scholarly journals Psychiatric presentation of patients with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection: a retrospective review of 50 consecutive patients seen by a consultation-liaison psychiatry team

BJPsych Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousaf Iqbal ◽  
Majid Ali Al Abdulla ◽  
Sultan Albrahim ◽  
Javed Latoo ◽  
Rajeev Kumar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Review ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Psychiatric Diagnoses ◽  
Psychiatric History ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry

Background Reports of psychiatric morbidity associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection tend to be limited by geography and patients’ clinical status. Representative samples are needed to inform service planning and research. Aims To describe the psychiatric morbidity associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection (confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction) in referrals to a consultation-liaison psychiatry service in Qatar. Method Retrospective review of 50 consecutive referrals. Results Most patients were male. Median age was 39.5 years. Thirty-one patients were symptomatic (upper respiratory tract symptoms or pneumonia) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 19 were asymptomatic (no characteristic physical symptoms of COVID-19 infection). Seventeen patients (34%) had a past psychiatric history including eight with bipolar I disorder or psychosis, all of whom relapsed. Thirty patients (60%) had physical comorbidity. The principal psychiatric diagnoses made by the consultation-liaison team were delirium (n = 13), psychosis (n = 9), acute stress reaction (n = 8), anxiety disorder (n = 8), depression (n = 8) and mania (n = 8). Delirium was confined to the COVID-19 symptomatic group (the exception being one asymptomatic patient with concurrent physical illness). The other psychiatric diagnoses spanned the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with COVID. One patient with COVID-19 pneumonia experienced an ischaemic stroke. Approximately half the patients with mania and psychosis had no past psychiatric history. Three patients self-harmed. The commonest psychiatric symptoms were sleep disturbance (70%), anxiety (64%), agitation (50%), depressed mood (42%) and irritability (36%). Conclusions A wide range of psychiatric morbidity is associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and is seen in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Cases of psychosis and mania represented relapses in people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and also new onset cases.

scholarly journals Psychiatric presentations of patients with COVID-19: a retrospective review of 100 consecutive patients seen by liaison psychiatry services

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S257-S258
Author(s):  
Yousaf Iqbal ◽  
Peter Haddad ◽  
Javed Latoo ◽  
Majid Alabdulla ◽  
Sultan Albrahim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Review ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Psychiatric History ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Affective Psychosis ◽  
Asymptomatic Patients ◽  
Wide Range

AimsCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with higher rates of psychiatric morbidity due to various factors, including quarantine, social isolation, stigma, financial difficulties and direct and indirect central nervous system impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2).This study aimed to describe the psychiatric morbidity of patients with COVID-19 referred to liaison psychiatry services in Qatar.MethodThis study was a retrospective review of patient records of the first 100 consecutive SARS-Cov-2 positive patients referred to liaison psychiatry services. The study was approved by the Hamad Medical Corporation Institutional Review Board (IRB) (MRC-05–072). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics.ResultThe majority (n = 92) of 100 included patients were male and median age was 43 years. Patients were of diverse background with majority of South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Nepalese, and Afghan) (n = 60), followed by Qatari (n = 18) background. Mean length of hospital stay was 26.51 days.35 patients had severe or critical COVID-19 pneumonia, and 67 had at least one underlying physical comorbidity. Significant psychosocial stressors other than positive SARS-Cov-2 status, including lockdown, quarantine, finances and relationships issues were identified in 48 patients.A total of 35 patients had a positive past psychiatric history, out of which 17 were on maintenance psychotropic medications. Insomnia was the commonest psychiatric symptom (n = 65), followed by anxiety (n = 52), agitation (n = 42), depression (n = 39), changes in appetite (n = 32) and irritability (n = 30). The principal psychiatric diagnoses made were delirium (n = 29), acute stress reaction or adjustment disorder (n = 25), depression (n = 16), mania (n = 15), anxiety (n = 14), non-affective psychosis (n = 13), and dementia (n = 6). Approximately half of the patients with mania or non-affective psychosis had it as their first-onset disorder.ConclusionSARS-CoV-2, in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, is associated with a wide range of psychiatric morbidity which emphasizes clinicians’ vigilance for psychiatric symptoms. Insomnia was the commonest neuropsychiatric symptom which may have clinical practice and potential preventive strategies implications.Delirium, the commonest diagnosis in the study carries high morbidity and mortality and may reflect SARS-Cov-2 propensity to affect the brain directly and indirectly through a cytokine storm, organ failure, and prothrombotic state. Patients can also present with new-onset mania or non-affective psychosis. It is noteworthy that about two-thirds of the patients had no past psychiatric history.This study, along with expanding body of evidence may assist with resource allocation and liaison psychiatry services planning. It also underscores the importance of designing future studies to better understand longer-term psychiatric sequelae of COVID-19.

scholarly journals Diagnostic Agreement between Physicians and a Consultation–Liaison Psychiatry Team at a General Hospital: An Exploratory Study across 20 Years of Referrals

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 749
Author(s):  
Mattia Marchi ◽  
Federica Maria Magarini ◽  
Giorgio Mattei ◽  
Luca Pingani ◽  
Maria Moscara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Hospital ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Kappa Statistics ◽  
Comorbid Depression ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Psychiatric Conditions ◽  
Diagnostic Concordance

Consultation–liaison psychiatry (CLP) manages psychiatric care for patients admitted to a general hospital (GH) for somatic reasons. We evaluated patterns in psychiatric morbidity, reasons for referral and diagnostic concordance between referring doctors and CL psychiatrists. Referrals over the course of 20 years (2000–2019) made by the CLP Service at Modena GH (Italy) were retrospectively analyzed. Cohen’s kappa statistics were used to estimate the agreement between the diagnoses made by CL psychiatrist and the diagnoses considered by the referring doctors. The analyses covered 18,888 referrals. The most common referral reason was suspicion of depression (n = 4937; 32.3%), followed by agitation (n = 1534; 10.0%). Psychiatric diagnoses were established for 13,883 (73.8%) referrals. Fair agreement was found for depressive disorders (kappa = 0.281) and for delirium (kappa = 0.342), which increased for anxiety comorbid depression (kappa = 0.305) and hyperkinetic delirium (kappa = 0.504). Moderate agreement was found for alcohol or substance abuse (kappa = 0.574). Referring doctors correctly recognized psychiatric conditions due to their exogenous etiology or clear clinical signs; in addition, the presence of positive symptoms (such as panic or agitation) increased diagnostic concordance. Close daily collaboration between CL psychiatrists and GH doctors lead to improvements in the ability to properly detect comorbid psychiatric conditions.

scholarly journals Pattern of psychiatric morbidity among referred inpatients in a tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-42
Author(s):  
Nasim Jahan ◽  
Mohammad Muntasir Maruf ◽  
Sharmin Kauser ◽  
Mekhala Sarkar ◽  
Md Masud Rana Sarker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Hospital ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Psychiatric Consultation ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Inpatient Units

There is a dearth of studies related to consultation-liaison psychiatry in Bangladesh. The psychiatric referral rates in this country are very low, considering the higher rates of psychiatric morbidity in patients who attend various departments of a general hospital. This was a descriptive study consisting of all the cases referred for psychiatric consultation from inpatient units of various departments of BIRDEM General Hospital, Dhaka from July 2017 to June 2018. Patients of any age and of either gender were included. A total of 673 patients (1.97% of total admission) were referred from different departments of the hospital for psychiatric consultation within the study period. Majority of the respondents were female. The mean age of the respondents was 59.47 (±1.98) years. Among the referred, Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) was the diagnosis in 24.96%, followed by Major depressive disorder (MDD) in 9.95% cases. Referral from the department of Medicine and allied was 92.86 %, followed by department of Surgery and allied (6.38%) & department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (0.74%). Frequency of referral was the lowest in the months of November to January. There is a need to encourage multi-disciplinary interaction in the management of patients who attend general hospitals, so as to better identify the psychiatric morbidity. Bang J Psychiatry December 2017; 31(2): 38-42

The magic list of everyday problems in consultation-liaison psychiatry (and hints for solving them)

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S60-S61
Author(s):  
S. Ferrari ◽  
G. Mattei ◽  
G.M. Galeazzi ◽  
M. Rigatelli
Keyword(s):  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Complex Problems ◽  
Clinical Scenarios ◽  
Medically Unexplained ◽  
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Unexplained Physical Symptoms ◽  
Everyday Problems

IntroductionConsultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP) deals with clinical, research and training activities at the interface between psychiatry and the rest of medicine. The main clinical competencies of CLP include medical-psychiatric comorbidity (co-existing psychiatric and non-psychiatric disorders affecting reciprocally); medically unexplained physical symptoms, “somatization” and functional disorders; and liaison activities, addressed to medical workers and teams.Objectives/aimsTo describe and discuss typical clinical scenarios that CL psychiatrists have to work in, and suggest effective, evidence-based solutions.MethodsLong-standing everyday clinical experience of the authors combined to evidence derived from international literature consented to create a list of the most common and complex problems or difficulties typical of the CLP clinical context, and related possible solutions.ResultsMost common/complex problems include the following: stigma and prejudice (of patients, relatives, colleagues, and own); excessive technicality of language; short/unpredictable duration of hospital stay of patients, and more in general pressure in clinical practice due to shortness of time and resources; tendency of colleagues from other disciplines to disregard setting features related to time and space (inadequate rooms, e.g. too busy or noisy); limited time for face-to-face discussion of cases or problems; conflicts with patients/relatives/colleagues, and fear of reciprocal manipulation.DiscussionMoving on the interface between psychiatry and the somatic disciplines, CL specialists need to develop special skills, not only those strictly technical, but also those “soft skills” including relational abilities and flexibility. Understanding the systemic aspects of referrals in the relationship between physician, staff and patients is usually essential in the process of consultation.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

The Written Report in Consultation–Liaison Psychiatry: A Proposed Schema

2002 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Alexander ◽  
Sidney Bloch
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Clinical Data ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Psychiatric History ◽  
Note Taking ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Pertinent Literature ◽  
The Core ◽  
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry

Objective: The consultation–liaison psychiatry (CLP) written report serves several crucial functions; it therefore needs to be presented in a meaningful format to its readers. Surprisingly little has been written about its optimal nature. Our aim is to offer a schema which promotes effective communication. Methods: We have reviewed pertinent literature, consulted with CLP colleagues and convened a focus group that a number of them attended. Results: The core functions of the CLP report are to offer the referrer (and other relevant professionals) key comprehensible findings, recommendations for treatment and advice for follow up. Additional purposes are educational, archival and medico-legal. Our schema contains eight sections: Who is the patient? Why you referred the patient to us at this particular time? What did we find? Who are the patient's family and other supports? How do we understand these findings? What do we recommend regarding management? What further clinical developments have ensued? and What do we recommend regarding psychosocial follow-up? We provide guidelines concerning the content of each section and illustrate the use of the schema with two clinical cases. Conclusions: The functions of the CLP report are not satisfied through conventional psychiatric-history note taking. Our related yet different framework is inclined to be a more effective means to convey necessary clinical data and treatment recommendations.

scholarly journals Stability of Psychiatric Diagnoses in Candidates to Liver Transplantation Referred to a Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgio Mattei ◽  
Maria Moscara ◽  
Jessica Balducci ◽  
Silvia Cavana ◽  
Melissa Cherubini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liver Transplantation ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Psychiatric Service ◽  
Stability Index ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Psychiatric Diagnoses ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Diagnostic Stability ◽  
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
The Stability

Objective: To investigate the stability over time of the psychiatric diagnoses among candidates to liver transplantation referred to a consultation-liaison psychiatric service. Method: Descriptive study, carried out at the Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service (CLPS) placed at the Modena (Italy) General University Hospital. All patients waiting for liver transplantation and repeatedly referred to the CLPS were enrolled. The observation period was from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2013. Pearson’s coefficients were calculated to measure diagnostic stability (index referral vs. last referral). Results: One hundred patients were assessed (males 67%; mean age 53 ± 7 years old). The mean number of referrals for patients was 3 ± 2. The stability rate of psychiatric diagnosis was 64%. The following diagnoses or conditions were all significantly stable (i.e., all featured by r > 0.5 and p < 0.05): Adjustment disorder, depressive disorder, comorbid anxiety/depressive disorder, substance use disorder (including alcohol), absence of any disorder, and presence of any disorder. Conclusions: The good level of diagnostic stability displayed in the sample may be a function of the clinical and organizational “style” of the CLPS, namely the focus on identifying the prevailing personality traits, defensive mechanisms, and relational patterns.

scholarly journals Need Assessment of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry amongst the Clinical Faculty

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (02) ◽  
pp. 097-103
Author(s):  
Rakesh K Chadda ◽  
Koushik Sinha Deb ◽  
Sathya Prakash ◽  
Mamta Sood
Keyword(s):  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Psychosocial Issues ◽  
Clinical Faculty ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry

ABSTRACTNearly 20-40% of patients with medico-surgical illnesses in general hospitals have a co morbid psychiatric illness or psychosocial issues, which interfere in improvement of the primary illness. It is important to assess the attitudes and awareness of non-psychiatrist clinicians about the co-existing psychiatric morbidity in their patients and their felt needs, which can help in mitigating this morbidity. The present study attempts to gauge the non-psychiatrist clinician's perception, felt needs and barriers to referral/ intervention in a tertiary care teaching hospital. A cross-sectional, descriptive, online questionnaire-based method was used. Of the 239 clinical faculty members, only 45 responded. Responses indicated that clinicians were aware of the existence and significance of psychological problems in their patients, but could do with further increased levels of awareness and more specific training in evaluation and intervention. Stigma, lack of awareness of available services, and lack of detailed understanding regarding psychological problems were the important barriers to referral/ intervention. Better teamwork, training and more manpower were the specific suggestions for improvement in the future.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Psychiatric Morbidity in COVID-19-Positive Inpatients Referred to Consultation Liaison Psychiatry in a Tertiary Care Hospital

2021 ◽  
pp. 025371762110221
Author(s):  
Nisha K. Prajapati ◽  
Nimesh C. Parikh ◽  
Nilima D. Shah ◽  
Vinodkumar M. Darji ◽  
Heena B. Jariwala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tertiary Care Hospital ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Adjustment Disorder ◽  
P Value ◽  
Fisher Exact Test ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the risk of common mental illnesses. Consultation liaison psychiatry has been one of the most requested services in the face of this pandemic. We aimed to assess (a) the prevalence of psychiatric illness, (b) different types of psychiatric diagnoses, (c) presenting complaints, (d) reasons for psychiatric referrals, and (e) psychiatric intervention done on COVID-19 positive inpatients referred to consultation liaison psychiatry at tertiary care hospital. Method: This was a retrospective study of data collected from April 1, 2020, to September 15, 2020. Total 300 patients were referred and diagnosed with clinical interview and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorder Fifth Edition criteria. Analysis was done using chi-square test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and fisher exact test. Results: Out of 300 patients, 26.7% had no psychiatric illness. Adjustment disorder was the commonest psychiatric diagnosis (43%), followed by delirium (10%). Statistically significant differences were found for parameters like Indian Council of Medical Research Category 4 of the patient, (hospitalized severe acute respiratory infection) (P value < 0.001), medical comorbidity (P value = 0.023), and past history of psychiatric consultation (Fisher exact test statistic value <0.001). Behavioral problem (27.6%) was the commonest reason for psychiatric referral. Worrying thoughts (23.3%) was the most frequent complaint. A total of 192 (64.3%) patients were offered pharmacotherapy. Conclusions: Psychiatric morbidity was quite high (73.3%) among them and adjustment disorder was the commonest (43%) psychiatric diagnosis followed by delirium (10%). Pharmacotherapy was prescribed to 64.3% patients and psychosocial management was offered to most of the referred patients.

Pain Disorders, Part II: Evaluating the Difficult Pain Patient

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 6-14
Author(s):  
Richard T. Katz ◽  
Stacey Lee Smith
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Somatoform Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Care Physician ◽  
Pain Patient ◽  
Psychiatric Diagnoses ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Substance Abuse Disorders

Abstract In the conclusion of this two-part article, the authors present the notion of psychiatric confounders to assist non–psychiatric physicians in assessing the “difficult pain patient.” Non–psychiatric physicians need not have a detailed understanding of all psychiatric diagnoses, but an understanding of certain diagnoses will assist in evaluating patients with enduring pain complaints. Psychosocial factors have important effects on the relationship between pain and disability. In one study, job satisfaction was a predictor of future disability in low back pain patients; in another study, psychiatric morbidity in a pain-free population predicted the development of back pain over a defined period. In many patients with persistent somatic and/or pain complaints, unrecognized psychiatric diagnoses drive or complicate symptoms and may precede the onset of low back pain. Mood, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders are common and can be associated with physical and pain complaints. Somatic symptoms often are the core feature of the depressed patient who presents to a primary care physician. Somatoform disorders are a spectrum of psychiatric disorders in which physical complaints are driven or aggravated by psychological factors; somatizing patients have chronic problems, many of which are pain-related and involve recurrent physical symptoms, often in different bodily systems, that wax and wane over time. Physicians who evaluate patients with pain complaints must understand the complexity of the challenge, including the probability that pain complaints indicate underlying psychopathology.

scholarly journals Accuracy of Psychiatric Diagnoses in Consultation Liaison Psychiatry

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulqader Maqbul Aljarad ◽  
Fahad Dakhil Al Osaimi ◽  
Yaser Rashid Al Huthail
Keyword(s):  
Psychiatric Diagnoses ◽  
Liaison Psychiatry ◽  
Consultation Liaison Psychiatry
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