PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

B Woggon

Publications and source records attributed to B Woggon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Methodology of measuring the efficacy of antidepressants--European viewpoint.

The 1988 Consensus Conference on the Methodology of Clinical Trials of Antidepressants developed a European viewpoint on the methodology of measuring the efficacy of antidepressants. Placebo-controlled, parallel group trials are necessary but problematic. To test the efficacy of a new antidepressant, only patients with recognized depressive disorder of at least moderate severity should be included. In double-blind trials comparing a novel antidepressant with a well known reference drug, effective doses of the reference drug should be used. Efficacy can best be demonstrated in non-treatment-resistant patients. The recommended length of trials for proof of antidepressant efficacy is at least 4 weeks.

Antidepressive Agents

Dextromethorphan and mephenytoin phenotyping of patients treated with thioridazine or amitriptyline.

The metabolism of most tricyclic antidepressants and some phenothiazine neuroleptics is under the genetic control of hepatic cytochrome P-450IID6, which also regulates the metabolism of dextromethorphan. This study investigated the effect of treatment with amitriptyline or thioridazine on testing for genetically regulated efficiency of the metabolism of dextromethorphan and mephenytoin. One group of 33 patients was treated with 150 mg amitriptyline a day (the AMI group); 25 other patients received a daily dose of thioridazine, either 200 mg (200-THD group; n = 7) or 400 mg (400-THD group; n = 18). Before and after 10 days of this treatment, all patients were tested with 25 mg dextromethorphan and 100 mg mephenytoin to determine their pharmacogenetic status with respect to their hepatic drug oxidizing systems (cytochrome P-450IID6 and P-450 MP). Two patients were poor metabolizers (PMs) of dextromethorphan and three of mephenytoin. Treatment with either psychotropic drug was without significant effect on the metabolism of mephenytoin, but both amitriptyline and thioridazine increased significantly the metabolic ratio of dextromethorphan/dextrorphan. Thioridazine had the effect of changing the pharmacogenetic status of 15 efficient metabolizers of dextromethorphan to poor metabolizers; amitriptyline did not have such an effect. There was no significant correlation between day-11 plasma levels of thioridazine, mesoridazine, or sulforidazine and the metabolism of dextromethorphan, but there was a correlation between the metabolism of dextromethorphan and plasma levels of amitriptyline and nortriptyline. Amitriptyline (p less than 0.05), but not thioridazine, decreases the ratio of conjugated/total dextrorphan in urine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

[Interrater reliability of diagnosis, AMP syndromes and AMP symptoms (author's transl)].

Psychic disorders can be classified into three levels: symptom, syndrome, and diagnosis. For each of these levels of reference, interrater reliability has been calculated. For this purpose, 48 patients (25 depressives and 23 schizophrenics) were interviewed by two raters each and the diagnoses were registered on the AMP system (forms 3 and 4). Additionally, each rather made an ICD diagnosis. With ICD numbers of three digits interrater reliability amounted to Kappa = 0.84; with ICD numbers of four digits it amounted to Kappa = 0.65. According to the degree of accuracy, numerical agreement with the AMP syndromes lies between Kappa = 0.61 and 0.85. Single symptoms had the lowest reliability (median: Kappa 0.45 and 0.53). Reasons for these differences and possibilities for improvement are discussed.

Adolescent

Comparison between Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) and association for methodology and documentation in psychiatry (AMP) system.

1. 5 AMP experienced raters examined 28 depressed and 22 psychotic patients. Symptoms were documented using the CPRS (preliminary German translation) and the AMP system. The two rating scales were compared from the raters point of views and using descriptive statistical methods. 2. The high number of CPRS symptoms showing significant correlations to AMP symptoms demonstrate a strong similarity between the two rating scales. 3. The AMP system gives a more differentiated and comprehensive picture of the psychopathology than the CPRS. 4. The CPRS seems to us to be easily communicable, mainly due to the exact description of the scale steps and the differentiation of reported and observed items. 5. For the measurement of changes during treatment half steps should be used to increase the sensitivity of the CPRS.

Adult

[Discontinuation of neuroleptics in chronic schizophrenics. I. Summary of the literature].

Based on the available publications on the discontinuation of antipsychotic drug treatment in chronic schizophrenic patients the following conclusions can be drawn: (1) About 50% of chronic schizophrenic patients develop a psychotic relapse after discontinuation of antipsychotic drug treatment. (2) The risk for a psychotic relapse after neuroleptic withdrawal seems to be less pronounced in older patients with a long duration of illness and hospitalization who are treated with a rather low maintenance dosage of antipsychotic drugs. (3) For the individual patient the effects of discontinuation are only predictable based on earlier results of an individual termination of his antipsychotic drug treatment.

Antipsychotic Agents

[Influence of diagnosis, hospital and sex on the effects of bromperidol].

Based on the data analysis of the AMP-findings of 78 schizophrenic patients from 4 clinical trials, the following effects of Bromperidol could be demonstrated: a strong antipsychotic effect with an early onset (after 3 days), little sedation, good improvement of accompanying depressive symptoms, little autonomic but rather strong extrapyramidal side effects. No differences between the effects in men and women were noticed. Differences between the patient populations of two hospitals were small in comparison to the differences between the patients with catatonic and paranoid schizophrenia. In catatonic patients, Bromperidol had a stronger antipsychotic effect and showed an earlier onset of its effects.

Adult

[Discontinuation of antipsychotic drugs in chronic schizophrenic patients. II. Psychological and psychopathological test differences between patients with and without relapse].

After the discontinuation of the neuroleptic treatment (open design), 10 out of 30 hospitalized chronic schizophrenic patients showed before the end of 4 weeks a significant increase of their symptomatology. This deterioration made the application of neuroleptics necessary. Before the discontinuation of the neuroleptic treatment the group of patients with later relapse and the group without relapse showed only slight differences concerning psychopathological symptoms but significant differences concerning test performance. After 2 weeks without medication a pronounced impairment of performance was found in patients with later relapse. At this time the two groups showed no more significant differences in the psychological tests. At the same time significant differences concerning the psychopathological symptoms had developed.

Adult

[The development of psychopharmacotherapy].

Based on experiences during the longterm treatment with psychotropic drugs the following subjects are discussed: extrapyramidal side effects of neuroleptic drugs, cardiovascular side effects of antidepressants, side effects of Lithium, interactions with other medications, influence on laboratory tests and also the psychopharmacological treatment during pregnancy.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced

[Evaluation of AMP symptoms in independent and self assessment].

11 co-workers (9 physicians, 2 psychologists) of our research department with experience in the use of the AMP system participated in this study. According to the level of observation, 139 AMP symptoms were classified into 3 categories. 44 symptoms were classified into category SB (self-rating), 51 into category FB (psychiatrists' rating) and 44 into category SF (mixed rating). This showed the combination of different levels of observation in the AMP system. The symptoms of the 3 categories show an unequal distribution among the 9 AMP syndromes according to Baumann. The classification of the different symptoms according to the level of observation should be demonstrated during training sessions with the AMP system. This could avoid uncertainties in the judgement of AMP symptoms and improve the inter-rater reliability of the AMP system.

Humans

[Influence of diagnosis and length of hospitalization on the retest reliability for findings of the first psychopathological test (AMP system)].

80 inpatients were interviewed twice by the same physician with an interval of 24 h. By forming subgroups concerning diagnosis and duration of hospitalization, it was possible to examine the influence of these two criteria on the retest reliability of the following findings: (1) aspects of the interview; (2) AMP symptoms; (3) AMP syndromes; (4) clinical syndrome diagnoses, and (5) nosological diagnoses. The duration of hospitalization (up to 40 days) had no influence on the retest reliability of the described findings. The diagnosis (schizophrenia/depression) had no influence on the well-structured findings (AMP symptoms, AMP syndromes). On the contrary, the diagnosis influenced findings which are not so well structured and defined (aspects of the interview, clinical syndrome diagnoses, nosological diagnoses).

Adolescent

[Examination of the retest reliability of the findings of the first psychopathological examination (AMP system)].

80 inpatients were interviewed two times by the same rate during 24 h. Using Kappa, the retest reliability of the following parts of the psychopathological findings was determined: (1) aspects of the interview (median 0.54); (2) AMP symptoms (median 0.72); (3) AMP syndromes (median 0.79); (4) clinical syndromes (median 0.77), and (5) nosologic diagnoses (median 0.93). Based on structured rating of the psychopathological symptoms, a good retest reliability was found.

Adolescent

[Reproducibility of the factorial structure of the AMP system].

Using the data of 552 patients mainly suffering from endogenous psychoses, the factorial structure (2--9 factors) of the AMP system was determined and compared to the results of a previous analysis. The 2- to 5-factor solutions were reproduced. In the 9-factor solution, on which the 9 known AMP scales are based, 2 factors ('paranoid' and 'hypochondriac syndrome') were not completely reproducible.

Humans

[Construction of second order AMP scales: "manic depressives" and "schizophrenic syndrome"].

A previous two-factor solution of the AMP system was confirmed by a factor analysis in 552 patients, mainly suffering from endogenous psychoses. Based on these results, two second-order scales ('manic-depressive' and 'schizophrenic syndrome') were constructed according to the classical theory of mental testing. The scales are orthogonal. Their reliability and validity is satisfactory. It is suggested to use the two new scales together with the known 9 AMP scales.

Behavior

[Interrater reliability of amp symptoms (author's transl)].

Two psychiatrists examined 48 patients (25 depressed and 23 schizophrenic). Each documented the symptoms on AMP sheets 3 (psychopathologic symptoms) and 4 (somatic signs, first column only). The study deals with 139 AMP symptoms. Seventy could be judged concerning symptom exists/does not exist. Of these 70 symptoms, 45 showed a good or moderate interrater reliability. Specific symptoms had a better reliability than nonspecific. Symptoms described by the patients had a better reliability than those judged by the doctor alone. The results indicate that expanded use of the AMP system in its present form is problematic. Work on a new version of the AMP system has already begun.

Anxiety

Double-blind comparison of bromperidol and perphenazine.

Within the scope of a clinical double-blind study, effects and side effects of Bromperidol and Perphenazine were compared. Forty newly-hospitalized schizophrenic patients were included in the trial. Assessments were made on days 0, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 30. Data were documented by means of the AMP system, the EPRS scale of Simpson and Angus, and a Brief Ward Behaviour Rating Scale. Laboratory tests and ECGs were performed before and after treatment. Treatment was scheduled for 30 days and dosages were established depending on effects and side effects. We found a therapeutic effective mean daily dose of 6 mg for Bromperidol and 20 mg for Perphenazine. Both substances caused autonomic and extrapyramidal side effects and, in a few patients, temproary fatigue. The employed dosage caused no strong sedation. To sum up, Bromperidol and Perphenazine can be described as highly potent and well tolerated antipsychotic drugs. We observed stronger efficacy and earlier onset of action with Bromperidol. The superior effect of Bromperidol cannot be explained by a higher dosage as compared with Perphenazine, since both substances showed a similar severity of extrapyramidal side effects, and the dosage of both substances was established individually for each patient, depending on effects and side effects.

Adult

[Penfluridol. Results of a year-long clinical trial].

During an open clinical trial, 51 schizophrenic patients were treated with Penfluirdol, 34 for 1 year and 17 for a shorter time. The mean dosage of Penfluirdol was 22 up to 28 mg per week. Assessments were made on days 0, 14, 28, 56, 90, 180, 270, and 365 using the AMP system and the EPRS scale of Simpson and Angus. The symptomatology was mainly reduced during the first 3 months of treatment and remained afterwards relative unchanged. Penfluridol showed a good antipsychotic effect on productive schizophrenic symptoms (thought disorders and paranoid symptoms, autism and schizophrenic affective disorders). The dosage used showed only a slight sedative effect and was well tolerated concerning autonomic and extrapyramidal side-effects.

Adult