Lurasidone for Adolescents With Complex Mental Disorders: A Case Series

2021 ◽  
pp. 089719002199701
Author(s):  
Tom B. Mole ◽  
Yulia Furlong ◽  
Richard J. Clarke ◽  
Pradeep Rao ◽  
Julia K. Moore ◽  
...  

Objectives: Lurasidone is a new second generation (atypical) antipsychotic agent with unique receptor affinity and side-effect profiles, but limited literature is available on its use in adolescent populations. Contrasting with research treatment trials which typically recruit patients by stringent selection criteria, this case series examined the effects and tolerability of using lurasidone in adolescents within real-life clinical settings in treating complex cases who had not responded to other therapy options. Methods: We conducted a retrospective case-note audit of 6 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years old attending community child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) who were prescribed lurasidone. Results: Lurasidone had been prescribed for a range of “hard-to-manage” conditions with complex comorbidities, in adolescents in relation to specific use of lurasidone on the basis of clinical and pharmacological indications after exhausting more conventional treatment options. Case-note review suggested response to lurasidone was clinically positive in 3 cases, equivocal/marginal in 2 cases, and ineffective in 1 case. There were no cases of poor tolerance or adverse effects. Notably, positive responses for depressive and irritable mood symptoms were specifically recorded by prescribing clinicians, indicative of benefits on symptom improvement. No lurasidone attributed weight gain, galactorrhoea, metabolic abnormalities, sexual dysfunction or intolerance were reported. Pro-cognitive effects were not detected; but our findings were constrained by the non-systematic and incomplete information ascertainment, typical in retrospective case-note review. Conclusion: This case series provides preliminary data supporting lurasidone’s potential use in adolescents of complex clinical needs (but without a clinical diagnosis of bipolar disorder) within real-life clinical settings. Lurasidone appears to show a weight-sparing effect, in addition to improving mood symptoms in some cases. Lurasidone deserves further study for its use in the adolescent population (outside the remit of FDA) given its potential more favorable risk-benefit profile in young people. The favorable tolerability appear to be borne out by the pharmacodynamic predictions in our complex patients who would be excluded in formal clinical trial studies.

2015 ◽  
Vol 129 (7) ◽  
pp. 670-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
M S Atfeh ◽  
H S Khalil

AbstractBackground:Periorbital infections represent a spectrum of sepsis that carries potentially significant morbidity and mortality. Early recognition, systematic assessment and aggressive treatment of the condition are essential.Methods:A retrospective five-year case note review on the management of periorbital infections was performed at a tertiary centre. A literature review on the management of periorbital infections was also undertaken. A multidisciplinary guideline on the management of periorbital infections was developed based on the findings of the case and literature reviews.Results:The results of the retrospective case series correlate well with those of recent reports.Conclusion:The new multidisciplinary guideline has been finalised and approved for practice and future auditing.


2016 ◽  
Vol 101 (10) ◽  
pp. 957-961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nahla Alshaikh ◽  
Andreas Brunklaus ◽  
Tracey Davis ◽  
Stephanie A Robb ◽  
Ros Quinlivan ◽  
...  

AimAssessment of the efficacy of vitamin D replenishment and maintenance doses required to attain optimal levels in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).Method25(OH)-vitamin D levels and concurrent vitamin D dosage were collected from retrospective case-note review of boys with DMD at the Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre. Vitamin D levels were stratified as deficient at <25 nmol/L, insufficient at 25–49 nmol/L, adequate at 50–75 nmol/L and optimal at >75 nmol/L.Result617 vitamin D samples were available from 197 boys (range 2–18 years)—69% from individuals on corticosteroids. Vitamin D-naïve boys (154 samples) showed deficiency in 28%, insufficiency in 42%, adequate levels in 24% and optimal levels in 6%. The vitamin D-supplemented group (463 samples) was tested while on different maintenance/replenishment doses. Three-month replenishment of daily 3000 IU (23 samples) or 6000 IU (37 samples) achieved optimal levels in 52% and 84%, respectively. 182 samples taken on 400 IU revealed deficiency in 19 (10%), insufficiency in 84 (47%), adequate levels in 67 (37%) and optimal levels in 11 (6%). 97 samples taken on 800 IU showed deficiency in 2 (2%), insufficiency in 17 (17%), adequate levels in 56 (58%) and optimal levels in 22 (23%). 81 samples were on 1000 IU and 14 samples on 1500 IU, with optimal levels in 35 (43%) and 9 (64%), respectively. No toxic level was seen (highest level 230 nmol/L).ConclusionsThe prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in DMD is high. A 2-month replenishment regimen of 6000 IU and maintenance regimen of 1000–1500 IU/day was associated with optimal vitamin D levels. These data have important implications for optimising vitamin D dosing in DMD.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Williams ◽  
Lorna Farquharson ◽  
Ellen Rhodes ◽  
Mary Dang ◽  
Natasha Lindsay ◽  
...  

Background Questions have been raised regarding differences in the standards of care that patients receive when they are admitted to or discharged from in-patient units at weekends. Aims To compare the quality of care received by patients with anxiety and depressive disorders who were admitted to or discharged from psychiatric hospital at weekends with those admitted or discharged during the ‘working week’. Method Retrospective case-note review of 3795 admissions to in-patient psychiatric wards in England. Quality of care received by people with depressive or anxiety disorders was compared using multivariable regression analyses. Results In total, 795 (20.9%) patients were admitted at weekends and 157 (4.8%) were discharged at weekends. There were minimal differences in quality of care between those admitted at weekends and those admitted during the week. Patients discharged at weekends were less likely to be given sufficient notification (48 h) in advance of being discharged (OR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.39–0.78), to have a crisis plan in place (OR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.46–0.92) or to be given medication to take home (OR = 0.45, 95% CI 0.30–0.66). They were also less likely to have been assessed using a validated outcome measure (OR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.50–0.97). Conclusions There is no evidence of a ‘weekend effect’ for patients admitted to psychiatric hospital at weekends, but the quality of care offered to those who were discharged at weekends was relatively poor, highlighting the need for improvement in this area.


2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (9) ◽  
pp. 587-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark James Ponsford ◽  
Rachael Steven ◽  
Kathyrn Bramhall ◽  
Mathew Burgess ◽  
Sonali Wijetilleka ◽  
...  

AimsAn association between antibody deficiency and clozapine use in individuals with schizophrenia has recently been reported. We hypothesised that if clozapine-associated hypogammaglobulinaemia was clinically relevant this would manifest in referral patterns.MethodsRetrospective case note review of patients referred and assessed by Immunology Centre for Wales (ICW) between January 2005 and July 2018 with extraction of clinical and immunological features for individuals with diagnosis of schizophrenia-like illness.Results1791 adult patients were assessed at ICW during this period; 23 patients had a psychiatric diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Principal indications for referral were findings of low calculated globulin and immunoglobulins. Clozapine was the single most commonly prescribed antipsychotic (17/23), disproportionately increased relative to reported use in the general schizophrenia population (OR 6.48, 95% CI: 1.79 to 23.5). Clozapine therapy was noted in 6/7 (86%) of patients subsequently requiring immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT). Marked reduction of class-switched memory B cells (CSMB) and plasmablasts were observed in clozapine-treated individuals relative to healthy age-matched controls. Clozapine duration is associated with CSMB decline. One patient discontinued clozapine, with gradual recovery of IgG levels without use of IgRT.ConclusionsOur findings are consistent with enrichment of clozapine-treatment within schizophrenic individuals referred for ICW assessment over the last 13 years. These individuals displayed clinical patterns closely resembling the primary immunodeficiency common variable immunodeficiency, however appears reversible on drug cessation. This has diagnostic, monitoring and treatment implications for psychiatry and immunology teams and directs prospective studies to address causality and the wider implications for this patient group.


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