Ali Bozkurt

Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance in major depression: effect of sertraline therapy.

The specific associations between antidepressant treatment and alterations in the levels of cytokines remain to be elucidated. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of IL-2, IL-4, IL-12, TNF-α, TGF-β1, and MCP-1 in major depression and to investigate the effects of sertraline therapy. Cytokine and chemokine levels were measured at the time of admission and 8 weeks after sertraline treatment. Our results suggest that the proinflammatory cytokines (IL-2, IL-12, and TNF-α) and MCP-1 were significantly higher, whereas anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and TGF-β1 were significantly lower in patients with major depression than those of healthy controls. It seems likely that the sertraline therapy might have exerted immunomodulatory effects through a decrease in the proinflammatory cytokine IL-12 and an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and TGF-β1. In conclusion, our results indicate that Th1-, Th2-, and Th3-type cytokines are altered in the depressed patients and some of them might have been corrected by sertraline treatment.

Mirtazapine augmentation in depressed patients with sexual dysfunction due to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

To evaluate the effect of mirtazapine augmentation in patients with sexual dysfunction induced by current selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment.

Temperament and character properties of male psoriasis patients.

Personality properties have an effect on the onset and triggering of psoriasis. The current study aimed to examine the personality of psoriasis patients in relation to the severity of the illness. Psoriasis and healthy participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory, Temperament and Character Inventory. Severity of psoriasis was evaluated by the PASI. MANCOVA results revealed significantly higher Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence and Self-Transcendence scores for psoriasis group. Severity of PASI was predicted by harm avoidance and reward dependence. Personality properties should be evaluated while planning therapeutic interventions for psoriasis patients.

Aripiprazole augmentation of serotonin reuptake inhibitors in treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: a 10-week open-label study

IntroductionStudies investigating the aripiprazole augmentation treatment of serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI)-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are insufficient. The aim of the present pilot study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of flexible doses of aripiprazole as an augmenting agent in SRI-resistant OCD patients.MethodsOCD patients who met the criteria of this study were followed up with flexible doses of aripiprazole augmentation over a 10-week period. Effectiveness of treatment was evaluated via the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and Clinical Global Impressions-Severity of Illness (CGI-S) and -Improvement (CGI-I) scales. At the end of the 10-week follow-up period, patients who showed an improvement of ≥30% for the Y-BOCS total score from baseline were considered responders.ResultsThirty patients met the study inclusion criteria; three patients did not agree to participate, and four patients dropped out of the study. The differences between baseline and scores at 10 weeks for the parameters studied were as follows: Y-BOCS scores: 32.0±6.3–24.0±8.1 (Z=4.2, P<0.05); Y-BOCS compulsion subscore: 15.0±4.2–11.5±4.3 (Z=4.01, P<0.05); Y-BOCS obsession subscore: 17.0±2.6–12.4±4.0 (Z=4.1, P<0.05); and CGI-S scores: 4.8±0.8–3.1±1.2 (Z=3.9, P<0.05). Patients showed a significant improvement over the 10-week study period; however, only seven of 23 patients (30.4%) who completed the study met the criteria determined for treatment response.ConclusionDespite the limited number of cases and open-label design of this study, results support the notion that adding aripiprazole to SRIs could be a valid strategy for treatmentresistant OCD patients.

Quality of sexual life in men with obstructive sleep apnoea

The study investigated the quality of sexual life of male obstructive sleep apnoea patients. Apnoea and non-apnoea participants were assessed with Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) before the sleep test. Folicule Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinising Hormone (LH), prolactin, testosterone and oestrogen levels were also evaluated. The apnoea group had a higher BMI and lower LH and testosterone levels than the non-apnoea group. There were no differences between the apnoea, non-apnoea groups and within the apnoea groups (mild, moderate and high apnoea) in terms of sexual satisfaction. Although there was a change in the hormonal levels of obstructive sleep apnoea patients, the sexual life of apnoea patients was not affected at the clinical level.