Which factors are associated with duration of untreated illness in borderline personality disorder?

AIM

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a prevalent condition associated with high rates of hospitalizations. The purpose of this manuscript was to detect the factors associated with duration of untreated illness (DUI) in BPD.

METHODS

Through chart review, we identified 152 patients followed up by community psychiatry services in Milan and Monza, Italy. The association between DUI and socioeconomic and clinical variables was examined using Pearson correlation and analyses of variances. The statistically significant variables from univariate analyses were then inserted in regression models.

RESULTS

A longer DUI was associated with several variables (substance misuse after the onset of BPD, older age, earlier age at onset, longer duration of illness), but these results were not maintained in the regression analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, DUI does not seem to be significantly associated with specific clinical aspects of BPD, or significantly modify the course and outcome of the disorder. Studies with larger samples have to confirm these preliminary findings.

Is in vitro fertilization (IVF) associated with perinatal affective disorders?

BACKGROUND

Since mothers who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) may experience more anxiety and depressive symptoms than mothers who conceive naturally, a review of the literature was conducted to investigate whether IVF may be considered a risk factor for the development of anxiety or depression during pregnancy and post-partum.

METHODS

A thorough search of articles in Pubmed, PsycINFO and Isi Web of Knowledge was performed in order to produce a comprehensive review regarding the potential association of in vitro fertilization and anxiety/depression.

RESULTS

The search resulted in a total of 10 articles. Contradictory results were reported in the articles about the possible association between IVF and the occurrence of anxiety and depressive symptoms both during pregnancy and postpartum period. Three studies found that women who resorted to IVF showed less anxiety and depressive symptoms than those who conceived naturally especially with the progression of pregnancy and in the postpartum.

LIMITATIONS

Vulnerability to affective disorders of women affected by infertility may be independent from the outcome of IVF. Other limits are the limited research in this area, the small sample sizes, the heterogeneity of the tools used to assess affective symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The available data indicate that IVF is not associated with perinatal affective symptoms. Women who resorted to IVF could have less perinatal depressive symptoms as the result of a positive outcome of the technique and the satisfaction of the desire to become mothers. Further studies are necessary in order to draw definitive conclusions about this topic.