scholarly journals A Spiderless Arachnophobia Therapy: Comparison between Placebo and Treatment Groups and Six-Month Follow-Up Study

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Carmilo Granado ◽  
Ronald Ranvaud ◽  
Javier Ropero Peláez

We describe a new arachnophobia therapy that is specially suited for those individuals with severe arachnophobia who are reluctant to undergo direct or even virtual exposure treatments. In this therapy, patients attend a computer presentation of images that, while not being spiders, have a subset of the characteristics of spiders. The Atomium of Brussels is an example of such an image. The treatment group (n=13) exhibited a significant improvement (time×group interaction:P=.0026) when compared to the placebo group (n=12) in a repeated measures multivariate ANOVA. Ak-means clustering algorithm revealed that, after 4 weeks of treatment, 42% of the patients moved from the arachnophobic to the nonarachnophobic cluster. Six months after concluding the treatment, a follow-up study showed a substantial consolidation of the recovery process where 92% of the arachnophobic patients moved to the nonarachnophobic cluster.

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 823
Author(s):  
Hsiao-Fen Hsu ◽  
Chia-Chan Kao ◽  
Ti Lu ◽  
Jeremy C. Ying ◽  
Sheng-Yu Lee

The current study explored the differences in the effectiveness of first and second generation long-acting injections and orally administered antipsychotics in reducing the rehospitalization rate among patients with schizophrenia receiving home care services in a medical center in Southern Taiwan. Longitudinal data between 1 January 2006, and 31 December 2015, were collected retrospectively. Patients were classified into three treatment groups: First generation antipsychotic (FGA) long-acting injection (LAI), second generation antipsychotic long-acting injection (SGA) (LAI), and oral antipsychotics. The primary outcomes were the rehospitalization rate and the follow-up time (duration of receiving home care services) until psychiatric rehospitalization. A total of 78 patients with schizophrenia were recruited. The average observation time was about 40 months. The oral treatment group tended to be older with a higher number of female patients and a lower level of education. The FGA treatment group tended to have a higher frequency and duration of hospitalization before receiving home care services. We found no significant differences in the follow-up time or psychiatric rehospitalization rate after receiving home care services among the three treatment groups. We propose that oral and LAI antipsychotics were equally effective when patients received home care services. Our results can serve as a reference for the choice of treatment for patients with schizophrenia in a home care program.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fengli Li ◽  
Hongfei Sang ◽  
Jiaxing Song ◽  
Zhangbao Guo ◽  
Shuai Liu ◽  
...  

Background and Objective: To report the results of clinical follow-up at 1 year among patients in the BASILAR registry. Design, Setting, and Participants: The BASILAR study was an investigator-initiated prospective registry, which consecutively enrolled stroke patients with acute basilar artery occlusion from 47 comprehensive stroke centers in China between January, 2014, and May, 2019. Patients were divided into conventional treatment or endovascular treatment groups according to the treatment their received. We assessed clinical outcomes 1 year after patients were enrolled in the BASILAR registry. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the score on the modified Rankin scale (range, 0 to 6 points, with higher scores indicating more severe disability) at 1 year assessed as a common odds ratio using ordinal logistic regression shift analysis, adjusted for prespecified prognostic factors. Secondary outcomes included categories scores of the modified Rankin scale at 1 year (0 to 1 [excellent outcome], 0 to 2 [good outcome], and 0 to 3 [favorable outcome]), and death from any cause during the 1-year period after enrollment. Results: Of the 829 patients who were enrolled in the original study, 1-year data for this extended follow-up study were available for 785 patients (94.7%). The distribution of outcomes on the modified Rankin scale favored endovascular treatment over conventional treatment (adjusted common odds ratio, 4.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.81 to 7.29; P < 0.001). There were significant differences between the treatment groups in the percentage of patients who had excellent outcome, good outcome and favorable outcome. The cumulative 1-year mortality rate was 54.6% in the endovascular treatment group and 83.5% in the conventional treatment group (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.36; 95% CI, 2.69 to 7.29; P < 0.001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this extended follow-up study, the beneficial effect of endovascular treatment on functional outcome at 1 year in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion was similar to that reported at 90 days in the original study.


1982 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wallace Shellenberger ◽  
Marvin J. Miller ◽  
Iver F. Small ◽  
Victor Milstein ◽  
James R. Stout

Twenty-four patients received ECT induced by either alternating sine wave or brief pulsed-square wave stimulus and were evaluated at follow-up for clinical functioning and subjective memory loss. The hypothesis of less memory loss in the group receiving a weaker stimulus (pulsed-square wave) was not supported. The two treatment groups and a group of controls showed no significant differences on the memory test. On measures of clinical functioning the sine wave group scored better on every measure than the square wave group, although not significantly better.


Open Medicine ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Näslindh-Ylispangar ◽  
Marja Sihvonen ◽  
Seppo Sarna ◽  
Hannu Vanhanen ◽  
Pertti Kekki

AbstractThe metabolic syndrome presents a serious challenge to health professionals. The aim of the present study is to analyze the impact of a brief counselling on cardiovascular risk factors among 40-year-old men. Forty-six males living in north-eastern Helsinki voluntarily completed the follow-up study between 2001 and 2004, and were assessed for clinical risk factors. The mean differences were determined by a paired t-test, and the interaction between groups and time by the F-test with repeated measures ANOVA. After baseline assessment and in 2002, males received a 45 minute nurse-delivered counselling session with self-administered protocol. Cardiovascular risk factors improved significantly (p<0.05) from baseline within months. However, the final measurements obtained after three years showed that almost all risk factors, except the low and high density lipoprotein, tended to revert back to baseline. The profiles were similar in all predictor groups. Brief counselling had an impact on risk factors measured in 2002, but only a partial effect on them in 2004. Conclusive results lead to the idea thatmore collaboration is needed between private health care agencies and official primary health care for ensuring the continuity of improved health habits among middle-aged males.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-117
Author(s):  
Amanda Karen Patricia Roberts

The purpose of this pre-experimental case study was to explore the efficacy and safety of the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP) in the psychological treatment of cancer survivors and its potential effects on posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Participants (N = 35) were patients with various types of cancer, in different stages, initial or recurring, with diagnosis or oncology treatment received within the past year. Following an individual psychoeducational intake session, participants received two 90-minute EMDR G-TEP sessions, administered on consecutive days. They were randomly assigned to a treatment group or a delayed treatment group. Assessments were administered at pre, post, and follow-up using the Short PostTraumatic Stress Disorder Interview (SPRINT), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Repeated measures comparisons of PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and depression revealed significant differences between pretest and posttest, with most results maintained at follow-up. Pre-follow-up effect sizes showed medium effects. These promising results suggest the value in providing a lengthier course of treatment. They support the need for research with large sample, randomized clinical trials to examine the viability of providing EMDR G-TEP in the psychological treatment of cancer survivors. No serious adverse effects were reported and we conclude that the EMDR G-TEP may be effective and safe in the psychological treatment of an oncology population.


Kardiologiia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (11) ◽  
pp. 94-100
Author(s):  
M. I. Chashkina ◽  
D. A. Andreev ◽  
N. L. Kozlovskaya ◽  
Z. K. Salpagarova ◽  
A. Yu. Suvorov ◽  
...  

Aim To evaluate safety of using rivaroxaban in patients with stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) or transient, stable decline of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to 15–29 ml /min / 1.73 m2 in the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF).Material and methods This multicenter prospective, randomized study included patients admitted to cardiology departments from 2017 through 2019. Of 10 224 admitted patients 109 (3 %) patients with AF and stage 4 CKD or a stable decline of GFR to 15–29 ml /min / 1.73 m2 were randomized at 2:1 ratio to the rivaroxaban 15 mg /day (n=73) treatment group or to the warfarin treatment group (n=36). The primary endpoint was development of BARC and ISTH major, minor, and clinically relevant minor bleeding. Mean follow-up duration was 18 months.Results Patients receiving warfarin had a significantly higher incidence of BARC (n=26 (72.2 %) vs. n=31 (42.4 %), р<0.01) and ISTH (n=22 (61.1 %) vs. n=27 (36.9 %), p<0.01) minor bleeding and all ISTH clinically relevant (minor clinically relevant and major bleedings) n=10 (27.7 %) vs. n=8 (10.9 %), р=0.03]. The number of repeated hospitalizations was 65 (43% of patients) in the rivaroxaban treatment group and 27 (48% of patients) in the warfarin treatment group (р=0.57), including 24 (36.9 %) and 11 (40.7 %) emergency admissions in the rivaroxaban and warfarin treatment groups, respectively (р=0.96). Significant improvement of changes in creatinine clearance and GFR (by CKD-EPI and Cockroft-Gault) was observed in the rivaroxaban treatment group.Conclusion The study provided evidence for a more beneficial safety profile of rivaroxaban compared to warfarin in patients with AF and advanced CKD.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenbin Tan ◽  
Guiling Li ◽  
Li Du ◽  
Xiuqi Wei ◽  
Xiaoling Cao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: COVID-19 patients develop hypolipidemia. However, it is unknown whether lipid levels have improved in recovered patients.Objective: In this follow-up study, we evaluated serum lipidemia and other physiopathological laboratory values in recovered patients.Methods: A 3–6 month follow-up study was performed between June 15 and September 3, 2020, to examine serum levels of laboratory values in 107 discharged COVID-19 patients (mild = 59; severe/critical = 48; diagnoses on admission). 61 patients had a revisit chest CT scan. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze changes in laboratory values at admission and follow-up.Results: LDL-c and HDL-c levels were significantly higher at follow-up than at admission in severe/critical cases (p < 0.05). LDL-c levels were significantly higher at follow-up than at admission in mild cases (p < 0.05). With adjustment of the factor of traditional Chinese medicine, LDL-c and HDL-c levels were significantly improved at follow-up than at admission in severe/critical cases (p < 0.05). Coagulation and liver laboratory values were significantly lower at follow-up than at admission for patients (p < 0.05). Increases in HDL-c significantly correlated with increases in numbers of white blood cells (p<0.001) and decreases in levels of C-reactive protein (p < 0.05) during patients’ recovery. Residue lesions were observed in CT images in 69% (42 of 61) of follow-up patients.Conclusions: Improvements of LDL-c, HDL-c and incomplete absorption of lung lesions were observed at 3–6 month follow-up for recovered patients, indicating that a long-term recovery process could be required.


1976 ◽  
Vol 129 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Mathews ◽  
D. W. Johnston ◽  
M. Lancashire ◽  
M. Munby ◽  
P. M. Shaw ◽  
...  

SummaryEach of thirty-six female agoraphobic out-patients were treated by one of three methods: 8 sessions of imaginal flooding followed by 8 sessions of practice in the real situation; 16 sessions of combined flooding and practice; or 16 sessions of practice alone. Three therapists treated equal numbers of patients in each group, and there was some evidence that patients' response varied according to the therapist seen, irrespective of treatment group. There were no significant differences between treatment groups after 8 sessions, 16 sessions or on six-month follow-up. It is concluded that there are no long-term differences between the effects of treatments involving exposure to either imaginai or real phobic situations or to a combination of both, provided that patients are encouraged to practise between sessions.


CNS Spectrums ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 347-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernardo Dell'Osso ◽  
Cristina Dobrea ◽  
Chiara Arici ◽  
Beatrice Benatti ◽  
Roberta Ferrucci ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation technique that has received increasing interest in the area of mood disorders over the last several years. While acute, double-blind, sham-controlled studies have already reported positive findings in terms of efficacy and safety for tDCS, follow-up data are lacking. This need prompted the present follow-up study, which assesses post-acute effects of tDCS (no maintenance stimulation was performed), in the mid-term, in a sample of major depressives.MethodsAfter completing an acute, open trial of tDCS, 23 outpatients with either major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder entered a naturalistic follow-up (T1) with clinical evaluations at one week (T2), 1 month (T3), and 3 months (T4). A quantitative analysis of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) total scores, through repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) (T1–T4) and paired t-test for comparing specific time points (T1–T2, T2–T3, and T3–T4), was performed. In addition, a qualitative analysis on the basis of treatment response and remission (HAM-D) was performed.ResultsEven though a progressive reduction of follow-up completers was observed from T2 to T4 (95.6% at T2, 65.2% at T3, and 47.8% at T4), the antidepressant effects of acute tDCS persisted over 3 months in almost half of the sample. Of note, no post-acute side effects emerged during the follow-up observation. The most frequent causes of drop-out from this study included major modifications in therapeutic regimen (30%) and poor adherence to follow-up visits (17%).ConclusionsIn this mid-term, open, follow-up study, tDCS showed mixed results. Further controlled studies are urgently needed to assess its effects beyond the acute phase.


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Sanguino-Andrés ◽  
José Antonio López-Villalobos ◽  
Emilio González-Pablos ◽  
Violeta Guarido-Rivera ◽  
Clara González-Sanguino ◽  
...  

AbstractObjective: To longitudinally analyze the course of cognitive dimensions in schizophrenic women over a period of 31 years. Method: Accidental sampling. Developmental longitudinal design. Diagnosis according to the ICD-10. Thirty institutionalized women were evaluated using the WAIS on three separate occasions (in 1981, 1997, and 2012). The data were analyzed using a repeated measures split-plot method. Results: Patients scored one to two standard deviations below the average on the WAIS. At all three evaluation times, they scored consistently, significantly worse on Performance IQ scales than on Verbal IQ in the following sequence: Processing Speed (PS) < Perceptual Organization (PO) < Working Memory (WM) < Verbal Comprehension (VC). Longitudinally, there was a significant, linear average trend that was stable between the first and second assessments, with a significant drop in scores at the third evaluation on Performance IQ (η2 = .586) and Verbal IQ scales (η2 = .299). The same trend was observed in PS (η2 = .655) and WM (η2 = .438), while PO decreased across the three evaluations (η2 = .509) and no difference in VC was found (η2 = .126). Conclusion: Patients with schizophrenia presented with a low cognitive level. Longitudinally, they had a stable, differential profile of WAIS factors until late life, when performance dropped significantly.


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