Smoking among Chinese patients with schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of smoking among Chinese with schizophrenia, and to determine if smokers and nonsmokers differ in their age of onset of illness and neuroleptic requirement.

METHOD

One hundred and ninety-five patients were assessed by a single rater using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Simpson-Angus Scale. Other historical, demographic and treatment variables were recorded from case records and interviews with patients and family members.

RESULTS

A higher rate of smoking was found in patients with schizophrenia than in the general population. There was no significant difference between the smokers and non-smokers in their respective neuroleptic dosages and extrapyramidal side-effects but the smokers had a significantly higher BPRS score.

CONCLUSIONS

Racial difference is proposed to account for this discrepancy from other Western studies. The contribution of nicotine towards aggravating schizophrenic symptoms is also considered.

Treatment of kleptomania with fluvoxamine

We report a patient fulfilling DSM-IV criteria for kleptomania who failed to respond to psychotherapy, behavioural therapy and pharmacotherapy with clomipramine, imipramine and lithium. He was successfully treated with the serotonergic agent fluvoxamine.

Schizophrenia and kleptomania: a case report--a biological link?

This case of co-morbidity of schizophrenia and kleptomania in a 21-year-old Chinese man is believed to be the first reported. In kleptomania, loss of impulse control seems to be the central disturbance. The neurotransmitter serotonin has been proposed to be important in impulse control. The role of serotonin in schizophrenia is also briefly reviewed and an abnormality in serotonergic neurotransmission is proposed to be a possible link between these two conditions.

Derealisation following head injury: a case report

Depersonalisation and derealisation which are often present together, occur in a number of functional and organic conditions. However, their occurrence in the post-concussional syndrome has been previously described in only one case. A case is presented in which derealisation was the only presentation following a minor closed head injury. The possible aetiology is discussed.