4 results
Gender, age at onset, and duration of being ill as predictors for the long-term course and outcome of schizophrenia: an international multicenter study
- Konstantinos N. Fountoulakis, Elena Dragioti, Antonis T. Theofilidis, Tobias Wiklund, Xenofon Atmatzidis, Ioannis Nimatoudis, Erik Thys, Martien Wampers, Luchezar Hranov, Trayana Hristova, Daniil Aptalidis, Roumen Milev, Felicia Iftene, Filip Spaniel, Pavel Knytl, Petra Furstova, Tiina From, Henry Karlsson, Maija Walta, Raimo K. R. Salokangas, Jean-Michel Azorin, Justine Bouniard, Julie Montant, Georg Juckel, Ida S. Haussleiter, Athanasios Douzenis, Ioannis Michopoulos, Panagiotis Ferentinos, Nikolaos Smyrnis, Leonidas Mantonakis, Zsófia Nemes, Xenia Gonda, Dora Vajda, Anita Juhasz, Amresh Shrivastava, John Waddington, Maurizio Pompili, Anna Comparelli, Valentina Corigliano, Elmars Rancans, Alvydas Navickas, Jan Hilbig, Laurynas Bukelskis, Lidija I. Stevovic, Sanja Vodopic, Oluyomi Esan, Oluremi Oladele, Christopher Osunbote, Janusz K. Rybakowski, Pawel Wojciak, Klaudia Domowicz, Maria L. Figueira, Ludgero Linhares, Joana Crawford, Anca-Livia Panfil, Daria Smirnova, Olga Izmailova, Dusica Lecic-Tosevski, Henk Temmingh, Fleur Howells, Julio Bobes, Maria P. Garcia-Portilla, Leticia García-Alvarez, Gamze Erzin, Hasan Karadağ, Avinash De Sousa, Anuja Bendre, Cyril Hoschl, Cristina Bredicean, Ion Papava, Olivera Vukovic, Bojana Pejuskovic, Vincent Russell, Loukas Athanasiadis, Anastasia Konsta, Nikolaos K. Fountoulakis, Dan Stein, Michael Berk, Olivia Dean, Rajiv Tandon, Siegfried Kasper, Marc De Hert
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- Journal:
- CNS Spectrums / Volume 27 / Issue 6 / December 2022
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 09 August 2021, pp. 716-723
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Background
The aim of the current study was to explore the effect of gender, age at onset, and duration on the long-term course of schizophrenia.
MethodsTwenty-nine centers from 25 countries representing all continents participated in the study that included 2358 patients aged 37.21 ± 11.87 years with a DSM-IV or DSM-5 diagnosis of schizophrenia; the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale as well as relevant clinicodemographic data were gathered. Analysis of variance and analysis of covariance were used, and the methodology corrected for the presence of potentially confounding effects.
ResultsThere was a 3-year later age at onset for females (P < .001) and lower rates of negative symptoms (P < .01) and higher depression/anxiety measures (P < .05) at some stages. The age at onset manifested a distribution with a single peak for both genders with a tendency of patients with younger onset having slower advancement through illness stages (P = .001). No significant effects were found concerning duration of illness.
DiscussionOur results confirmed a later onset and a possibly more benign course and outcome in females. Age at onset manifested a single peak in both genders, and surprisingly, earlier onset was related to a slower progression of the illness. No effect of duration has been detected. These results are partially in accord with the literature, but they also differ as a consequence of the different starting point of our methodology (a novel staging model), which in our opinion precluded the impact of confounding effects. Future research should focus on the therapeutic policy and implications of these results in more representative samples.
Socioeconomic influences on breastfeeding and weaning practices in a Mediterranean setting
- Justine Parnis, Neville Calleja, Petra Jones
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- Journal:
- Proceedings of the Nutrition Society / Volume 79 / Issue OCE2 / 2020
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 10 June 2020, E443
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The World Health Organisation (2016) recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age and the introduction of complementary foods at around 6 months. International literature suggests that although knowledge of the guidelines is high, only a minority of parents wait until 6 months to wean and sub-optimal weaning practices are common. The aim of this study was to assess breastfeeding and weaning practices and to evaluate the effect of socio-economic determinants on such behaviours in a Mediterranean setting.
A cross-sectional study design was used. One-time short interviews with 250 consenting mothers having 8 month old infants were conducted using a structured questionnaire. Mothers attending all the well baby clinics in the primary health care centres of the Maltese Islands for a period of two months were included in the study. The questionnaire included socio-economic and demographic data, details on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding, weaning practices and a short assessment of the infant's usual diet at 8 months.
Mothers between 25–34 years old (26%) and mothers with a high level of education (25%) were more likely to breastfeed only during the first 8 months of life without using any other type of milk, compared to younger (6.5%) or older (21%) mothers, and to mothers with a lower level of education (16%). The level of education was also positively associated with the continuation of breastfeeding, with the mean duration of breastfeeding for higher educated mothers being 4 months compared to 2.6 months in less educated mothers. Mothers with a lower level of education and mothers who are house-wives are more likely to give their infants only ready-made foods however associations were in this case borderline significant. On the other hand, appropriateness of weaning age was not associated with any socio-economic factors.
The length of breastfeeding and the introduction of complementary foods varied widely between mothers. Compliance with infant feeding guidelines was poor. The mother's age, level of education and employment status all have an impact on breastfeeding and weaning practices. The provision of professional advice and a supportive environment for mothers, together with interventions for increasing awareness may promote maternal adherence to WHO guideline.
Modeling psychological function in patients with schizophrenia with the PANSS: an international multi-center study
- Konstantinos N. Fountoulakis, Elena Dragioti, Antonis T. Theofilidis, Tobias Wiklund, Xenofon Atmatzidis, Ioannis Nimatoudis, Erik Thys, Martien Wampers, Luchezar Hranov, Trayana Hristova, Daniil Aptalidis, Roumen Milev, Felicia Iftene, Filip Spaniel, Pavel Knytl, Petra Furstova, Tiina From, Henry Karlsson, Maija Walta, Raimo K.R. Salokangas, Jean-Michel Azorin, Justine Bouniard, Julie Montant, Georg Juckel, Ida S. Haussleiter, Athanasios Douzenis, Ioannis Michopoulos, Panagiotis Ferentinos, Nikolaos Smyrnis, Leonidas Mantonakis, Zsófia Nemes, Xenia Gonda, Dora Vajda, Anita Juhasz, Amresh Shrivastava, John Waddington, Maurizio Pompili, Anna Comparelli, Valentina Corigliano, Elmars Rancans, Alvydas Navickas, Jan Hilbig, Laurynas Bukelskis, Lidija I. Stevovic, Sanja Vodopic, Oluyomi Esan, Oluremi Oladele, Christopher Osunbote, Janusz K. Rybakowski, Pawel Wojciak, Klaudia Domowicz, Maria L. Figueira, Ludgero Linhares, Joana Crawford, Anca-Livia Panfil, Daria Smirnova, Olga Izmailova, Dusica Lecic-Tosevski, Henk Temmingh, Fleur Howells, Julio Bobes, Maria P. Garcia-Portilla, Leticia García-Alvarez, Gamze Erzin, Hasan Karadağ, Avinash De Sousa, Anuja Bendre, Cyril Hoschl, Cristina Bredicean, Ion Papava, Olivera Vukovic, Bojana Pejuskovic, Vincent Russell, Loukas Athanasiadis, Anastasia Konsta, Dan Stein, Michael Berk, Olivia Dean, Rajiv Tandon, Siegfried Kasper, Marc De Hert
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- Journal:
- CNS Spectrums / Volume 26 / Issue 3 / June 2021
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 15 April 2020, pp. 290-298
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Background
The aim of the current study was to explore the changing interrelationships among clinical variables through the stages of schizophrenia in order to assemble a comprehensive and meaningful disease model.
MethodsTwenty-nine centers from 25 countries participated and included 2358 patients aged 37.21 ± 11.87 years with schizophrenia. Multiple linear regression analysis and visual inspection of plots were performed.
ResultsThe results suggest that with progression stages, there are changing correlations among Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale factors at each stage and each factor correlates with all the others in that particular stage, in which this factor is dominant. This internal structure further supports the validity of an already proposed four stages model, with positive symptoms dominating the first stage, excitement/hostility the second, depression the third, and neurocognitive decline the last stage.
ConclusionsThe current study investigated the mental organization and functioning in patients with schizophrenia in relation to different stages of illness progression. It revealed two distinct “cores” of schizophrenia, the “Positive” and the “Negative,” while neurocognitive decline escalates during the later stages. Future research should focus on the therapeutic implications of such a model. Stopping the progress of the illness could demand to stop the succession of stages. This could be achieved not only by both halting the triggering effect of positive and negative symptoms, but also by stopping the sensitization effect on the neural pathways responsible for the development of hostility, excitement, anxiety, and depression as well as the deleterious effect on neural networks responsible for neurocognition.
Reply to Iannicelli's (2012) Letter to the Editor
- B. Brandon Curry, Michael E. Konen, Timothy H. Larson, Catherine H. Yansa, Keith C. Hackley, Thomas V. Lowell, Justine Petras
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- Journal:
- Quaternary Research / Volume 77 / Issue 2 / March 2012
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 20 January 2017, pp. 332-334
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