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Low neuromuscular fitness is documented in adolescents with CHD and may be associated with clinical and morphological factors, indicating the need to assess strength in this population.
Objective:
To evaluate neuromuscular fitness with a multifactorial approach and its associations with other clinical and morphological factors in adolescents with CHD.
Methods:
This is an observational, cross-sectional study with adolescents with CHD, aged between 10 and 18 years. Neuromuscular fitness was calculated by the sum of the z-scores of four strength tests. Clinical factors of CHD were assessed by medical records and questionnaire. The morphological factors assessed were waist-to-height ratio, sum of skinfolds, and upper arm muscle area. Descriptive statistics, analysis of covariance, and linear regressions were performed.
Results:
Sixty adolescents with CHD participated, aged 12,7 ± 2,1 years, 55% girls. Maximum isometric strength was inadequate in 33%, jump height (power) in 33%, abdominal muscle strength resistance in 78%, and upper limb muscle strength resistance in 27%. Neuromuscular fitness was inadequate in 89% (n = 53) of adolescents with CHD. In the unadjusted regression, neuromuscular fitness was associated with arm muscle area (β = 0,12; p = 0,02; R2adj = 0,08) and in the unadjusted and adjusted regression it was lower in cyanotic (vs. acyanotic) CHDs (β = −1,76; p = 0,03 R2adj = 0,24).
Conclusion:
The findings reveal deficits in different presentations of musculoskeletal strength in a large proportion of adolescents with CHD, reinforcing the need to measure fitness from a broader perspective. Low muscle mass and the presence of cyanotic CHD may imply in reduced neuromuscular fitness in adolescents with CHD.
The aim of the study was to evaluate calcium anacardate (CAn), associated or not with citric acid (CAc) in laying hen diets on performance, egg quality, serum biochemical profile, serum lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and catalase (CAT) in reproductive tissue. A total of 432 laying hens from 63 to 74 weeks of age, were distributed in nine diets: Control; 0.25% CAn; 0.25% of CAn associated with 0.25% CAc; 0.50% CAn; 0.50% CAn associated with 0.25% CAc; 0.50% CAn associated with 0.50% CAc; 0.75% of CAn; 0.75% CAn associated with 0.25% CAc; 0.75% CAn associated with 0.50% CAc. There was no effect of CAn or CAc on laying hen performance. Yolk colour showed greater pigmentation for 0.75% CAn and its associations with CAc (0.25% and 0.50%). Lower egg yolk oxidation was observed for an isolated dose of 0.75% CAn. Higher values of TBARs were observed in eggs from birds fed control diet; 0.25% CAn; 0.50% CAn associated with 25% CAc and 0.75% CAn associated with 0.25 and 0.50% CAc. Dietary inclusion of CAn (0.75%) and its association with CAc (0.50% CAn with 0.50 CAc) for late-phase laying hens reduce serum peroxidation. CAn from 0.50% associated with CAc increases catalase in magnum. The addition of 0.75% CAn increases yolk pigmentation, reduces lipid oxidation in the yolk and blood plasma and increases CAT activity in the magnum in late-stage laying hens. These benefits can also be obtained with the combination of 0.50% CAn and 0.50% CAc.
Background: Neck vessel imaging is often performed in hyperacute stroke to allow neurointerventionalists to estimate access complexity. This study aimed to assess clinician agreement on catheterization strategies based on imaging in these scenarios. Methods: An electronic portfolio of 60 patients with acute ischemic stroke was sent to 53 clinicians. Respondents were asked: (1) the difficulty of catheterization through femoral access with a regular Vertebral catheter, (2) whether to use a Simmons or reverse-curve catheter initially, and (3) whether to consider an alternative access site. Agreement was assessed using Fleiss’ Kappa statistics. Results: Twenty-two respondents (7 neurologists, 15 neuroradiologists) completed the survey. Overall there was slight interrater agreement (κ=0.17, 95% CI: 0.10–0.25). Clinicians with >50 cases annually had better agreement (κ=0.22) for all questions than those with fewer cases (κ=0.07). Agreement did not significantly differ by imaging modality: CTA (κ=0.18) and MRA (κ=0.14). In 40/59 cases (67.80%), at least 25% of clinicians disagreed on whether to use a Simmons or reverse-curve catheter initially. Conclusions: Agreement on catheterization strategies remains fair at best. Our results suggest that visual assessment of pre-procedural vessels imaging is not reliable for the estimation of endovascular access complexity.
The Santa Marta Sabrewing Campylopterus phainopeplus is listed as a “Critically Endangered” hummingbird endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. Prior to 2022, there were only three documented sightings of the sabrewing since it was described in 1879, including only one record between 1946 and 2022. As a result, this “lost” species has long been one of the most poorly known birds in Colombia. We located a resident population of Santa Marta Sabrewing along the Guatapurí River near the Chemesquemena and Guatapurí villages in July 2022, and at its type locality, San José, in January 2023. Based on historical data and newly collected field observations, we assess the species’ status and describe aspects of its natural history and ecology. Our review indicates that the species has been frequently misidentified in the past, and that to date, documented evidence of its presence is limited to four localities, all of them restricted to the south-eastern slope of the SNSM, along the mid Guatapurí River basin. Consequently, this bird appears to represent a case of microendemism. This species is likely to remain listed as Critically Endangered until conclusive evidence suggests otherwise. Field observations indicate that the species is highly associated with watercourses, where males hold year-round territories and form leks. We obtained records of males in mid-elevation habitats (1,150–1,850 m) for 16 consecutive months between July 2022 and October 2023, suggesting that the species might not be an elevational migrant, as previously speculated. More information is needed to understand the species’ ecology so that effective conservation actions can be designed in collaboration with the indigenous communities with which the species coexists.
Epidemiological evidence shows a concerning rise in youth mental health difficulties over the past three decades. Most evidence, however, comes from countries in Europe or North America, with far less known about changes in other global regions. This study aimed to compare adolescent mental health across two population-based cohorts in the UK, and two population-based cohorts in Pelotas, Brazil.
Methods
Four population-based cohorts with identical mental health measures were compared. In Brazil, these included the 1993 Pelotas Birth Cohort and the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort. In the UK, cohorts included the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, and the Millennium Cohort Study. Mental health was measured in all cohorts using identical, parent-rated scores from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). This was assessed in both countries over approximately the same time periods, when adolescents were aged 11 (2004 vs 2015 in Brazil, and 2003 vs 2012 in the UK), with follow-up analyses focused on outcomes in later adolescence.
Results
Mental health problems were higher in the UK for adolescents born in the early 2000s compared to those born in the early 1990s. In Pelotas, the opposite was found, whereby problems were lower for adolescents born in the early 2000s compared to those born in the early 1990s. Despite these promising reductions in mental health problems in Pelotas over time, SDQ scores remained higher in Pelotas compared to the UK.
Conclusions
Our study represents the first to compare two population-based cohorts in the UK, and two population-based cohorts in Pelotas, Brazil, to understand how mental health problems have changed over time across the two settings. Our findings provide the most up-to-date insight into population-level rates of youth mental health problems in Pelotas, and shed novel insight into how these have changed over the last two decades in comparison to the UK. In doing so, our study provides a tentative first step towards understanding youth mental health over time at a more global scale, and presents a valuable opportunity to examine putative contributors to differences across time.
We present a novel scheme for rapid quantitative analysis of debris generated during experiments with solid targets following relativistic laser–plasma interaction at high-power laser facilities. Results are supported by standard analysis techniques. Experimental data indicate that predictions by available modelling for non-mass-limited targets are reasonable, with debris of the order of hundreds of μg per shot. We detect for the first time two clearly distinct types of debris emitted from the same interaction. A fraction of the debris is ejected directionally, following the target normal (rear and interaction side). The directional debris ejection towards the interaction side is larger than on the side of the target rear. The second type of debris is characterized by a more spherically uniform ejection, albeit with a small asymmetry that favours ejection towards the target rear side.
Although radiocarbon-accelerator mass spectrometry (14C-AMS) is an important tool for the establishment of soil chronology, its application is challenging due to the complex nature of soil samples. In the present study, chemical extraction methodologies were tested to obtain the most representative age of Amazonian soil deposition by 14C-AMS. We performed acid hydrolysis with different numbers of extractions, as well as treatments combining acid and bases and quartered and non-quartered samples. The ages of the soil organic matter (SOM) fractions were compared to the ages of naturally buried charcoal samples at similar depths. The results showed that the age of the non-hydrolyzable inert fraction of soil was closer to the age of charcoal and older than the ages of humin. It was also observed that the quartering process can influence the results, since the dating of the humin fraction showed variability in the results. Our results are important to provide information about the most suitable method for the 14C-AMS dating of soil samples for paleoenvironment reconstruction studies.
Understanding the physics of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) emission and nozzle damage is critical for the long-term operation of laser experiments with gas targets, particularly at facilities looking to produce stable sources of radiation at high repetition rates. We present a theoretical model of plasma formation and electrostatic charging when high-power lasers are focused inside gases. The model can be used to estimate the amplitude of gigahertz EMPs produced by the laser and the extent of damage to the gas jet nozzle. Looking at a range of laser and target properties relevant to existing high-power laser systems, we find that EMP fields of tens to hundreds of kV/m can be generated several metres from the gas jet. Model predictions are compared with measurements of EMPs, plasma formation and nozzle damage from two experiments on the VEGA-3 laser and one experiment on the Vulcan Petawatt laser.
The genus Enenterum Linton, 1910 comprises species which parasitize herbivorous kyphosid fish. In the present study, a new species is described based on fresh specimens collected from Kyphosus incisor from Rio de Janeiro. The new species is characterized by having the oral sucker infundibuliform with 10 lobes, prepharynx two times longer than pharynx, presence of oesophagus, testes slightly lobed, round ovary and rectum with muscular sphincter connected to the anus. New genetic sequences include partial 18S and 28S rDNA and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2. The phylogenetic analyses place Enenterum gomesae n. sp. as sister of Enenterum aureum, corroborating the morphological analyses. Enenterum aureum (=E. pimelopteri) previously described from Kyphosus spp. from Rio de Janeiro is now considered E. gomesae n. sp. The new species represents the only South American species so far described for this genus.
The relevance of education and outreach (E&O) activities about the Antarctic Treaty has been recognized at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM) and at the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP). This study examines the key topics and the target audiences detailed in papers submitted to the ATCM on E&O. Since the Antarctic Treaty entered into force in 1961, a total of 216 ATCM papers on E&O have been produced. The number of papers has increased substantially since the mid-1990s. ‘Science’ (76.9%) and ‘Wildlife/Biodiversity/Environment’ (75.5%) were the most addressed topics in these papers, while the ‘Public’ (81.0%) and those attending ‘Schools’ (69.0%) are the main target audiences. ‘Science’ in ATCM papers increased ~120-fold from 1961–1997 to 2015–2023, while ATCM papers discussing engagement with the ‘Public’ increased ~40-fold during the same period. ‘Climate change’ was first mentioned in 2006, and the number of papers per year increased fourfold by 2015–2023. This study shows the increasing interest in E&O through time, addressing key topics to relevant audiences related to the Antarctic region. From an educational perspective, attention should be paid to emerging topics (e.g. equity, diversity and inclusion), and the engagement of early-career professionals and educators should be made a priority.
The association between cannabis and psychosis is established, but the role of underlying genetics is unclear. We used data from the EU-GEI case-control study and UK Biobank to examine the independent and combined effect of heavy cannabis use and schizophrenia polygenic risk score (PRS) on risk for psychosis.
Methods
Genome-wide association study summary statistics from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the Genomic Psychiatry Cohort were used to calculate schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder (CUD) PRS for 1098 participants from the EU-GEI study and 143600 from the UK Biobank. Both datasets had information on cannabis use.
Results
In both samples, schizophrenia PRS and cannabis use independently increased risk of psychosis. Schizophrenia PRS was not associated with patterns of cannabis use in the EU-GEI cases or controls or UK Biobank cases. It was associated with lifetime and daily cannabis use among UK Biobank participants without psychosis, but the effect was substantially reduced when CUD PRS was included in the model. In the EU-GEI sample, regular users of high-potency cannabis had the highest odds of being a case independently of schizophrenia PRS (OR daily use high-potency cannabis adjusted for PRS = 5.09, 95% CI 3.08–8.43, p = 3.21 × 10−10). We found no evidence of interaction between schizophrenia PRS and patterns of cannabis use.
Conclusions
Regular use of high-potency cannabis remains a strong predictor of psychotic disorder independently of schizophrenia PRS, which does not seem to be associated with heavy cannabis use. These are important findings at a time of increasing use and potency of cannabis worldwide.
We consider the constrained-degree percolation model in a random environment (CDPRE) on the square lattice. In this model, each vertex v has an independent random constraint $\kappa_v$ which takes the value $j\in \{0,1,2,3\}$ with probability $\rho_j$. The dynamics is as follows: at time $t=0$ all edges are closed; each edge e attempts to open at a random time $U(e)\sim \mathrm{U}(0,1]$, independently of all the other edges. It succeeds if at time U(e) both its end vertices have degrees strictly smaller than their respective constraints. We obtain exponential decay of the radius of the open cluster of the origin at all times when its expected size is finite. Since CDPRE is dominated by Bernoulli percolation, this result is meaningful only if the supremum of all values of t for which the expected size of the open cluster of the origin is finite is larger than $\frac12$. We prove this last fact by showing a sharp phase transition for an intermediate model.
Cannabis use and familial vulnerability to psychosis have been associated with social cognition deficits. This study examined the potential relationship between cannabis use and cognitive biases underlying social cognition and functioning in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP), their siblings, and controls.
Methods
We analyzed a sample of 543 participants with FEP, 203 siblings, and 1168 controls from the EU-GEI study using a correlational design. We used logistic regression analyses to examine the influence of clinical group, lifetime cannabis use frequency, and potency of cannabis use on cognitive biases, accounting for demographic and cognitive variables.
Results
FEP patients showed increased odds of facial recognition processing (FRP) deficits (OR = 1.642, CI 1.123–2.402) relative to controls but not of speech illusions (SI) or jumping to conclusions (JTC) bias, with no statistically significant differences relative to siblings. Daily and occasional lifetime cannabis use were associated with decreased odds of SI (OR = 0.605, CI 0.368–0.997 and OR = 0.646, CI 0.457–0.913 respectively) and JTC bias (OR = 0.625, CI 0.422–0.925 and OR = 0.602, CI 0.460–0.787 respectively) compared with lifetime abstinence, but not with FRP deficits, in the whole sample. Within the cannabis user group, low-potency cannabis use was associated with increased odds of SI (OR = 1.829, CI 1.297–2.578, FRP deficits (OR = 1.393, CI 1.031–1.882, and JTC (OR = 1.661, CI 1.271–2.171) relative to high-potency cannabis use, with comparable effects in the three clinical groups.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest increased odds of cognitive biases in FEP patients who have never used cannabis and in low-potency users. Future studies should elucidate this association and its potential implications.
This article aims to evaluate the sociodemographic determinants of ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption in the Brazilian population ≥ 10 years of age. The study used data from the personal and resident food consumption module of the Family Budget Surveys, grouping foods according to the NOVA classification of food processing. The classification and regression tree (CART) was used to identify the factors determining the lowest to highest percentage participation of UPF in the Brazilian population. UPF accounted for 37·0 % of energy content in 2017–2018. In the end, eight nodes of UPF consumption were identified, with household situation, education in years, age in years and per capita family income being the determining factors identified in the CART. The lowest consumption of UPF occurred among individuals living in rural areas with less than 4 years of education (23·78 %), while the highest consumption occurred among individuals living in urban areas, < 30 years of age and with per capita income ≥ US$257 (46·27 %). The determining factors identified in CART expose the diverse pattern of UPF consumption in the Brazilian population, especially conditions directly associated with access to these products, such as penetration in urban/rural regions. Through the results of this study, it may be possible to identify focal points for action in policies and actions to mitigate UPF consumption.
Sustained alcohol intake, when combined with incomplete treatment, can result in chronic structural changes in the Central Nervous System, including generalized cortical and cerebellar atrophy, amnesic syndromes like Korsakoff’s syndrome, and white matter disorders such as Central Pontine Myelinolysis and Marchiafava-Bignami syndrome. It is crucial to prevent these complications due to their potential for irreversible and debilitating consequences. For Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, early recognition and thiamine administration for prevention are paramount, as it arises from thiamine deficiency due to malnutrition caused by persistent alcohol use. In the case of Central Pontine Myelinolysis, which is caused by abrupt fluctuations in serum osmolality, controlled sodium correction is essential.
Objectives
Through a clinical case and a review of published literature, this study aims to reflect on the importance of preventing neurological injuries associated with chronic alcohol consumption, specifically Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome and Central Pontine Myelinolysis.
Methods
A literature review was conducted by searching for articles on PubMed using the terms “Alcohol Use Disorder,” “Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome,” and “Central pontine myelinolysis.” A clinical case is presented, featuring a 50-year-old patient with alcohol use disorder who developed Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and Central Pontine Myelinolysis. Considering this case, we reflect on the primary approaches that could have been beneficial in preventing these complications and propose a straightforward method for doing so.
Results
A 50-year-old patient presented with poor general condition, characterized by low weight, significant loss of strength in the limbs and arms, and incoherent speech with anterograde amnesia and confabulation. This condition had progressed to a point where the patient could no longer walk, perform basic self-care tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating independently, underscoring the severity of his condition. The diagnoses of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and Central Pontine Myelinolysis were established based on clinical manifestations and the presence of hyperintense lesions observed in the central pons on T2/FLAIR axial MRI scans. This clinical case highlights the importance of proper and precocious prevention of complications in patients with alcohol use disorder. The foremost step in preventing these complications is to treat alcohol dependence effectively, even when faced with patient resistance. It’s vital to remain vigilant about potential complications and implement suitable prophylactic measures.
Conclusions
The devastating effects of complications arising from Alcohol Use Disorder, such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and Central Pontine Myelinolysis, underscore the importance of enhanced attention that clinicians should provide when approaching these patients at all clinical interactions.
This is a descriptive cross-sectional clinical study with professionals from the Nursing Team (Nursing Assistant, Nursing Technician and Nurse).
Objectives
To assess the psychological impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on nursing staff professionals.
Methods
A descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional study will be applied to a structured interview aimed at collecting sociodemographic and occupational data, Mental Health Scales evaluating professional exhaustion - Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and Beck’s Anxiety Rating Scale to assess the state of anxiety.
Results
About 13,587 nursing professionals were interviewed, including nurses, technicians and nursing assistants. They were evidenced through the behavior indexes related to insomnia, the desire to cry and appetite variation may be related to the long working hours, the fear of contamination and the consequent absence from work, as well as the fear of getting sick may be related to the fact that the professional stops being a caregiver and starts to be cared for.
Conclusions
the study denotes the importance and need for interventions to promote and prevent mental well-being in health professionals exposed to COVID-19, these need to be implemented immediately, for nursing professionals, as they are on the front line, demanding attention Special. In this sense, the Nursing Council of the State of São Paulo created and implemented some bills such as the Obligation of Rest Rooms in Health Units, the Cuidando de Quem Cuida Program and the Yellow September Campaign in Allusion to actions for Nursing professionals for the prevention and promotion in mental health category.
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11th 2020. Since then, the containment measures were leading to increasing mental health problems in the general population and worsening of some pre‑existing psychiatric conditions. To our knowledge, there are few studies characterizing the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on psychiatric hospitalizations across the world.
Objectives
We aimed to compare the number and characteristics of the hospitalizations in the mental health department of a Portuguese psychiatric hospital from March 2nd 2019 to October 31st 2019 with those that occurred in the same period in 2020.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective observational study including all patients admitted to hospital during these periods (n=805). Sociodemographic data, clinical characteristics and information about the context of hospitalization were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using t Student Test, Mann‑Whitney and Chi‑square.
Results
In the pandemic period there was a marked reduction in the number of psychiatric hospitalizations. There was a statistically significant difference in the median length of stay and in the percentage of involuntary hospitalizations between the two periods. In 2019, the most frequent International Classification of Diseases (10th Revision) diagnostic categories were F30‑F39 (mood disorders) and in 2020 were F20‑F29 (schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders).
Conclusions
The reorganization of services and the decrease in admissions through the emergency department may explain these results.
Antipsychotics are the primary class of drugs used to manage schizophrenia. These medications help control and reduce the severity of these symptoms, allowing individuals with schizophrenia to better function. On the other hand, rifampicin, used as treatment for tuberculosis, is a powerful inducer of several drug-metabolizing enzymes which have the potential to decrease the plasma levels of antipsychotics. Therefore, the presence of multiple pharmacokinetic interactions can alter how antipsychotics are metabolized, leading to a notable clinical impact when these medications are administered concurrently.
Objectives
The objective is to share valuable clinical experiences and insights to aid healthcare providers in making informed decisions when faced with the challenge of co-administering antipsychotics with rifampicin, ultimately ensuring the safety and efficacy of treatment for their patients.
Methods
It will be discussed a case of a 41-year-old woman with the diagnosis of schizophrenia under treatment with paliperidone palmitate and clozapine who had a sudden relapse after starting treatment for latent tuberculosis with rifampicin as a framework for a literature review based off Pubmed.
Results
The antituberculosis drug rifampicin induces drug-metabolizing enzymes in the liver, having the greatest effects on the expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP3A4) and therefore can lead to a decrease in the plasma levels of antipsychotic medications that also rely on these pathways for clearance. In this particular case, although specific data on clozapine and paliperidone concentrations were not reported, fluctuations in symptomatology following rifampicin introduction were probably explained by an inducing effect of this drug on their metabolism. So, when initiating rifampicin treatment and when discontinuing it, clinicians should carefully assess the dosages of any concomitant medications that may potentially interact with rifampicin. To ensure effective therapy during rifampicin treatment, it is crucial to monitor both the patient’s clinical response and their blood drug concentrations, making dosage adjustments as necessary.
Conclusions
This case report offers valuable guidance to clinicians on safely and effectively managing drug interactions between antipsychotic medications and rifampicin, ensuring the well-being of their patients during treatment. The co-administration of these medications lacks robust clinical evidence, and notably, there is insufficient data regarding its impact on plasma antipsychotic levels, a crucial factor in determining clinical effectiveness.
Lithium is a well-established mood stabilizer used in the management of bipolar disorder, that is generally well-tolerated; however, it is associated with rare but potentially severe neurological side effects. Lithium-induced encephalopathy is characterized by a spectrum of symptoms, ranging from subtle cognitive deficits to severe manifestations such as altered mental status to overt delirium, seizures and coma. Risk factors include advanced age, concomitant medication and underlying renal impairment. This symptoms do not consistentely correlate with lithium concentrations.
Objectives
This abstract aims to provide an overview of the clinical characteristics, underlying mechanisms, and management of lithium-induced encephalopathy.
Methods
We discuss a case of a 62-years-old woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder under treatment with lithium and olanzapine, without recent changes of posology. She presented to emergency department with subacute and fluctuating neuropsychiatric symptoms, including confusion, disorientation in time and space, complex visual hallucinations, delusional ideas, alteration in memory and logic thinking, dysarthria and dyspraxia. Neuroimaging showed no structural abnormalities, blood tests were normal and serum lithium levels were within the therapeutic range (0.8 mEq/L). Upon discontinuation of lithium, the patient exhibited a gradual resolution of symptoms. We conducted a comprehensive search of medical databases, including PubMed, to identify relevant articles related to lithium encephalopathy published up to September 2023.
Results
This case challenges the conventionally established threshold of elevated serum lithium levels in the development of encephalopathy. The underlying pathophysiology is complex and multifactorial, with proposed mechanisms including alterations in neurotransmitter balance, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and individual susceptibility to idiosyncratic reactions. Early diagnosis is challenging, necessitating a high clinical suspicion, neuroimaging and exclusion of other etiologies. Management strategies involve discontinuation of lithium, even when serum lithium levels are within the therapeutic range, supportive care, and, in severe cases, hemodialysis to reduce lithium levels rapidly.
Conclusions
Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion of lithium-induced encephalopathy, especially in patients presenting with neurological symptoms while on lithium treatment. Early recognition and intervention are essential for minimizing morbidity and preventing potentially irreversible neurological damage. Further research is needed to better understand the precise mechanisms underlying it, risk factors and to refine treatment strategies.
tardive dysphoria is a relatively new term used to describe the phenomenon of clinical worsening of depression after long-term antidepressant use. Most of the theories proposed to explain this talk about antidepressants tachyphylaxis that implies the loss of efficacy with its prolonged use, or even a pro-depressant effect of antidepressants when used for long periods of time.
Objectives
to explore the concept of tardive dysphoria, potential causes and clinical implications, by making a literature review on the topic. Moreover we pretend to understand the challenges in its diagnosis and treatment.
Methods
bibliographical search in PubMed database, using the key-words “long-term antidepressant”, “tardive dysphoria” and “antidepressant tachyphylaxis”, limited to works published in the last twenty years.
Results
from our search resulted 53 articles, 26 were chosen for further analysis.
Conclusions
the concept of tardive dysphoria is controversial, namely doubt persists if it constitutes a clinical entity by itself caused by long-term antidepressant use or if it simply relates to cases of treatment-resistant depression. We conclude that it is necessary further investigation in this area given the significant implications on clinical practice specifically in the psychopharmacological treatment with antidepressants, which is very common in psychiatric and general practices, with antidepressants being used to treat many mental health conditions.