Mir Nadeem Mazhar

Clozapine reinitiation following a "red result" secondary to chemotherapy

We describe a case of a patient whose clozapine was discontinued after a “red result” following R-CHOP (rituximab with cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, Oncovin, and prednisolone) chemotherapy for large B-cell lymphoma. In some cases, manufacturers grant permission, on compassionate grounds, for clozapine to be continued or reinitiated following assessment by their consultant hematologist. Other than a recent case report, there is not much literature surrounding this medical issue. However, since the two leading causes of mortality in schizophrenia are cancer and cardiac disease, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Clinicians are reluctant to prescribe clozapine in view of its side-effect profile, despite its proven efficacy for managing treatment-resistant schizophrenia. The alternative is to prescribe two antipsychotics to manage symptoms. This approach may be associated with increased side effects, and evidence for actual benefits is scant. The consequences were disastrous in this case, as the individual not only relapsed following clozapine discontinuation, but the therapy for this treatable form of lymphoma had to be delayed. He was eventually admitted to an inpatient unit after having been stable for 15 years. We managed to stabilize him with olanzapine and aripiprazole which enabled the heme-oncology group to resume R-CHOP therapy with filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor). Even so, he continued to exhibit severe psychotic symptoms, with religious delusions and auditory hallucinations. We therefore applied for permission to rechallenge him on clozapine. Permission was granted when protocol conditions were met, and reinitiation went without any adverse events. The patient’s symptoms showed improvement within a few weeks, and the other antipsychotics were discontinued once clozapine was titrated up to 300 mg. The decision to reinitiate clozapine following a red result is not to be taken lightly, but needs to be considered in terms of the risks versus benefits. More literature surrounding this issue would be of great benefit to clinicians, patients, and their families.

Systems-Based Aspects in the Training of IMG or Previously Trained Residents: Comparison of Psychiatry Residency Training in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and Nigeria.

ObjectivesInternational medical graduates (IMGs) account for a significant proportion of residents in psychiatric training in the United States. Many IMGs may have previously completed psychiatry residency training in other countries. Their experiences may improve our system. Authors compared and contrasted psychiatry residency training in the U.S. to that of Canada, the United Kingdom, India, and Nigeria. The study also highlights the systems-based features that may have an impact on the adaptation of IMGs (especially previously-trained) to U.S. psychiatry residency.MethodsIndividuals who are familiar with psychiatry residency training in the United States and were previously trained in other countries synthesized information available on websites, official documents, and previous literature, as well as their experiences with past training.ResultsPsychiatry residencies vary considerably in all five countries in terms of the duration of training, curriculum, clinical experience, psychotherapy training, research experience, supervision, and evaluation processes. Residency training in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. is well-structured and has more psychotherapy training. The U.K. has enhanced exposure to community psychiatry. The U.K., India, and Nigeria have increased emphasis on psychopathology. Training in India and Nigeria has a higher quantity of clinical work, less record-keeping, less emphasis on patient autonomy, and a mandatory prospective clinical research requirement.ConclusionsThe provision of services and training is substantially influenced by national mental health policies, culture, and local traditions. Despite numerous commonalities, there are some differences in psychiatry training among all five countries. Awareness of these differences in education, systems, and interactions may help psychiatric educators to understand IMGs (especially those previously-trained) as they adapt to U.S. training.

The association between borderline personality disorder, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome: systematic review

Background Overlap of aetiological factors and demographic characteristics with clinical observations of comorbidity has been documented in fibromyalgia syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). Aims The purpose of this study was to assess the association of BPD with fibromyalgia syndrome and CFS. The authors reviewed literature on the prevalence of BPD in patients with fibromyalgia or CFS and vice versa. Methods A search of five databases yielded six eligible studies. A hand search and contact with experts yielded two additional studies. We extracted information pertaining to study setting and design, demographic information, diagnostic criteria and prevalence. Results We did not identify any studies that specifically assessed the prevalence of fibromyalgia or CFS in patients with BPD. Three studies assessed the prevalence of BPD in fibromyalgia patients and reported prevalence of 1.0, 5.25 and 16.7%. Five studies assessed BPD in CFS patients and reported prevalence of 3.03, 1.8, 2.0, 6.5 and 17%. Conclusions More research is required to clarify possible associations between BPD, fibromyalgia and CFS. Declaration of interest None. Copyright and usage

Do regulated resident working hours affect medical graduate education? Trends in the American psychiatry board pass rates pre- and post-2003 duty hours regulations

Aims and method To assess trends of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology examination pass rates before and after the 2003 duty hours regulations (DHR). We obtained the pass rates for part I and II for years 2000–2010. Data were divided pre-DHR (2000–2003) and post-DHR (2007–2010). Results During the pre-DHR period, first- and multiple-attempt group pass rates were 80.7% and 39.0% which changed in the post-DHR period to 89.7% and 39.1% respectively. Similarly for the part II exam, the pre-DHR first- and multiple-attempt group pass rates were 60.2% and 43.5% respectively, which increased to 78.7% and 53.8%, among the post-DHR group. Overall, there was a significant increase in the first-attempt candidates pass rates for parts I and II, whereas multiple-attempt candidates did not benefit as strongly. Clinical implications The results suggest that the 2003 DHR may have had a positive impact on examination-based medical knowledge in psychiatry.

A retrospective analysis of personality disorder presentations in a Canadian university-affiliated hospital’s emergency department

Background Individuals with personality disorders often have extensive involvement with healthcare services including frequent utilisation of emergency departments. Aims The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with emergency department presentations by individuals with personality disorders. Method A 12-month retrospective data analysis of all mental-health-related emergency department visits was performed. Age, gender, time and season of presentation, length of stay, mode of arrival and discharge arrangements for individuals with personality disorders were compared to individuals with other psychiatric diagnoses. Results There were 336 visits by individuals with personality disorders and 5290 visits by individuals with other psychiatric diagnoses. Individuals with personality disorders were significantly more likely to be female, young adults, brought in by police, arrive in the evening, discharged home and have a longer median length of stay. Conclusion Knowing what factors are associated with emergency department presentations by individuals with personality disorders can help ensure that appropriately trained support staff are available. Declaration of interest None. Copyright and usage

Psychiatry 2050: from younger psychiatrists' perspective

There have been various opinion pieces on predicting the future of psychiatry and addressing its different domains. This editorial addresses the topic from the vantage point of neuroscientific inquiry. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM 5) however continues with the tradition of its predecessor (DSM 4 text revision [TR]), addressing most diagnoses with descriptive phenomenology as opposed to attempting to change diagnoses based on causative phenomenology or response to treatment. Advances in genomics and imaging, with time, will hopefully help shape psychiatric diagnoses and classifications with a primary basis on morphology. This may in turn help improve the recruitment of academic psychiatrists to the field. In doing so, the profession will gain respect amongst its peers in other disciplines of medicine and cement its future.

Treatment of anxiety disorders and comorbid alcohol abuse with buspirone in a patient with antidepressant-induced platelet dysfunction: a case report.

The risk of abnormal bleeding with serotonin reuptake inhibitors has been known, but there is insufficient evidence base to guide pharmacological treatment of anxiety in patients with underlying haematological conditions. The following case report is about a 50-year-old female with generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and alcohol abuse where pharmacological treatment of anxiety symptoms has been difficult as it would lead to bruising due to the patients underlying qualitative platelet dysfunction. Treatment with venlafaxine, citalopram, escitalopram, and clomipramine resulted in improvement and anxiety symptoms, as well as reduction in alcohol use, but pharmacological treatment has to be discontinued because of bruising and hematomas. In view of an active substance use disorder, benzodiazepines were avoided as a treatment option. The patients anxiety symptoms and comorbid alcohol abuse responded well to pharmacological treatment with buspirone which gradually titrated up to a dose of 30 mg BID. Patient was followed for around a six-month period while she was on buspirone before being discharged to family doctors care. Buspirone is unlikely to have a significant effect on platelet serotonin transponder and could be an effective alternative for pharmacological treatment of anxiety in patients with a bleeding diathesis.