Akhilesh Sharma

Psychoeducational intervention for caregivers of Indian patients with schizophrenia: a randomised‐controlled trial

Objective:  There are hardly any randomised‐controlled trials of structured family interventions for schizophrenia from India. This study attempted to evaluate the impact of a structured psychoeducational intervention for schizophrenia, compared with standard out‐patient treatment, on various patient‐ and caregiver‐related parameters.

Delirium in patients admitted to a cardiac intensive care unit with cardiac emergencies in a developing country: incidence, prevalence, risk factor and outcome.

AIM To assess the incidence, prevalence, risk factors and outcome of delirium in patients admitted to a cardiac intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary care hospital. METHODS Three hundred nine consecutive patients admitted to a 22-bed coronary care unit were screened for presence of delirium by using Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU), and those found positive on CAM-ICU were further evaluated by a psychiatrist to confirm the diagnosis of delirium as per DSM-IV-TR criteria. Patients were also evaluated for the risk factors for delirium and outcome of delirium. RESULTS Incidence rate of delirium was 9.27%, and prevalence rate was 18.77%. The risk factors identified for delirium in binary logistic regression analysis were hypokalemia, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, presence of cognitive deficits, receiving more than three medications, sepsis, hyponatremia, presence of cardiogenic shock, having undergone coronary artery bypass grafting, left ventricular ejection fraction <30, currently receiving opioids, age more than 65 years, presence of diabetes mellitus, presence of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, history of seizures, presence of congestive cardiac failure, having undergone angioplasty, presence of atrial fibrillation, ongoing depression, currently receiving/taking benzodiazepines, warfarin, ranitidine, steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, higher total number of medications, presence of raised creatinine, anaemia, hypoglycemia, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score and Charlson Comorbidity Index score. About one fourth (n=22; 27%) of the patients who developed delirium died during the hospital stay in contrast to 1% mortality in the non-delirious group. Those with delirium also had longer stay in the ICU. CONCLUSIONS Delirium is highly prevalent in the cardiac ICU setting and is associated with presence of many modifiable risk factors. Development of delirium increases the mortality risk and is associated with longer cardiac ICU stay.

Comparison of symptoms of delirium across various motoric subtypes

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between delirium motor subtypes and other symptoms of delirium.

Catatonia in inpatients with psychiatric disorders: A comparison of schizophrenia and mood disorders

This study aimed to evaluate the symptom threshold for making the diagnosis of catatonia. Further the objectives were to (1) to study the factor solution of Bush Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS); (2) To compare the prevalence and symptom profile of catatonia in patients with psychotic and mood disorders among patients admitted to the psychiatry inpatient of a general hospital psychiatric unit. 201 patients were screened for presence of catatonia by using BFCRS. By using cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, ROC curve, sensitivity and specificity analysis, data suggested that a threshold of 3 symptoms was able to correctly categorize 89.4% of patients with catatonia and 100% of patients without catatonia. Prevalence of catatonia was 9.45%. There was no difference in the prevalence rate and symptom profile of catatonia between those with schizophrenia and mood disorders (i.e., unipolar depression and bipolar affective disorder). Factor analysis of the data yielded 2 factor solutions, i.e., retarded and excited catatonia. To conclude this study suggests that presence of 3 symptoms for making the diagnosis of catatonia can correctly distinguish patients with and without catatonia. This is compatible with the recommendations of DSM-5. Prevalence of catatonia is almost equal in patients with schizophrenia and mood disorders.

Profile of presentation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection in North India, 2003-2007

Background: Clinico-epidemiological profile of the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in India is varied and depends on multitude of factors including geographic location. We analyzed the characteristics of HIV-infected patients attending our Immunodeficiency Clinic to determine any changes in their profile over five years. Settings and Design: A retrospective observational study. Materials and Methods: The study sample included all patients with HIV infection from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2007. Diagnosis of HIV was made according to National AIDS Control Organization guidelines. Results: Of 3 067 HIV-infected patients, 1 887 (61.5%) were male and 1 180 (38.5%) were female patients. Mean age of patients was 35.1 ± 9.0 years. Majority (91.8%) of patients were in the age group of 15 to 49 years. Progressively increasing proportion of female patients was noted from year 2004 onward. Median CD4 count at presentation in year 2003 was 197/μl (Interquartile range [IQR] = 82.5-373) while in year 2007 it was 186.5/μl (IQR = 86.3-336.8). Mean CD4 count of male patients was 203.7 ± 169.4/μl, significantly lower as compared with female patients, which was 284.8 ± 223.3/μl (P value ≤0.05). Every year, substantial proportions of patients presenting to clinic had CD4 count<200/μl indicating advanced disease. Predominant route of transmission was heterosexual in 2 507 (81.7%) patients. Tuberculosis and oropharyngeal candidiasis were the most common opportunistic infections (OIs). Cryptococcal meningitis was the most common central nervous infection. Our patients had comparatively lower median CD4 counts at the time of presentation with various OIs. Conclusions: Patients had advanced stage of HIV infection at the time of presentation throughout five years. Females presented earlier during the course of HIV infection. There is need for early screening and increasing awareness in healthcare providers to make a diagnosis of HIV much sooner.

Management of tardive syndromes with clozapine: A case series

Tardive syndromes are among the most debilitating side effects associated with use of antipsychotics. In this case series we present 5 cases of drug induced tardive syndromes, who had not responded to many of the other therapeutic measures but responded to clozapine. The response rate with clozapine varied from 50% to 100% and the response was seen by week 3 in most cases. Over the long term follow-up of as long as 6 years the response to clozapine was sustained. In two cases clozapine could be stopped.

Phenomenology of delirium among patients admitted to a coronary care unit

Abstract Aim: To study the phenomenology and motor sub-types of delirium in patients admitted in a Coronary Care Unit (CCU). Methods: Three hundred and nine consecutive patients were screened for delirium, and those found positive for the same were evaluated by a psychiatrist on DSM-IVTR criteria to confirm the diagnosis. Those with a diagnosis of delirium were evaluated on the DRS-R-98 to study the phenomenology and on the amended Delirium Motor Symptom Scale (DMSS) to study the motor sub-types. Results: Eighty-one patients were found to have delirium. Commonly seen symptoms of delirium included: disturbances in sleep–wake cycle, lability of affect, thought abnormality, disturbance in attention, disorientation, short-term memory, and long–term memory. Very few patients had delusions. More than half of the participants were categorized as having hyperactive (n = 46; 56.8%) followed by hypoactive sub-type (n = 21; 26%) and mixed sub-type (n = 9; 11.1%) of delirium. There were minor differences in the frequency and severity of symptoms of delirium between incidence and prevalence cases of delirium and those with different motoric sub-types. Conclusion: Delirium in CCU set-up is characterized by the symptoms of disturbances in sleep–wake cycle, lability of affect, thought abnormality, disturbance in attention, disorientation, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Hyperactive delirium is more common than hypoactive delirium.

Do the various categories of somatoform disorders differ from each other in symptom profile and psychological correlates.

Background: In routine clinical practice, the subcategories of various somatoform disorders are rarely used by the primary care physicians and there is lack of data to suggest any difference in the clinical manifestations of these subcategories. Aim: To compare the symptom profile, anxiety, depression, alexithymia, somato-sensory amplification and hypochondriasis of patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder with other subtypes of somatoform disorder. Method: A total of 119 patients diagnosed with somatoform disorders according to the International Classification of Diseases–10th Revision (ICD-10) were evaluated for prevalence of somatic symptoms, anxiety, depression, alexithymia, hypochondriacal worry and somato-sensory amplification. Results: No significant differences were found in the prevalence of various somatic complaints between those with persistent somatoform pain disorder group and those diagnosed with other somatoform disorders. Co-morbid anxiety and depression were seen in two-thirds of the patients, but again there was no difference in the prevalence of the same between the two groups. Similarly, no significant differences were found on alexithymia, hypochondriasis and somato-sensory amplification scales between the persistent somatoform pain disorder group and the group with other somatoform disorders. Conclusion: There are no significant differences between the various subcategories of somatoform disorders with regard to the prevalence of somatic symptoms, anxiety or depression and psychological correlates of alexithymia, hypochondriasis and somato-sensory amplification.

Symptom profile and outcome of delirium associated with alcohol withdrawal syndrome: A study from India

AIM To study the profile of delirium associated with alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) in a developing country in terms of symptomatology, associated risk factors/physical complications, and outcome. METHODOLOGY Using a prospective design, 112 patients in whom delirium could be attributed to AWS as either the sole or a contributory cause were assessed by Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 and the associated etiological factors were assessed by using delirium etiology checklist. FINDINGS In all patients, delirium was acute in onset and all patients had disturbance of sleep-wake cycle and inattention. Other common symptoms were: disorientation (99.1%), fluctuation in symptoms (97.3%), motor agitation (94.6%), and short-term memory disturbance (92.9%). In terms of delirium etiology checklist etiological categories, besides alcohol withdrawal, the most common factors were metabolic/endocrine abnormalities (76%), followed by organ insufficiency and infection (37% and 35%, respectively). Most patients (67%) improved or recovered completely from delirium during the short stay of 4 days. During the short stay of mean duration of 4 days 13.4% of the patients died during the hospital stay. CONCLUSION Delirium associated with alcohol withdrawal is characterized by an acute onset of symptoms with high prevalence of disturbance of sleep-wake cycle, inattention, disorientation, fluctuation in symptoms, motor agitation, and disturbance in short-term memory. There are certain differences in the symptom profile of delirium associated with alcohol withdrawal and that associated with medical-surgical causes. About one-sixth of the patients developing delirium due to alcohol withdrawal die during the short hospital stay of 4 days.

Complicated alcohol withdrawal presenting as self mutilation.

Self-mutilation has been defined as deliberate self injury to body tissue without the intent to die. There has been an association between substance abuse and self mutilation. Alcoholic hallucinosis is usually in auditory modality and regarded as harmless. But patients can indulge in self harm behavior when the hallucinosis is commanding type. We are presenting a case in which the patient inflicted multiple stab injury to his own abdomen in response to alcoholic hallucinosis. This has clinical implication to enquire about substance abuse in patients presenting to emergency setting.