Objective To explore the effectiveness and safety of ziprasidone in the treatment of female patients with schizophrenia. Methods A before-after study design with prospective consecutive data collection was adopted. From June 2006 to May 2007, 30 female patients with schizophrenia discharged from the Second Veterans Hospital of Shanxi Province were included. Ziprasidone 60-120 mg/d was orally administered for 6 weeks. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) were measured before the treatment and at the end of Week 2, 4 and 6 after the treatment, respectively.Results At Week 6, the significant improvement rate and the total improvement rate were 86.67% and 93.33%, respectively; the incidence of side effects was 86.67%. Conclusion Ziprasidone is safe and effective in the treatment of schizophrenia. Since it will not increase body weight or the level of prolactin, it can be especially applied to female schizophrenic patients.
ObjectiveTo investigate the incidence of nosocomial infection in acute and serious schizophrenic inpatients and its risk factors. MethodsBetween January 1st and December 31st, 2012, we investigated 1 621 schizophrenic patients on the status of nosocomial infections according to the hospital standard of nosocomial infection diagnosis. They were divided into infected group and uninfected group according to the survey results. The risk factors were analyzed by logistic regression method. ResultsTwenty-nine infected patients were found among the 1 621 patients, and the incidence rate was 1.79%. Among the nosocomial infections, the most common one was respiratory infection (79.31%), followed by gastrointestinal infection and urinary infection (6.90%). There were significant differences between the two groups of patients in age, hospital stay, positive and negative syndrome scale (PASS), combined somatopathy, the time of protective constraint, modified electraconvulsive therapy (MECT), using two or more antipsychotics drugs, using antibiotics and side effects of drugs (P<0.05). However, there were no statistical differences in gender, age classes, the course of disease, frequency of hospitalization and seasonal incidence of hospital infection (P>0.05). The results of multivariate analysis showed that hospital stay, positive symptom score, negative symptom score, the time of protective constraint, MECT, using two or more antipsychotics drugs and side effects of drugs were the main risk factors for nosocomial infection of inpatients with psychopathy (P<0.05). ConclusionBased on the different traits and treatments of acute and serious schizophrenia, a screening table of infections should be set. For the high risk group of nosocomial infection, effective measures should be taken to prevent and control the nosocomial infection of patients with schizophrenia.
Objective To systematically review the health state utility values in patients with schizophrenia, and to provide references for subsequent studies on the health economics of schizophrenia. Methods The PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, and VIP databases were searched from inception to December 1st, 2021 to collect studies on health state utility values in patients with schizophrenia. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed by Stata 15.0 software. Results A total of 19 studies were included. Patients’ utility values were 0.68 (95%CI 0.59 to 0.77) for direct measures, and 0.77 (95%CI 0.75 to 0.80) and 0.66 (95%CI 0.61 to 0.70) for indirect measures with the EQ-5D-5L and EQ-5D-3L as the primary scales. Utility values varied with measures, tariffs, regions, and populations. Conclusion Studies on health state utility value in schizophrenia are diversified in measurement methods, showing high inter-study heterogeneity. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the study on utility value measurement in schizophrenia in China.
Objective To explore the difference of white matter changes between bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods Patients with bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia were selected from the Mental Health Center of West China Hospital of Sichuan University between October 2014 and January 2017. Volunteers were recruited from October 2014 to January 2017. The included patients were divided into bipolar affective disorder group and schizophrenia group according to their diagnosis. Volunteers were divided into normal control group. The bipolar affective disorder group was divided into two subgroups: manic episode and depressive episode. DTI was performed on the included patients and volunteers. Tract based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to study the differences in fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter between patients and normal controls, and FA values of two subgroups of bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia were compared. Results A total of 99 patients and 40 normal controls were included in this study. Among them, there were 40 cases in schizophrenia group and 59 cases in bipolar affective disorder group (31 cases of manic episode and 28 cases of depressive episode). Compared with the normal control group, FA values decreased in corpus callosum, fornix, occipital forceps and left inferior longitudinal fasciculus with bipolar affective disorder group and schizophrenia group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in FA values between bipolar affective disorder group and schizophrenia group (P>0.05), but the FA value in left posterior thalamic radiation decreased in depressive episode of bipolar affective disorder group compared with schizophrenia group (P=0.001). Conclusions There are similarities between white matter changes in bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia. However, the white matter change in posterior thalamic radiation may be the characteristic change in depressive episode of bipolar affective disorder.
Objective To investigate the difference in first onset age, family history and medication compliance between male and female patients with schizophrenia in communities. Methods We used self-designed questionnaire to survey and analyze 372 cases of schizophrenia between June to August 2014. Results There were no significant differences between male and female schizophrenic patients in the family history, personality before the disease, education level, age, and the onset type and disease course (P > 0.05). The first onset age of male patients [(24.92±8.22) years] was significantly earlier than female patients [(27.02±11.28) years] and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The number of unmarried male patients (115, 58.97%) was significantly more than unmarried females (81, 45.76%) and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The full medication compliance rate of female patients (127, 71.75%) was significantly better than that of male patients (115, 58.97%) (P < 0.05). Conclusion The first onset age, marital status and medication compliance are significantly different between the two genders of patients with schizophrenia, which indicates that prevention, treatment and recovery measures for male and female patients should be differentiated.
ObjectAimed to describe the clinical characteristics of the patients with interictal schizophrenia-like psychoses of epilepsy (SLPE), so as to improve the identification, diagnosis and treatment.MethodsWe collected the cases from January 2017 to December 2019 that diagnosed as "epileptic psychosis/organic mental disorders/brain damage and functional disorders and somatic diseases caused by other mental disorders/organic delusions (schizophrenia-like) disorders" in the medical record system of the Sixth Hospital of Changchun. The discharge records were re-diagnosed by two experienced epilepsy specialists and psychiatrists respectively. Retrospective statistical analysis was performed on the cases identified as SLPE.ResultsA total of 45 patients were diagnosed as SLPE (male: female=1:1.4). The onset age of epilepsy and mental symptoms was (16.4±12.5) years and (35.3±13.4) years respectively. The duration of mental symptoms after first seizure was (18.9±13.4) years. 7 patients (15.6%) were not treated with AEDs, and 26 patients (57.8%) were treated with first generation AEDs. 8 patients (17.8%) had no seizures within 1 year before the onset of mental symptoms, and 28 patients (62.2%) had frequent seizures, even status epilepticus or clustered seizures. 2 patients (4.4%) had generalized tonic-clonic seizure, only 4 patients (8.9%) showed focal impaired awareness seizure, and 39 patients (86.7%) had focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizure.The PANSS positive symptom score, PANSS negative symptom score and BPRS score were (15.1±4.4), (17.7±4.6) and (44.7±8.4) respectively.ConclusionThere were some features of epilepsy in SLPE, such as early onset age, frequent seizure (some patients were seizure-free), focal epilepsy, and poor AEDs treatment compliance. The onset age of mental symptoms in SLPE was later than Schizophrenia and long duration after first seizure. The PANSS scale showed that the mental symptoms of patients with SLPE were similar to those of patients with schizophrenia, and both positive and negative symptoms existed.
ObjectiveTo explore the effects of drug management skill training on lightening the family burden of schizophrenic patients in their recovery period. MethodsBetween December 2011 and December 2013, 101 patients with schizophrenia were randomly divided into experimental group (n=56) and control group (n=45). The experimental group was given drug management skill training, while the control group only received routine follow-up. The course of the research was six months. Both groups were assessed by the positive and negative syndrome scale on patients' psychological symptoms, and family burden scale of diseases was used to assess the burden of the family. ResultsCompared with the controls, patients in the experimental group improved more in their positive symptoms (t=2.692, P=0.008), negative symptoms (t=2.729, P=0.008), general psychopathology symptoms (t=3.231, P=0.002) and the whole psychiatric symptoms (t=3.870, P<0.001). Moreover, the degree of patients' symptom improvement was positively correlated with the degree of family burden lightening (r=0.44, P<0.001). ConclusionFor patients with schizophrenia, reasonable drug management skill training can effectively improve patients' medication compliance, promote treatment effect and lighten family burden.
Objective To probe into the influence of hospital-community seamless recovery mode on quality of life in schizophrenia patients. Methods Fifty-six patients with stable condition discharged from hospital in 2011 were recruited. All the patients accepted hospital-community seamless recovery mode based on rehabilitation inside the hospital. Personal and social performance scale (PSP) and family APGAR (adaptability, partnership, growth, affection, resolve) index were used to evaluate the change of social function and family APGAR index at the beginning of the study, 3 months and 6 months after this research. All the data were analyzed by SPSS 16.0 software. Results Scores of APGAR scale and PSP scale of patients 3 months and 6 months after rehabilitation training were significantly higher than those before the training (P<0.05). APGAR scale and PSP scale had positive correlation. As APGAR score increased, PSP score also increased (P<0.05). Conclusion Hospital-community seamless recovery mode can improve the quality of life and promote rehabilitation positively in patients with schizophrenia.
Objective To investigate the status and influencing factors of psychosis-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PR-PTSD) in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among the hospitalized patients with schizophrenia in three grade Ⅱ or above psychiatric hospitals in Chengdu between March and July, 2022, using the convenient sampling method. Questionnaires included the General Information Questionnaire, Impact of Event Scale-revised (IES-R), Self-rating Depression Scales, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. If the score showed skewed distribution, it was expressed by the median (lower quartile, upper quartile). According to IES-R score, the patients included were divided into 2 groups. The patients whose score ≥33 were divided into PR-PTSD group, and <33 were divided into non-PR-PTSD group. The general information of the two groups of patients were compared. The correlation between PR-PTSD and depression, coping style and intolerance of uncertainty of the included patients were analyzed. The factors affecting the PR-PTSD of hospitalized patients with schizophrenia were analyzed by multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 388 patients were included. Among them, there were 282 cases in the non-PR-PTSD group and 106 cases in the PR-PTSD group. The IES-R score was 23.00 (15.00, 33.00), the depression score was 45.00 (38.00, 53.00), the negative coping style score was 11.00 (8.00, 14.75), the positive coping style score was 20.00 (16.00, 25.00), and the intolerance of uncertainty score was 28.00 (22.25, 33.00). IES-R was positively correlated with depression (r=0.370, P<0.001), negative coping style (r=0.396, P<0.001), positive coping style (r=0.111, P=0.029) and intolerance of uncertainty (r=0.467, P<0.001). Regression analysis showed that depression [(odds ratio, OR)=1.073, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.043, 1.105), P<0.001)], negative coping style [OR=1.121, 95%CI (1.040, 1.208), P=0.003], intolerance of uncertainty [OR=1.081, 95%CI (1.045, 1.118), P<0.001] were the influencing factors of PR-PTSD in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia. Conclusions The prevalence of PR-PTSD in hospitalized patients with schizophrenia is high. Depression, negative coping style and intolerance of uncertainty are the risk factors for PR-PTSD in hospitalized schizophrenia patients.
Objective To detect the contingent negative variation (CNV) in first episode deficit and non-deficit schizophrenia and the relationship between CNV and clinical symptoms. Methods Nihon Kohden evoked brain potentials machine were used to measure CNV in 60 patients with non-deficit schizophrenia (NDS), including 50 patients with deficit schizophrenia (DS) and 60 unrelated healthy controls (HC). Click-flashing paradigm was used to record the CNV and the differences among three groups were compared. The clinical status of patients with schizophrenia was determined using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The overall functioning status was assessed using the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF). Partial correlations were computed to explore associations among the CNV in DS and the clinical data, controlling the sex, age, and education level. Results Compared to HC, both DS and NDS groups showed significantly reduced amplitude of B (F=27.38, P=0.00), significantly delayed reaction time (F=50.30, P=0.00). Compared to HC, the course of PINV in the DS group significantly shortened, while it was significantly delayed in the NDS group (F=15.32, P=0.00). Only in DS, when compared with that in HC, the latency of point A in CNV was delayed (F=61.01, P=0.00). There was no significant difference among three groups in both area of A-S2’ (F=2.34, P=0.10) and area of PINV (F=1.07, P=0.35). Amplitude of B and the course of PINV in the DS group correlated negatively with PANSS subscale of negative symptoms (r= –0.94, –0.89, respectively, Plt;0.05), whereas in the NDS group amplitude of B correlated negatively with PANSS subscale of positive symptoms (r= –0.87, Plt;0.05), but the course of PINV correlated positively with PANSS subscale of positive symptoms (r=0.88, Plt;0.05). Latency of point A in CNV, which was delayed in the DS group, correlated negatively with GAF (r= –0.48, Plt;0.05). Conclusion Generalized abnormalities of CNV existed in DS and NDS, while DS may cause more impairments in CNV than in NDS. The latency of point A in CNV may predict the social function outcomes of DS.