Lorenzo Burti

Health promotion lifestyle interventions for weight management in psychosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

BackgroundPsychiatric patients have more physical health problems and much shorter life expectancies compared to the general population, due primarily to premature cardiovascular disease. A multi-causal model which includes a higher prevalence of risk factors has provided a valid explanation. It takes into consideration not only risks such as gender, age, and family history that are inherently non-modifiable, but also those such as obesity, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia that are modifiable through behavioural changes and improved care. Thus, it is crucial to focus on factors that increase cardiovascular risk. Obesity in particular has been associated with both the lifestyle habits and the side effects of antipsychotic medications. The present systematic review and meta-analysis aims at collecting and updating available evidence on the efficacy of non-pharmacological health promotion programmes for psychotic patients in randomised clinical trials.MethodsWe systematically reviewed the randomised controlled trials from 1990 onward, in which psychoeducational and/or cognitive-behavioural interventions aimed at weight loss or prevention of weight gain in patients with psychosis had been compared to treatment as usual. We carried out a meta-analysis and pooled the results of the studies with Body Mass Index as primary outcome.ResultsThe results of the meta-analysis show an effect toward the experimental group. At the end of the intervention phase there is a −0.98 kg/m2 reduction in the mean Body Mass Index of psychotic subjects. Notably, prevention studies with individual psychoeducational programmes that include diet and/or physical activity seem to have the highest impact.ConclusionsWhen compared with treatment as usual in psychotic patients, preventive and individual lifestyle interventions that include diet and physical activity generally prove to be effective in reducing weight. Physical screening and monitoring programmes are well accepted by patients and can be implemented in a variety of settings. A weight loss of 0.98 points in the Body Mass Index corresponds to a loss of 3.12% of the initial weight. This percentage is below the 5% to 10% weight loss deemed sufficient to improve weight-related complications such as hypertension, type II diabetes, and dyslipidemia. However, it is reported that outcomes associated with metabolic risk factors may have greater health implications than weight changes alone. Therefore, in addition to weight reduction, the assessment of metabolic parameters to monitor other independent risk factors should also be integrated into physical health promotion and management in people with mental disorders.

Evaluating a community-based mental health service focusing on severe mental illness. The Verona experience.

Objective:  To describe the development of a community‐based mental health service, the patterns of care provided by this new service established in 1978 and its costs.

Off-label and non-classical prescriptions of antipsychotic agents in ordinary in-patient practice

Objective:  To estimate the proportion of off‐label prescriptions of antipsychotics (APs) in ordinary in‐patient practice.

Does Additional Care Provided by a Consumer Self-Help Group Improve Psychiatric Outcome? A Study in an Italian Community-based Psychiatric Service

This study compares the two-year clinical and social outcome, the use of services and the direct costs of patients of the South-Verona Community Psychiatric Service who were members of a self-help group, with those who were not. Use of services and costs in the two years before the baseline were compared with those occurring two years after the baseline. Self-help subjects decreased their use of hospital stay as to number of admissions and days in hospital, with a reduction of costs; they were more satisfied as to work/education while non self-help matches presented an increase of unmet needs. Clinical and social outcome showed no significant difference. The findings suggest that consumer participation may possibly enhance the effects of psychiatric treatment on outcome.

Adherence to medication and quality of life in people with schizophrenia: results of a European multicenter study.

Quality of life is often severely impaired in people with schizophrenia, and adherence to antipsychotic medication has been consistently found to be low in this population. Although there is a considerable amount of evidence on these two variables in schizophrenia research, there is only limited knowledge on how they relate to one another. The aim of this study is to develop a meaningful model of the relationship between quality of life and adherence that includes mediating variables. A multicenter randomized controlled trial recruited 409 subjects in London, Verona, Amsterdam, and Leipzig. Baseline interviews obtained data on adherence, quality of life, and other variables. We used graphical modeling to investigate the relationships between the variables. No direct relation could be discerned between subjective quality of life and adherence to medication. Mediating variables, most importantly symptomatic impairment, global functioning, and medication side effects, were identified by the model. It can be concluded that, when aiming at the improvement of quality of life in people with schizophrenia, variables other than adherence, i.e., symptomatic impairment, global functioning, and medication side effects, should be targeted.

EFFECTIVENESS IN PSYCHIATRIC CARE. I, A CROSS-NATIONAL STUDY OF THE PROCESS OF TREATMENT AND OUTCOMES OF MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

Recent research suggests that, despite the development of effective psychiatric treatment, there is marked underuse of care. This pilot study had the objective of dissecting the process of care in an attempt to understand outcomes for patients with major affective disorder and for their families. Twenty-four patients with a DSM-III diagnosis of major affective disorder were identified 12 to 18 months after hospital admission in three countries (Italy, Japan, and the United States). The patients, their families, and their doctors were interviewed separately and then together, using instruments measuring delivery of treatment (using an ideal treatment criteria set) and percentage of achievement of treatment goals. These measures were then (using parametric and nonparametric statistics) correlated with resolution of the index episode and the patients global outcome (using the Global Assessment Scale). The data demonstrated that physicians delivered about half (52%) and, subsequently, achieved about half (54%) of what would be considered ideal care to patients and other family members. The mean resolution of the index episode at follow-up was only 3.0 (on a 0- to 5-point scale). There was a significant positive association between the most important outcome measure, i.e., the resolution of the episode, and the achievement of treatment goals for both the patient (p <07) and the family (p <05). Patients and families with the best resolutions received significantly more good treatment than those with the worst resolutions (p <02), most notably with regard to medication (p <002).

The predictive validity of subjective adherence measures in patients with schizophrenia

Despite frequent use of subjective adherence measures in patients with schizophrenia as well as other chronic conditions, there are several reports that question the validity of these instruments. Three well known, representative subjective measures are the Medication Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ), the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI), and the Compliance Rating Scale (CRS). In this study we explored the predictive validity of these instruments in a European sample of 119 stabilized outpatients with schizophrenia. Clinical outcome variables were relapse and admission to a psychiatric hospital during a follow‐up period of 12 months. Results indicate that the predictive validity of all three measures was poor. The MAQ was the least problematic predictor for relapse (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.09), and time to relapse (R2 = 0.07) and had the best sensitivity for relapse (63.6%) as well as admission (87.5%). The MAQ and CRS were both moderate predictive for admission (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.21, and R2 = 0.29). We conclude that the validity of the instruments studied here is questionable and have limited clinical relevance. Given the feasibility and ease of most subjective instruments, researchers may be tempted to use them but should be aware of the serious drawbacks of these instruments. Copyright

Effect of medication-related factors on adherence in people with schizophrenia: A European multi-centre study

AIM To investigate the relation between medication-related factors and adherence in people with schizophrenia in outpatient treatment. METHODS The sample comprised 409 outpatients (ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenia) with clinician-rated instability in four European cities (Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Verona, Italy; Leipzig, Germany; London, Great Britain). Adherence was assessed using the Medication Adherence Questionnaire (patient perspective), and the Clinician Rating Scale (clinician perspective). Examined medication-related factors were type (atypical vs. typical), application (oral vs. depot), daily dose frequency of antipsychotic medication (Medication History Scale), number of side effects (Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side Effect Rating Scale), and patient attitudes toward medication (Drug Attitude Inventory). Multiple regression analysis was used to identify predictors of adherence by medication-related factors. RESULTS Adherence, as rated by patient and clinician, was predicted by patient attitude towards medication, but was unrelated to type of drug, formulation or side effects of antipsychotic medication. A high daily dose frequency was associated with better adherence, but only when rated by the patient. CONCLUSIONS In order to improve adherence there is a need to seriously consider and attempt to improve patient attitude toward medication. However, type of antipsychotic and other medication-related factors may not be as closely related to adherence as it has often been suggested.

Development of the ITHACA Toolkit for monitoring human rights and general health care in psychiatric and social care institutions

Background. Human rights violations are commonly experienced by people in psychiatric and social care institutions. States and private organizations providing such health and social services must comply with international human rights law. Monitoring of such compliance is increasingly recognized as a vital component in ensuring that rights are respected and violations are brought out in the open, remedied and prevented. Aims. The Institutional Treatment, Human Rights and Care Assessment (ITHACA) project produced a method to document violations and good practice with the aim of preventing human rights violations and improving general health care practice in psychiatric and social care institutions (www.ithacastudy.eu). Methods. A methodological and implementation study conducted across 15 European countries developed and assessed the ITHACA Toolkit in monitoring visits to 87 mental health organizations. Results. The toolkit is available in 13 European languages and has demonstrated applicability in a range of contexts and conditions. The information gathered through monitoring visits can document both good practice and areas for improvement. Conclusions. The ITHACA Toolkit is an acceptable and feasible method for the systematic monitoring of human rights and general health care in psychiatric and social care institutions that explicitly calls for the participation of service users in the monitoring of human rights violations and general health care practice.

Measuring the treatment environment of a psychiatric ward and a community mental health center after the Italian reform

In 1978 a major psychiatric reform drastically changed the Italian psychiatric system by the closing of admissions to mental hospitals and the development of psychiatric units in general hospitals and of alternative services in the community.The paper presents the results of a study in which two treatment environments set up according to the reform, i.e a psychiatric unit in a general hospital and a community mental health center run by the same staff, were examined using the Ward Atmosphere Scale (WAS) and the Community Oriented Programs Environemt Scale (COPES). In addition, validity studies of the Italian versions of the WAS and COPES are presented. Both instruments were found to be feasible and useful, easily understood, easy to administer and relatively well accepted by the psychiatric staff. The quality of the two scales has been confirmed by psychometric analysis, with the exception of the independence of scales. No major differences between the two environments emerged, both showing characteristics consistent with the new treatment philosophy.