Acute Lithium-Induced Tremor

1983 ◽  
Vol 143 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Pullinger ◽  
P. Tyrer

It has recently been found that tremor in patients on long-term lithium therapy has a lower frequency than that of normal physiological tremor and is likely to have an extrapyramidal component (Tyrer et al, 1981). Other extrapyramidal signs and symptoms have been found with chronic lithium therapy (Shopsin and Gershon, 1975; Baastrup et al, 1976; Branchey et al, 1976; Asnis et al, 1979). These extrapyramidal effects differ from the pseudoparkinsonism produced by antipsychotic drugs in that they do not respond to antiparkinsonian drug treatment (Schou, 1970; Tyrer et al, 1980).

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1228-1228
Author(s):  
L. Béhérec ◽  
S. Lambrey ◽  
G. Quilici ◽  
A. Rosier ◽  
B. Falissard ◽  
...  

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious childhood-onset disorder that affects all areas of development and is associated with disruptive symptoms including aggression and self injury. In ASD, risperidone and aripiprazole are the only second generation antipsychotic drugs (SGA) that have shown to decrease disruptive behaviours in controlled double-blind studies. However, some patients are not improved by these drugs. Clozapine, a SGA known to be effective to treat aggressiveness in schizophrenia, has received little attention in ASD. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the changes in disruptive for all patients with ASD who were treated with clozapine from 2002 to 2010. Disruptive behaviours were monitored during the 4 to 6 months before and after the initiation of clozapine, and long term tolerance (10 months to 7 years) was also assessed. The relationship between disruptive behaviours and periods of treatment was studied with a generalized linear marginal model. Clozapine resulted in a significant 2 fold decrease in the number of the days with aggression, a decrease of the number of psychotropic drugs and the dose of the antipsychotic drugs. The long term tolerance (white blood cell count, extrapyramidal effects) was good with the exception for a significant weight gain (of 22.3% +/- 18,2%), the occurence of metabolic syndrome in one patient and tachycardia in another patient.These results suggest that clozapine should be considered for the management of disruptive behaviours in patients with ASD not improved by first line antipsychotic drugs.


1988 ◽  
Vol 152 (4) ◽  
pp. 511-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Holloway

A survey of the drug treatment of long-term mentally ill users of a district psychiatric service is described. The appropriateness of prescriptions was assessed against standard criteria after a detailed clinical review of each patient. Overprescribing, particularly of sedative/hypnotic and of anticholinergic and antipsychotic drugs, was common. Junior psychiatrists and general practitioners are in need of improved training in the management of chronic psychiatric illness: a review of treatment practices might be an appropriate medium for this training.


1989 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Lader

Antipsychotic drugs are widely used to treat abnormal behaviour particularly that related to the functional psychoses such as schizophrenia. This review discusses the pharmacokinetics and pharmacology of antipsychotic drugs like chlorpromazine. Clinical use comprises the induction of tranquillization in disturbed psychiatric patients, the treatment of acute and chronic schizophrenic symptoms, and the postponement of relapse in such patients. Unwanted effects are multifarious, involving many systems of the body. Extrapyramidal signs and symptoms are particularly noticeable, and the chronic type, tardive dyskinesia, is a major problem.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
V McLaughlin ◽  
C Zhao ◽  
J.G Coghlan ◽  
L.S Chung ◽  
S.C Mathai ◽  
...  

Abstract Background CTD-PAH has historically represented a PAH subtype with poor prognosis. New therapies, as well as combination therapy approaches targeting multiple pathways have been approved for PAH based on RCTs. CTD-PAH patients comprise a subgroup of the RCT populations and efficacy analyses are based on subgroup analyses which can be less reliable than the overall analysis. We conducted a meta-analysis of RCTs of approved PAH therapies to evaluate outcomes of patients with CTD-PAH. Purpose To use meta-analysis to determine response to treatment in patients with CTD-PAH. Methods The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for English-only articles published between January 1, 2000 and November 25, 2019. Inclusion criteria were multicenter RCTs that enrolled adults with WHO group 1 pulmonary hypertension (PAH); enrollment in 2000 or later; long-term clinical morbidity and/or mortality event or 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) as an efficacy endpoint reported for ≥30 patients with CTD-PAH; and evaluation of a US Food and Drug Administration-approved PAH therapy. The primary outcomes were treatment effect as measured by the study time to first morbidity or morality event and change in 6MWD from baseline to between 3–6 months, per the data provided in each article. Results from individual studies were combined using a random-effects model for overall study population (PAH patients) and the subgroup of CTD-PAH patients. Results Ten RCTs (N=4329 PAH patients; n=1263 (29%) with CTD-PAH) met inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. At baseline, PAH patients had a mean age of 50 years, approximately 78% were female, and approximately 58% had functional class III or IV disease. These characteristics were balanced between treatment and control groups. Baseline 6MWD was 356 m for the overall population and 337 m for patients with CTD-PAH. Five RCTs (N=3172; n=941 with CTD-PAH [30%]) reported hazard ratios (HRs) for time to a morbidity or mortality event by drug treatment and PAH etiology: overall population HR=0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56–0.72; P<0.001); CTD-PAH population HR=0.64 (95% CI, 0.51–0.80; P<0.001) (Figure). Nine RCTs reported mean change with drug treatment from baseline to 3 to 6 months in 6MWD for PAH and CTD patients: 33.9 m (95% CI, 21.9–45.9; P<0.001) in the overall population; 20.2 m (95% CI, 10.8–29.7; P<0.001) in CTD-PAH patients. Conclusions The improvement in 6MWD in patients with CTD-PAH is smaller than in those with other types of PAH, perhaps reflecting comorbidities and CTD-induced mobility constraints, independent of their cardiopulmonary capacity. Data from long term clinical morbidity/mortality endpoint studies in this large group of patients with CTD-PAH demonstrate that these patients derive significant benefit from currently available PAH therapies which, in many patients, comprised the addition of a drug targeting a second or third pathway involved in the pathophysiology of PAH. Treatment effect on morbidity/mortality Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Private company. Main funding source(s): Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisanne M. A. Janssen ◽  
Kim van den Akker ◽  
Mohamed A. Boussihmad ◽  
Esther de Vries

Abstract Background Patients with predominantly (primary) antibody deficiencies (PADs) commonly develop recurrent respiratory infections which can lead to bronchiectasis, long-term morbidity and increased mortality. Recognizing symptoms and making a diagnosis is vital to enable timely treatment. Studies on disease presentation have mainly been conducted using medical files rather than direct contact with PAD patients. Our study aims to analyze how patients appraised their symptoms and which factors were involved in a decision to seek medical care. Methods 14 PAD-patients (11 women; median 44, range 16-68 years) were analyzed using semi-structured interviews until saturation of key emergent themes was achieved. Results Being always ill featured in all participant stories. Often from childhood onwards periods of illness were felt to be too numerous, too bad, too long-lasting, or antibiotics were always needed to get better. Recurrent or persistent respiratory infections were the main triggers for patients to seek care. All participants developed an extreme fatigue, described as a feeling of physical and mental exhaustion and thus an extreme burden on daily life that was not solved by taking rest. Despite this, participants tended to normalize their symptoms and carry on with usual activities. Non-immunologists, as well as patients, misattributed the presenting signs and symptoms to common, self-limiting illnesses or other ‘innocent’ explanations. Participants in a way understood the long diagnostic delay. They know that the disease is rare and that doctors have to cover a broad medical area. But they were more critical about the way the doctors communicate with them. They feel that doctors often don’t listen very well to their patients. The participants’ symptoms as well as the interpretation of these symptoms by their social environment and doctors had a major emotional impact on the participants and a negative influence on their future perspectives. Conclusions To timely identify PAD, ‘pattern recognition’ should not only focus on the medical ‘red flags’, but also on less differentiating symptoms, such as ‘being always ill’ and ‘worn out’ and the way patients cope with these problems. And, most important, making time to really listen to the patient remains the key.


Author(s):  
Antoni Sisó-Almirall ◽  
Pilar Brito-Zerón ◽  
Laura Conangla Ferrín ◽  
Belchin Kostov ◽  
Anna Moragas Moreno ◽  
...  

Long COVID-19 may be defined as patients who, four weeks after the diagnosis of SARS-Cov-2 infection, continue to have signs and symptoms not explainable by other causes. The estimated frequency is around 10% and signs and symptoms may last for months. The main long-term manifestations observed in other coronaviruses (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)) are very similar to and have clear clinical parallels with SARS-CoV-2: mainly respiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuropsychiatric. The growing number of patients worldwide will have an impact on health systems. Therefore, the main objective of these clinical practice guidelines is to identify patients with signs and symptoms of long COVID-19 in primary care through a protocolized diagnostic process that studies possible etiologies and establishes an accurate differential diagnosis. The guidelines have been developed pragmatically by compiling the few studies published so far on long COVID-19, editorials and expert opinions, press releases, and the authors’ clinical experience. Patients with long COVID-19 should be managed using structured primary care visits based on the time from diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Based on the current limited evidence, disease management of long COVID-19 signs and symptoms will require a holistic, longitudinal follow up in primary care, multidisciplinary rehabilitation services, and the empowerment of affected patient groups.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Han Wang ◽  
Gloria M. Conover ◽  
Song-I Han ◽  
James C. Sacchettini ◽  
Arum Han

AbstractAnalysis of growth and death kinetics at single-cell resolution is a key step in understanding the complexity of the nonreplicating growth phenotype of the bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Here, we developed a single-cell-resolution microfluidic mycobacterial culture device that allows time-lapse microscopy-based long-term phenotypic visualization of the live replication dynamics of mycobacteria. This technology was successfully applied to monitor the real-time growth dynamics of the fast-growing model strain Mycobacterium smegmatis (M. smegmatis) while subjected to drug treatment regimens during continuous culture for 48 h inside the microfluidic device. A clear morphological change leading to significant swelling at the poles of the bacterial membrane was observed during drug treatment. In addition, a small subpopulation of cells surviving treatment by frontline antibiotics was observed to recover and achieve robust replicative growth once regular culture media was provided, suggesting the possibility of identifying and isolating nonreplicative mycobacteria. This device is a simple, easy-to-use, and low-cost solution for studying the single-cell phenotype and growth dynamics of mycobacteria, especially during drug treatment.


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