Alessandra Talamo

Comorbid substance-use in schizophrenia: relation to positive and negative symptoms.

As substance use disorders (SUD) are common in schizophrenia patients, we tested the hypothesis that comorbid patients (SUD[+]) have more positive vs. negative symptoms than non-comorbid (SUD[-]) patients. From reports identified by literature-searching we compared Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) ratings in schizophrenia patients with and without SUD using meta-analytic methods. Among 9 comparisons (N=725 subjects), SUD[+] patients were more often men, and abused alcohol>cannabis>cocaine. SUD[+] patients had very significantly higher PANSS-positive, and lower PANSS-negative scores. Comorbid SUD in schizophrenia patients was associated with male sex and higher PANSS positive to lower negative scores. Cause-effect relationships remain to be clarified.

Health and Economic Burden of Metabolic Comorbidity Among Individuals With Bipolar Disorder

Objectives: To compare the prevalence and health care costs of metabolic conditions in patients with bipolar disorder to age- and sex-matched control patients using a large insurance claims database. Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical service and prescription claims from the Thomson Reuters (Healthcare) MarketScan Commercial Database (which includes claims information on >12 million employees with employer-based insurance and their dependents in the United States) was conducted. Claims data for 28,531 patients with bipolar disorder were compared for 1 year with data for 85,593 age- and sex-matched control patients with no mental health disorders and no psychotropic medication use. Results: Patients with bipolar disorder had a significantly higher prevalence of metabolic comorbidities than the general population (37% vs 30%, P < 0.0001), and annual medical service treatment costs for metabolic conditions were twice that of the control cohort (

Metabolic syndrome in psychiatrically hospitalized patients treated with antipsychotics and other psychotropics.

531 vs

Changes in medication practices for hospitalized psychiatric patients: 2009 versus 2004.

233, P < 0.0001). The bipolar cohort had significantly higher overall medical service and prescription drug costs than those of the control cohort (

Personality and psychopathological profiles in individuals exposed to mobbing

12,764 vs

Insight and awareness as related to psychopathology and cognition.

3,140, P < 0.0001). Prescription medication costs for metabolic conditions were higher as well, with bipolar cohort per-patient costs of

The long-term effects of extreme war-related trauma on the second generation of Holocaust survivors.

571 versus

The tension between dialogicality and interobjectivity in cooperative activities

301 for the control cohort (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Patients with bipolar disorder have significantly more metabolic comorbidities and higher medical costs than age- and sex-matched controls. Studies that link claims data with medical records or primary data collection pertaining to metabolic conditions may overcome limitations in the diagnostic information and outcome predictors. To reduce the medical and economic burden of bipolar disorder, strategies should be identified to prevent the development of metabolic comorbidities and improve medication adherence.

Suicide Attempters in the Emergency Department Before Hospitalization in a Psychiatric Ward

We evaluated prevalence and risk factors for metabolic syndrome in inpatients treated with antipsychotics, with or without other psychotropic drugs. Although the literature on metabolic syndrome in psychiatry has expanded in recent years, we seek to elucidate some of the remaining gaps by examining a severely and chronically ill population heavily treated with pharmacological agents.

Characteristics and clinical changes during hospitalization in bipolar and psychotic disorder patients with versus without substance-use disorders.

We tested the hypothesis that combinations and total daily doses of psychotropics for hospitalized patients diagnosed with major psychiatric disorders are rising.