiety in children.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... NEW YORK -- When treating first-time, uncomplicated cases of anxiety in children and adolescents, it's usually best to start with a 6- to 12-week trial of psychosocial treatment, Dr. Moira Rynn said at a psychopharmacology update sponsored by...

Who should pay for Americans' health insurance?(VITAL SIGNS)
March 1, 2008... Who Should Pay for Americans' Health Insurance? Individuals, employers, and government should share costs 66% Mostly government 15% Mostly employers 8%...

Psychosocial care set as standard in cancer treatment: IOM's report reflects 'attitudinal shift.'.(News)
March 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- An Institute of Medicine report says providing appropriate psychosocial services to all cancer patients and their families should become a new standard of care, Dr. Jimmie C. Holland said at the annual Community Oncology...

For veterans, depression is deadlier than PTSD.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... Current depressive symptoms in veterans with a prior history of depression might be more of a concern as a risk factor for all-cause mortality than would a history of posttraumatic stress disorder, according to a study of more than 35,000...

SSRIs tied to upper GI bleeding.(News)
March 1, 2008... A new analysis of data from observational studies and case reports has confirmed that the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors is associated with an increased risk of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, particularly in patients also...

Advisory on varenicline warns of depression.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
March 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration is evaluating postmarketing adverse event reports of serious neuropsychiatric symptoms--including agitation, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation and behavior--in people taking the smoking-cessation drug...

Carbamazepine label gets warning for Asian patients.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
March 1, 2008... Patients of Asian ancestry are at significantly increased risk for fatal skin reactions when treated with carbamazepine and should first undergo genetic testing to assess their risk before initiating therapy, according to an alert issued by the...

Suicidality alert on antiepileptic labels likely to be broadened.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
March 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Findings of an increased suicidality risk in patients given antiepileptics likely will lead to broad class labeling changes, the Food and Drug Administration said in an alert issued to health care professionals. The agency,...

PTSD common in soldiers with mild brain injury.(News)
March 1, 2008... Mild traumatic brain injury occurring among soldiers deployed in Iraq is strongly associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and physical health problems 3-4 months after the soldiers return home, according to survey findings. Results...

FDA deems olanzapine depot 'not approvable'.(News)
March 1, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a "not approvable" letter for a depot formulation of olanzapine. The agency said in a letter that it is seeking to better understand the risk and underlying cause of excessive sedation events that...

Suicide rates among young men in U.K. show decline.(News)
March 1, 2008... An observational study on suicide trends among young people in the United Kingdom suggests that suicide rates among young men in England and Wales have dropped markedly over the past decade. In the study, published by BMJ, Lucy Biddle,...

U.S. advice implicated in obesity trends.(News)
March 1, 2008... By stressing the importance of a carbohydrate-based, low-fat diet, current U.S. dietary guidelines may have unexpectedly contributed to the current obesity epidemic, investigators reported. In accordance with national recommendations,...

Worldwide survey finds adult obesity rate of around 25%.(News)
March 1, 2008... The rest of the world seems to be catching up with the United States in the prevalence of heftiness and obesity, according to a survey of primary care patients in 63 countries. Analysis of data from the survey, which excluded the United...

Detecting deception on the part of patients.(Guest editorial)
March 1, 2008... The tragic death of actor Heath Ledger from an apparent overdose of drugs known to be dangerous in combination raises the question of how he obtained them. Details are still unfolding, and there is much that we might never know. We must be...

Data on ecstasy problematic.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... We would like to add perspective to your coverage of data presented by Thelma Schilt from the Netherlands XTC Toxicity Study about the use of ecstasy and cognition ("Minimal Ecstasy Use Linked to Cognitive Deficits," January 2008, p. 27). ...

Portrayals of affect in film.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... I enjoyed Dr. Roland Atkinson's review of film portrayals of mania ("In the Mood for Mania," Reel Life, January 2008, p. 54). One example that he did not mention is Jessica Lange's portrayal of Carly Marshall in "Blue Sky." Ms. Lange won...

Yoga and mental health.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2008... As a psychiatrist in private practice and a dedicated student of yoga, I was so glad to see Dr. Robert T. London's column on the usefulness of this beautiful practice ("Yoga: A Beneficial Integrative Therapy," The Psychiatrist's Toolbox,...

Autism is not an epidemic.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
March 1, 2008... Clinicians who treat children with pervasive developmental disorders are likely to be asked by parents to explain the rising prevalence of autism and the possible environmental causes. Let me offer a brief background and a few facts that may...

Is power the ultimate addiction?(Guest editorial)
March 1, 2008... As I look at the global political landscape, I am struck by a pervasive theme. High-ranking officials and politicians often resist giving up power--and are willing to do practically anything to hold on to it. Of course, this is far from a...

Drug's efficacy for treating depression 'exciting'.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... VIENNA -- Mecamylamine, an old, rarely prescribed, truly obscure antihypertensive agent, may be favorably reincarnated as an antidepressant with a completely novel mechanism of action--and vastly greater potential use. The drug displayed...

Obesity linked to postpartum depression risk.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... DALLAS -- Obese women may be at increased risk for postpartum depression, new research suggests. In a prospective analysis of 1,282 women who gave birth to singleton infants at term, nearly 30% of women with a prepregnancy body mass index...

Support reduces depression risk in new mothers.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... MONTREAL -- Mother-to-mother support can significantly reduce the development of postpartum depression in women who are at high risk for the condition, Cindy-Lee Dennis, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the Canadian Psychiatric...

TCA/SSRI treatment can lead to diabetes.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... Patients with depression who take tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors concurrently have almost twice the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as those taking tricyclic medications alone, Lauren C. Brown and her...

Men with military sexual trauma often resist disclosure.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... BALTIMORE -- Male veterans who have a history of military sexual trauma often fail to disclose their condition until well into treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder and have many motivations for covering up their problem, according to...

Getting the NAC of a novel schizophrenia Tx.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... VIENNA -- N-acetylcysteine, an inexpensive supplement widely available over the counter in health food stores, proved safe and effective as adjunctive therapy for chronic schizophrenia in a 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Dr....

Type 1 diabetes patients face lower schizophrenia risk.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... Patients with type 1 diabetes are at a significantly reduced risk of developing schizophrenia and related disorders, suggesting a need to study the genetic traits and environmental triggers that can lead to either condition, Finnish...

Motivation as important as education in type 2 diabetes.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... ST. LOUIS -- Teaching type 2 diabetes patients about how to take care of themselves isn't enough; they need to be motivated to follow through, according to results of a survey of 3,867 patients. Yet discussions with patients remain...

Take active approach against weight gain.(PRACTICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY)
March 1, 2008... Weight gain is a serious concern in psychopharmacology--potentially toxic to patients' psychological and physical well-being and a barrier to effective treatment. "This is a huge issue in my practice," said Dr. Adele Tutter of the...

Many overweight blacks, Hispanics underestimate risks.(Adult Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... HONOLULU -- Many overweight black and Hispanic adults' estimates of their own obesity-related health problems are more optimistic than are practice-based statistical findings, according to research that was presented at the annual meeting of...

Three groups more likely to self-medicate.(Adult Psychiatry)(Survey)
March 1, 2008... NEW ORLEANS -- Men, singles, and those aged 30 years and younger are more likely than other groups in the general population to use psychoactive substances to cope with psychiatric symptoms, a large population-based study conducted in France...

Vitamin D deficiency.(EVIDENCE-BASED PSYCHIATRIC MEDICINE)
March 1, 2008... The Problem You are working in a correctional setting and start a new assignment in administrative segregation (jail within a prison). Many inmate-patients serve months to years in this setting and receive 1 hour of yard time per day. Many...

Panic disorder patients need us.(THE PSYCHIATRIST'S TOOLBOX)
March 1, 2008... After feeling chest tightness, shortness of breath, and dizziness, the patient got herself to an emergency department. While waiting to be seen, she experienced profuse sweating that was accompanied by shaking, tingling, and a sense of...

The art of Randee Savage.(VISIONARY ART)
March 1, 2008... Randee Savage's guitar and art are both vitally important to her. But when pressed, Ms. Savage says she prefers painting because it is more in her control. "The colors and the paints are right there," she says. She started painting and...

A Florida woman was charged recently with child neglect after leaving her four teenage sons to fend for themselves. How can psychiatry support such families?(FINK! STILL AT LARGE)
March 1, 2008... Mothers all over America are asking courts and child protective agencies to take custody of their children because they believe the kids are out of control and are going to get into trouble. These are mostly single parents, and many mothers are...

Social anxiety disorder strongly associated with risk of depression.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... VIENNA -- Social anxiety disorder, regardless of age of onset, is consistently associated with strongly increased risk for subsequent depression, according to 10-year results of the large prospective Early Developmental Stages of...

Smokers of cigarettes and marijuana fare worse.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... Among teenagers and young adults who smoke marijuana, the minority who are not cigarette smokers have fewer problems personally, socially, and academically than do the majority who also smoke cigarettes, according to Swiss investigators. ...

Networking sites more benign than thought.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)(Survey)
March 1, 2008... Use of social networking Web sites poses no greater risk of sexual solicitation and harassment of children than do other online behaviors, according to the results of an e-mail survey of 1,588 preteens and teens. "Our findings suggest that...

Use of CNS medication may reduce cognition.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Community-dwelling elderly people were more likely to show cognitive decline over a 5-year period if they took medications that act on the central nervous system, especially with higher cumulative doses or with longer use, Dr....

Initiative could transform Alzheimer's research.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... A $60 million, 6-year study is being launched to find and validate biologic and imaging markers that could be used as objective measures of therapeutic response in Alzheimer's disease. The results of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging...

More data needed on physicians in recovery.(Addiction Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... CORONADO, CALIF. -- Of 104 physicians in New York state who were admitted to substance abuse treatment programs between 2003 and 2004 and were monitored for a mean of 41 months by the state's Committee for Physicians' Health, only 9 (9%) were...

Communication difficulties cited by users of ketamine.(Addiction Psychiatry)(Survey)
March 1, 2008... CORONADO, CALIF. -- The top three perceived benefits of ketamine use are decreased stress levels, dissociation from daily life, and connectedness with other people, results from a Canadian survey suggest. Meanwhile, the top three perceived...

Preliminary study finds 34% of detox inpatients using opioids.(Addiction Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... CORONADO, CALIF. -- About one-third of inpatients on a detoxification unit were currently taking prescription opioid medication, most commonly Lortab and hydrocodone, results from a small pilot study showed. In an investigation of...

Use incentives to stop inmates' substance abuse.(Addiction Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... CORONADO, CALIF. -- Treatment and continuing care are two key components to a chronic care approach to effective recovery for patients with a substance abuse problem. But in a correctional setting, that basic model faces several challenges...

Sexually transmitted disease rates still on rise.(Community Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... Rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis increased in the United States during the past year and continued recent upward trends, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Young women, racial and ethnic...

Perspective.(Community Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... Telemedicine is particularly well suited to psychiatry. It allows you to see and talk to your patient, which is what we do. The absence of the other senses is mostly a nonissue, with the exception of some neurological testing--which...

Telepsychiatry addresses needs of rural youth.(PREVENTION IN ACTION)
March 1, 2008... Life in rural America appears to render today's children and adolescents especially vulnerable to mental health problems. An analysis of mental health risk factors and service access conducted by the South Carolina Rural Health Research...

Classifying stalkers aids counseling of victims.(Forensic Psychiatry)
March 1, 2008... MIAMI BEACH -- Risk assessment and management of stalking should begin with classifying the offender into one of five general types based on behavior, according to two presentations at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry...

Multisystemic therapy helps sex offenders, saves money.(Forensic Psychiatry)(Report)
March 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Several recent studies show that multisystemic therapy helped decrease behavioral problems and criminal activity among adolescent sexual offenders, Charles M. Borduin, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American...

For gene carriers, age 60 is key.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... Age 60 seems to be the defining year for many homozygous carriers of the apolipoprotein [epsilon]4 gene--the time when age-related changes in cognition focus more on memory and begin a steeper decline into mild cognitive impairment and,...

Longevity after dementia onset is estimated.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
March 1, 2008... Dementia patients live a median of 4.5 years following the estimated onset of the condition, with male, older, and disabled patients having a significantly shorter survival time, according to a population study published online in BMJ. The...

Combined treatment eases migraine activity: three-part therapy produced at least 50% reduction in episodes, migraine days in 80% of patients.(Pain Medicine)
March 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- The combination of optimized acute medication, preventive medication, and behavioral therapy significantly reduced migraine activity, according to study results presented at the annual meeting of the American Pain Society. In...

Midlife migraine predicts brain infarcts later in life.(Pain Medicine)
March 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Migraines in midlife with accompanying visual aura predict later-life brain infarcts, according to a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association. Furthermore, the relationship between...

Chronic pain worse among emergency department patients.(Pain Medicine)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- Emergency department patients with a history of chronic pain rate their pain as more severe than acute pain patients do, based on a prospective, observational study conducted in 20 emergency departments, said Dr. Martha L. Neighbor...

Sleep medicine strives to unite multiple disciplines.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
March 1, 2008... MINNEAPOLIS -- The need to unite sleep specialists from multiple academic departments challenges the field of sleep medicine, Dr. Ronald D. Chervin said at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. "Because sleep...

CBT for insomnia may reduce osteoarthritis pain.(Psychosomatic Medicine)(Clinical report)
March 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Cognitive-behavioral therapy for comorbid insomnia in patients with osteoarthritis not only improved sleep but also reduced self-reported pain in a randomized, controlled pilot study of 51 patients, reported Michael V....

Women, families with children need sleep education.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
March 1, 2008... NEW ORLEANS -- Mothers of young children aren't likely to be surprised by a recent study showing that they are more sleep deprived than are their male partners and women without children, but the findings are important because they underscore...

Acne may be sign of body dysmorphic disorder.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
March 1, 2008... LOS ANGELES -- Significant numbers of patients with acne have debilitating symptoms normally associated with body dysmorphic disorder, Dr. Whitney P. Bowe said at the annual meeting of the Society for Investigational Dermatology In her...

Mental impairments found among MS patients who use cannabis.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
March 1, 2008... Multiple sclerosis patients who smoke marijuana were more likely to have a history of a mental illness and also performed worse on a test of their mental processing speed and working memory, according to results of a community-based study. ...

Mood disorder symptoms prevalent in epilepsy.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
March 1, 2008... PHILADELPHIA -- Symptoms of bipolar disorder are prevalent among patients with epilepsy, and are highly associated with depressive symptoms in these patients, an analysis of 54 epilepsy patients at a tertiary care center shows. Patients...

Protocol works for narcotic bowel syndrome.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
March 1, 2008... SALT LAKE CITY -- Narcotic bowel syndrome is a problem that physicians have been sweeping under the rug, and it may be growing in frequency, Dr. Douglas A. Drossman said at the annual meeting of the North American Society for Pediatric...

Breast ca leads drop in U.S., U.K. mortality.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... SAN ANTONIO -- Total cancer mortality among middle-aged women in the United States and United Kingdom has declined markedly since 1990--and an unprecedented drop in breast cancer mortality is the biggest reason why, Sir Richard Peto, Ph.D.,...

Report cites diet, exercise as keys in Prevention of Cancer.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... WASHINGTON -- A comprehensive evidence-based report issued by an international expert panel provides an unprecedented analysis supporting the preventability of cancer by way of diet, exercise, and avoidance of obesity. Developed over a...

Evidence backs vitamin D as longevity booster.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Mounting evidence strongly suggests routine vitamin D supplementation reduces all-cause mortality. "We may finally have a vitamin that translates into greater longevity," declared Dr. Robert A. Vogel, professor of...

Inadequate vitamin D may set the stage for heart disease.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults, especially in people who also have hypertension, based on data from the Framingham Offspring Study. More studies are needed to show whether correcting vitamin D...

Rheumatoid arthritis doubles heart failure risk.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Heart failure is a major contributor to the excess mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Sherine E. Gabriel said at a symposium sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology. Rheumatoid arthritis...

Use of statin therapy improves outcomes after carotid interventions.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Statin use has been linked with reducing stroke rates and mortality following carotid endarterectomy and may have a similar benefit in patients undergoing carotid artery stenting, Dr. Bruce A. Perler said at ISET2008. ...

CRT may make heart patients 'sharper'.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... DENVER -- Cardiac resynchronization therapy not only reduces mortality and improves quality of life in heart failure patients, it also appears to enhance their cognitive function to a clinically meaningful degree, Neha K. Dixit reported at the...

Lifestyle modification urged for 'Diabesity'.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- "Diabesity," as Dr. David Heber calls type 2 diabetes, is a lifestyle disease, not a diagnosis that necessarily requires heavy lifting of the prescription pad. Too many physicians begin and end the conversation by saying, "You...

Antihypertension diet lowers risk of CHD, stroke.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... Women who followed the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet had significant risk reductions of coronary heart disease and stroke, results from a cohort of participants in the ongoing Nurses Health Study showed. Previous studies...

Hyperuricemia associated with risk of type 2 diabetes.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... High serum uric acid level is an independent risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, according to data from a large population-based study. In a study of 4,536 people free of diabetes at baseline, those with serum uric acid...

Triple P system of parenting reduces abuse.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Dissemination of the Triple P system of parenting interventions produced a clear impact on the prevalence of child maltreatment in South Carolina, results from a population-based study demonstrated. The study, currently under...

Statewide studies aiming to prevent abusive head trauma.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Two federally funded studies are underway to test the effectiveness of abusive head trauma prevention efforts in Pennsylvania and in North Carolina. The studies, which received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and...

HIV-infected children facing new challenges.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... BOSTON -- The increased survival among HIV-infected children seen with effective prevention of perinatal transmission and the widespread adoption of highly-active antiretroviral therapy has been accompanied by the emergence of a new generation...

More adolescents acquiring HIV through risk behaviors.(Across Specialties)(humanimmunovirus )
March 1, 2008... BOSTON -- The adolescent HIV-1 epidemic as reflected in a multisite cohort of U.S. youth is changing from one of vertically transmitted infection to one where infection is acquired through risk behaviors, posing new challenges for providers and...

High prevalence of pain found in children with HIV.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... TORONTO -- Children with HIV infection reported experiencing more pain--and for longer durations--than did their uninfected counterparts in a large, prospective, multicenter observational study. The study included 576 children, aged 6-18...

Admissions for stroke declining.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... BOSTON -- Hospitalization for stroke has declined since the mid-1990s, reversing the trend observed in the previous 10 years, according to findings from two studies relying on different databases and presented in separate posters by Dr. Jing...

Statin use may improve poststroke mortality.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... Patients who discontinue their use of statins within the first year after a stroke may have a significantly increased risk of death, even in the absence of diagnosed heart disease, according to findings from a single-center observational study....

Vulvodynia often triggers depression, anxiety.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Vulvodynia so profoundly affects quality of life that management needs to address the physical, psychological, sexual, and relationship problems caused by the pain. "Support, support, support" patients with vulvodynia by...

Asthma guidelines cover treatment in pregnancy: Gynecologists' group calls step therapy with medications safer than symptoms, exacerbations.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... The ultimate goal of asthma therapy in pregnancy is to maintain adequate oxygenation of the fetus by preventing hypoxia in the mother, and that requires step therapy medical management with the lowest possible doses of medication, according to...

Oral contraceptives may worsen low androgen in anorexia.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... TORONTO -- Physicians commonly prescribe oral contraceptives for women with anorexia nervosa, but research presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society suggests that androgen levels are already low in these women and are further...

Emerging face of COPD more youthful, female.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, once thought of as a disease of elderly white men, is increasingly a disease of women of all ethnicities. Ranking as the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, COPD is the...

Psoriasis comes with social support, self-esteem issues.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... TORONTO -- Consider asking young women with psoriasis about self-esteem and their social support to ensure an optimal quality of life, Renita Ahluwalia said at the annual conference of the Canadian Dermatology Association. "We need to...

Study links idiopathic cough to iron deficiency in women.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... CHICAGO -- A small but provocative Italian study suggests that women complaining of chronic idiopathic cough should be evaluated for iron deficiency. Researchers at the University of Turin (Italy) observed that cough and signs and symptoms...

Risk of colorectal adenoma is up in smokers.(Across Specialties)
March 1, 2008... Cigarette smoking does appear to be linked to a higher risk of colorectal adenoma, to a large enough degree that perhaps smoking history should be considered in guidelines for colonoscopy screening, Edoardo Botteri and colleagues reported. ...