Can we predict a "tsunami"? Symptomatic and syndromal density, mood instability and treatment intensity in people with bipolar disorders under a strict and long lockdown

BACKGROUND

Converging evidence supports the involvement of circadian rhythm disturbances in the course and morbidity of bipolar disorders (BD). During 2020, lockdown measures were introduced worldwide to contain the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, chronobiological rhythms were critically disrupted and illness outcomes were expected to worsen. The current study aimed to explore changes in morbidity among BD patients living under lockdown.

METHODS

Ninety BD outpatients under naturalistic treatment conditions were followed from March to September 2020 using a mood chart technique. Different treatment and illness variables, including mood instability, were assessed and compared with the outcomes obtained during the same 28-week period in 2019.

RESULTS

For most clinical variables, no significant differences were observed between time periods. A slight decrease was found in symptom intensity (from 15.19 ± 20.62 to 10.34 ± 15.79, FDR-adjusted p = 0.04) and in the number of depressive episodes (from 0.39 ± 0.74 to 0.22 ± 0.63, FDR-adjusted p = 0.03), whereas the intensity of pharmacological treatment remained unchanged. Previous illness course predicted mood outcomes during the confinement.

LIMITATIONS

Follow-up periods were relatively short. Further, actigraphy or other methods capable of ensuring significant changes in physical activity were not used.

CONCLUSIONS

In line with other studies, our findings show no worsening in the clinical morbidity of BD patients during lockdown. This conspicuous contrast between our initial predictions and the observed findings highlights the fact that we are still far from being able to provide accurate predictive models for BD.

Update on the use and management of lithium in neuropsychiatry

Lithium is an alkaline metal, used for more than 60 years in psychiatry, and currently considered the gold standard in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD). According to recent evidence, this active ingredient is useful for the treatment of a wide spectrum of clinical varieties of affective disorders. In addition, it is estimated that lithium reduces the risk of suicide and suicidal behavior in people with mood disorders. On the other hand, some novel studies have shown that the cation has a potential efficacy for the treatment of other neuropsychiatric processes, such as the likelihood of reducing the risk of dementia and slowing down the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Despite the enormous evidence in favor of the use of lithium, it is known that, in Argentina, medications containing it are prescribed less than expected. In view of all this, the Asociación Argentina de Psiquiatría Biológica (Argentine Association of Biological Psychiatry) (AAPB or AABP) convened a group of experts to review the available scientific literature and prepare an updated document on the management and use of lithium in neuropsychiatry. In addition to the use of the ion in daily clinical practice, the scope of this review includes other contents that have been considered of interest for the psychiatrist, such as certain pharmacological and pharmacogenetic aspects, possible clinical predictors of response to treatment with lithium, management of ion during perinatal period, management of lithium in child and adolescent population, management of adverse effects linked to cation and interactions with drugs and other substances.

Third Argentine Consensus statement on management Bipolar Disorders. Section3: Bipolar Disorder in the context of special situations

This document constitutes the third and last part of the Third Argentine Consensus on the Management of Bipolar Disorders carried out by the Argentine Association of Biological Psychiatry (AAPB). Continuing with the initial objective, this section of the Consensus on the Management of Bipolar Disorders is focused on the management of bipolar disorders in special populations. This section constitutes a comprehensive review and expert consideration of the scientific evidence on: a) the management of bipolar disorders in treatment-resistant patients; b) the management of bipolar disorder in childhood and adolescence; c) the management of bipolar disorders in women during their perinatal period and, d) the management of bipolar disorders in older adults.

Third Argentine Consensus statement on management Bipolar Disorders. Section 2 B

This document constitutes the second section B of the Third Argentine Consensus on the Management of Bipolar Disorders, focused on synthesizing the most updated evidence on therapeutic approaches for adult patients. The scope of this section is to provide therapeutic recommendations for managing bipolar disorders in adults, (i) acute mania (ii) bipolar depression (iii) mixed stated (iv) suicidality and (vi) psychological interventions. In addition, the current manuscript outlines the assessment and management of side effects of pharmacotherapeutic treatments.

Third Argentine Consensus statement on management Bipolar Disorders. Section 2 A: Comprehensive treatment of the bipolar disorders in adults

This document constitutes the second section A of the Third Argentine Consensus on the Management of Bipolar Disorders, focused on synthesizing the most updated evidence on therapeutic approaches for adult patients. The aim of this section (2A) is to provide therapeutic recommendations for managing bipolar disorders in adults. In addition, the scope of this current manuscript outlines recommendations on the use of treatment guidelines, levels of evidence available to support these recommendations, general considerations for the treatment of bipolar disorders, the so-called pseudoresistance and adherence to treatment, general considerations on psychological therapies, as well as long term treatment of bipolar disorders.

Third Argentine Consensus statement on management Bipolar Disorders. Section 2 A: Comprehensive treatment of the bipolar disorders in adults

This document constitutes the second section A of the Third Argentine Consensus on the Management of Bipolar Disorders, focused on synthesizing the most updated evidence on therapeutic approaches for adult patients. The aim of this section (2A) is to provide therapeutic recommendations for managing bipolar disorders in adults. In addition, the scope of this current manuscript outlines recommendations on the use of treatment guidelines, levels of evidence available to support these recommendations, general considerations for the treatment of bipolar disorders, the so-called pseudoresistance and adherence to treatment, general considerations on psychological therapies, as well as long term treatment of bipolar disorders.

Third Argentine Consensus statement on management Bipolar Disorders. Section1: introduction and general concepts

The Third Argentine Consensus on the management of bipolar disorders (TB) is an initiative of the Argentine Association of Biological Psychiatry (AAPB). As a reference document, this consensus pursues two main objectives: on the one hand, to summarize and systematize the best available evidence on the comprehensive management of this pathology; on the other, to provide a useful, up-to-date instrument for psychiatrists, multidisciplinary teams dedicated to mental health, and government agencies. During a period of approximately six months of work -that is, from May to October 2022- a committee of experts made up of 18 professionals and representatives of the three most important Psychiatry and Mental Health associations in Argentina (that is, the AAPB, the Argentine Association of Psychiatrists, AAP, and the Association of Argentine Psychiatrists, APSA) have focused on updating the information regarding TB. Finally, this document was prepared as a result of an exhaustive review of the bibliography published to date, which was strategically divided into three parts: the first deals with the generalities of TB; the second deals with the comprehensive treatment of the pathology; finally, the third analyzes TB in the context of special situations.

[Adaptation of psychiatric practice in public and private mental health institutions of the City of Buenos Aires during the COVID-19 pandemic]

BACKGROUND

One of the most significant indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will be seen on the mental health of the population. On this study, we will take into account the adapting capacity that the most representative mental health services (MHS) of Buenos Aires (BA) City have had as to this new situation.

METHODS

We designed an online survey including 10 self-administered closed questions, strictly anonymous. It has been sent to targeted professionals who work in public and private MHS of BA after 2 months of the beginning of the lockdown.

RESULTS

We got 38 answers. 2 professionals rejected to answer. 34% belonged to private institutions and 66% to public ones. 81% of the total were able to implement online assistance but only 24% had been trained on how to treat patients in this context. 69% of the private and 12% of the public sector professionals informed to have been trained on telemedicine tools. 69% of the private and 36% of the public sector professionals informed to have prepared materials for the users on telemedicine resources. 68% mentioned that their service was properly organized. 40% of the public sector professionals may have been reassigned to work on tasks related to the pandemic. 40% of the total informed a reduced capacity of assistance.

CONCLUSIONS

The MHS of BA may have been able to migrate their assistance to telemedicine, however we have noticed differences in the training levels. A better capacity of training on this modality might be needed.

[Problematic substance abuse and history of suicidal behavior in female patients in an acute mental health service]

Current publications that analyze operational and epidemiologic variables in the Argentinian Mental Health System are scarce. Several international studies have found a correlation between substance abuse and suicidal behavior. However, to our knowledge, there are no local studies that verify this association, especially in hospitalized female patients. The aim of this study is to verify this association in a population of female patients hospitalized in a Mental Health Hospital between august 2007 and july 2013. The electronic database of the Emergency department of the "Braulio A. Moyano" Neuropsychiatric Hospital was used as secondary source. The correlation between problematic substance use and history of suicidal behavior was studied, according to the type of substance used, diagnosis and age of the sample. These results might allow the creation of hypotheses that may benefit the planning and clinical practice in mental health in the local area.