Clementine Nordon

Risk of Death Related to Psychotropic Drug Use in Older People During the European 2003 Heatwave: A Population-Based Case–Control Study

OBJECTIVE The authors investigated the association between death of older people and use of psychotropic drugs before and during the Western European August 2003 heatwave. METHOD A retrospective population-based case-control study was conducted using the French social security insurance national database. Exposure to psychotropic drugs in cases aged 70-100 years who died before (N = 2,093) and during (N = 9,531) the August 2003 heatwave was compared with those of survivors matched for age, gender, and presence of chronic illness, by using conditional logistic regressions. RESULTS The association between death and psychotropic drug use was modified by level of external temperature (Wald chi(2) = 13.1, degree of freedom = 1, p <0.001). Use of any psychotropic drug was associated with a 30% increased risk of death during the heatwave, with a significant dose-response relationship between the number of psychotropic drugs and the risk of death (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for linear trend 1.25, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.21-1.29). During the heatwave, therapeutic classes independently associated with an increased risk of death were antidepressants (aOR 1.71, 95% CI: 1.57-1.86) and antipsychotics (aOR 2.09, 95% CI: 1.89-2.35), whereas exposure to anxiolytics/hypnotics use (aOR 0.85, 0.79-0.91) was associated with a decreased risk. Findings remained unchanged after adjustment on cardiotropic, antidementia, or anti-parkinsonian drug use. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that a causal relationship may exist between psychotropic drug use during a heatwave and increased risk of death in older people. The risk/benefit ratio of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs should be carefully assessed in older people during a heatwave.

Why do people with eating disorders drop out from inpatient treatment?: the role of personality factors.

Abstract Dropout rates from inpatient treatment for eating disorders are very high and have a negative impact on outcome. The purpose of this study was to identify personality factors predictive of dropout from hospitalization. A total of 64 adult patients with anorexia nervosa consecutively hospitalized in a specialized unit were included; 19 patients dropped out. The dropout group and the completer group were compared for demographic variables, clinical features, personality dimensions, and personality disorders. There was no link between clinical features and dropout, and among demographic variables, only age was associated with dropout. Personality factors, comorbidity with a personality disorder and Self-transcendence dimension, were statistically predictive of premature termination of hospitalization. In a multivariate model, these two factors remain significant. Personality traits (Temperament and Character Inventory personality dimension and comorbid personality disorder) are significantly associated with dropout from inpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa. Implications for clinical practice, to diminish the dropout rate, will be discussed.

Immune thrombocytopenia in adults: a prospective cohort study of clinical features and predictors of outcome

This prospective observational cohort study aimed to explore the clinical features of incident immune thrombocytopenia in adults and predictors of outcome, while determining if a family history of autoimmune disorder is a risk factor for immune thrombocytopenia. All adults, 18 years of age or older, recently diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia were consecutively recruited across 21 hospital centers in France. Data were collected at diagnosis and after 12 months. Predictors of chronicity at 12 months were explored using logistic regression models. The association between family history of autoimmune disorder and the risk of developing immune thrombocytopenia was explored using a conditional logistic regression model after matching each case to 10 controls. One hundred and forty-three patients were included: 63% female, mean age 48 years old (Standard Deviation=19), and 84% presented with bleeding symptoms. Median platelet count was 10×109/L. Initial treatment was required in 82% of patients. After 12 months, only 37% of patients not subject to disease-modifying interventions achieved cure. The sole possible predictor of chronicity at 12 months was a higher platelet count at baseline [Odds Ratio 1.03; 95%CI: 1.00, 1.06]. No association was found between outcome and any of the following features: age, sex, presence of either bleeding symptoms or antinuclear antibodies at diagnosis. Likewise, family history of autoimmune disorder was not associated with incident immune thrombocytopenia. Immune thrombocytopenia in adults has been shown to progress to a chronic form in the majority of patients. A lower platelet count could be indicative of a more favorable outcome.

Underweight patients with anorexia nervosa: Comparison of bioelectrical impedance analysis using five equations to dual X-ray absorptiometry

BACKGROUND & AIMS Body weight changes do not reflect the respective changes of body compartments, namely fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM). Both bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) and the Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measure FFM and FM. This study in underweight patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) aims to compare measurements of FM and FFM done by DXA and BIA using 5 different BIA equations already validated in healthy population and to identify the most suitable BIA equation for AN patients. METHODS Fifty female patients with AN (BMI=14.3 ± 1.49, age=19.98 ± 5.68yrs) were included in the study. Body composition was measured by DXA (Delphi W, Hologic, Bedford, MA) and by 50 kHz BIA (FORANA, Helios) using 5 different BIA equations validated in healthy population (Sun, Geneva, Kushner, Deurenberg and Roubenoff equations). Comparison between the DXA and the 5 BIA equations was done using the sum of the squares of differences and Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS The Deurenberg equation gave the best estimates of FFM when compared to the measurements by DXA (FFM(dxa)=35.80 kg versus FFM(deurenberg)=36.36 kg) and very close estimates of FM (FM(dxa)=9.16 kg and FM(deurenberg)=9.57 kg) The Kushner equation showed slightly better estimates for FM (FM(kushner)=9. 0kg) when compared to the DXA, but not for FFM. Sun equation gave the broadest differences for FM and FFM when compared with DXA. CONCLUSION The best available BIA equation to calculate the FFM and the FM in patients with AN is the Deurenberg equation. It takes into account the weight, height and age and is applicable in adults and adolescents AN patients with BMI of 12.8-21.0, and for ages between 13.4 and up to 36.9 years.

Antiepileptic drugs and risk of suicide attempts: a case-control study exploring the impact of underlying medical conditions.

Randomized‐controlled trials and claims databases suggest that antiepileptic drug (AED) use may increase the risk of suicide attempts (SA). The present case–control study explores the impact of underlying indications on this potential association.

Childhood immune thrombocytopenia: A nationwide cohort study on condition management and outcomes

Nationwide prospective cohort study exploring (i) the factors associated with treatment initiation (vs. watchful waiting) in children with primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) followed in routine clinical practice and (ii) the predictors of chronicity at 12 months.

Effect of an Institutional Medication Adherence Program for Long-Acting Injectable Risperidone on Adherence and Psychiatric Hospitalizations: Evidence From a Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND Long-acting injectable (LAI) atypical antipsychotics are associated with improved adherence and reduced relapse rates in schizophrenia but reminder-based interventions may further improve outcomes. OBJECTIVES To assess an institutional medication adherence programs (IMAP) effectiveness on adherence and psychiatric hospitalizations among schizophrenia patients taking risperidone LAI (RLAI). METHODS Between 2009 and 2010, we recruited patients meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia treated with RLAI receiving outpatient care from psychiatric centres in France. The IMAP consisted of calling patients 48 hours prior to their scheduled RLAI injections and within 3 days of a missed appointment. Centres applying the IMAP to ≥50% of scheduled patient injections were deemed compliant. Patients were followed up to one year for adherence (≥80% of scheduled RLAI injections received within 5 days of the scheduled date) and psychiatric hospitalizations. RESULTS Among 506 patients recruited from 36 centres, the hospitalization rate was 32.5 per 100 person-years. 15 centres treating 243 patients were IMAP compliant and 21 centres treating 263 patients were not. IMAP compliance was associated with lower psychiatric hospitalization rates (crude RR: 0.64 [95% CI: 0.44-0.93]; adjusted RR: 0.78 [95% CI: 0.47-1.27]). Nearly 75% of patients were adherent to RLAI. While patient adherence had little impact on hospitalization rates (adjusted RR: 0.92 [95% CI: 0.59-1.44]), IMAP compliance was more effective among non-adherent (adjusted RR: 0.45 [95% CI: 0.16-1.28]) than adherent (adjusted RR: 0.88 [95% CI: 0.51-1.53]) patients. CONCLUSIONS IMAPs may improve patient adherence and reduce psychiatric hospitalizations, particularly among patients with difficulties adhering to LAI antipsychotics.

The real-life effectiveness of psychosocial therapies on social autonomy in schizophrenia patients: Results from a nationwide cohort study in France

The objectives of the present study were to describe the prescribing patterns for psychosocial therapies in routine clinical practice and to assess the impact of psychoeducation on symptoms and social autonomy of patients with schizophrenia. We used data from the nationwide French ESPASS observational cohort study including 5967 patients with schizophrenia, which provided data on exposure to psychosocial therapies from 4961 (83%) participants. Patients who initiated psychosocial therapy within the first 3 months of study onset (n=143) were compared to patients not subject to psychosocial therapy throughout follow up (n=4268), using parametric tests. Symptom severity and social autonomy at 6 months from baseline were compared between patients undergoing psychoeducation (n=117) and patients not subject to psychosocial therapy, matched (1:1) on propensity scores. Patients who initiated psychosocial therapy were significantly younger, more severely ill and used less often antipsychotic drugs than patients in the reference group. At 6 months, patients who initiated psychoeducation and their matched referents did not differ significantly in terms of symptom severity, but their level of improvement in social autonomy was significantly greater (p=0.005). In routine clinical practice, psychoeducation in addition to antipsychotic drugs provides some benefit among schizophrenia patients, particularly in terms of social autonomy.

The use of random-effects models to identify health care center-related characteristics modifying the effect of antipsychotic drugs

Purpose A case study was conducted, exploring methods to identify drugs effects modifiers, at a health care center level. Patients and methods Data were drawn from the Schizophrenia Outpatient Health Outcome cohort, including hierarchical information on 6641 patients, recruited from 899 health care centers from across ten European countries. Center-level characteristics included the following: psychiatrist’s gender, age, length of practice experience, practice setting and type, countries’ Healthcare System Efficiency score, and psychiatrist density in the country. Mixed multivariable linear regression models were used: 1) to estimate antipsychotic drugs’ effectiveness (defined as the association between patients’ outcome at 3 months – dependent variable, continuous – and antipsychotic drug initiation at baseline – drug A vs other antipsychotic drug); 2) to estimate the similarity between clustered data (using the intra-cluster correlation coefficient); and 3) to explore antipsychotic drug effects modification by center-related characteristics (using the addition of an interaction term). Results About 23% of the variance found for patients’ outcome was explained by unmeasured confounding at a center level. Psychiatrists’ practice experience was found to be associated with patient outcomes (p=0.04) and modified the relative effect of “drug A” (p<0.001), independent of center- or patient-related characteristics. Conclusion Mixed models may be useful to explore how center-related characteristics modify drugs’ effect estimates, but require numerous assumptions.

A Practical Guide To Adding Patient Heterogeneity Into Phase Iii Trials: Results from Imi Getreal Wp2

We used mean CGI-S at 3 months (change from baseline) as outcome. This outcome was evaluated in patients taking the most frequently used drug (blinded). CGI-S score (Clinical Global Impression-Severity): • Assesses severity of patient’s mental illness at time of rating with one question • 7-point scale: from 1 (not at all ill) to 7 (extremely ill) • In SOHO cohort study, most patients have CGI-S values of 4 or 5