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Biomedical subjects

Bernardo Ng

Publications and source records attributed to Bernardo Ng.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Methylphenidate for alpha-interferon induced depression.

Interferon-Alpha (IFN) has been effective in the treatment of chronic viral infections and cancer albeit the added risk of severe depression. The literature has reported effectiveness in the use of antidepressants for interferon-induced depression. We report a case of severe protracted depression induced by IFN in a patient diagnosed with melanoma who responded rapidly to a course of methylphenidate using the Hamilton Depressive Rating Scale. Methylphenidate appeared to be effective in the treatment of neurovegetative symptoms of major depression induced by IFN. This report provides further clinical evidence that the neurovegetative symptoms of depression might respond better to a norepinephrine uptake inhibitor or psycho-stimulants.

Affect↗
PubMed2003

Peripheral oedema in patients taking olanzapine.

Premarketing trials of olanzapine reported an incidence of peripheral oedema of 3%. Outpatients, who were actively receiving treatment with olanzapine, were evaluated for peripheral oedema. Twenty-eight (57%) out of 49 subjects exhibited oedema, including five (10.2%) to a severe degree. There were no significant differences regarding gender, time/dose on olanzapine, concomitant diagnoses or psychotropic medication. There was a tendency (P < 0.10) for older age and greater frequency of thyroid abnormalities in those individuals with oedema. In the oedema group, there was a positive correlation (P < 0.05) between age and severity. Our finding, far from demonstrating that olanzapine causes oedema at this frequency, suggests that there maybe patients who are vulnerable to developing this side-effect.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Depression treatment in rural California: preliminary survey of nonpsychiatric physicians.

Depressive disorders have been recognized as disabling conditions of public health proportions. However, in areas underserved by mental health professionals, the treatment of depressed patients becomes challenging. Furthermore, patients living in rural areas and communities underserved by health professionals are at risk for high levels of depressive symptoms and low access to care. Physicians (N = 58) of multiple nonpsychiatric specialties in Imperial County, a rural underserved area in California, were surveyed to ascertain their preferred strategies in the management of depressed patients. More than half (57%) of the respondents preferred to either refer patients to a mental health specialist (p < .01) as the only strategy, or in combination with counseling, prescribing medication, or both. The most commonly reported form of counseling was of a supportive nature. The most commonly prescribed drugs were selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (in order of frequency:fluoxetine, sertraline, and paroxetine). Tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines were identified as first-line drugs by some pediatricians and surgeons. The results of this study support the need for enhanced postgraduate training in the treatment of depression for nonpsychiatric physicians, and greater exposure of psychiatric residents to rural psychiatry.

California↗
PubMed1996

The effect of ethnicity on prescriptions for patient-controlled analgesia for post-operative pain.

We studied if ethnicity influences patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) for the treatment of post-operative pain. Using a retrospective record review, we examined data from all patients treated with PCA for post-operative pain from January to June 1993. We excluded patients who did not have surgery prior to the prescription of PCA or were not prescribed PCA in the immediate post-operative period. The sample consisted of 454 subjects. While there were no differences in the amount of narcotic self-administered, there were significant differences in the amount of narcotic prescribed among Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites (F--7,352, P < 0.01). The ethnic differences in prescribed analgesic persisted after controlling for age, gender, pre-operative use of narcotics, pain site, and insurance status. Patient's ethnicity has a greater impact on the amount of narcotic prescribed by the physician than on the amount of narcotic self-administered by the patient.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ethnicity and use of alternative products in psychiatric patients.

The use of herbal and natural products for medical purposes is common in all human civilizations, and use in Western societies has grown considerably in recent years. However, differences in usage patterns between different ethnic groups are yet to be delineated. The current study examined the frequency and type of complementary/alternative medications used by a sample of 453 rural psychiatric outpatients of two different ethnic groups. The products were classified as "natural" (herbal products requiring some preparation before consumption) and "processed" (products in "ready-to-use" form). There were significant ethnic differences in usage patterns of the various preparations: Hispanics, relative to Caucasians, were twice as likely to use natural products, whereas Caucasians were more likely than Hispanics to use processed products. The symptoms addressed were predominantly psychiatric, with natural products, and nonpsychiatric, with processed products. These results may increase awareness among healthcare providers regarding the usage frequency of such complementary/alternative medications products and the different usage patterns across ethnic groups.

California↗