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Constantin Soldatos

Publications and source records attributed to Constantin Soldatos.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Amisulpride-induced hyperprolactinemia is reversible following discontinuation.

BACKGROUND: Although amisulpride is considered to be a prolactin-raising atypical antipsychotic drug, a limited number of studies have documented the extent of its prolactin-elevating properties. In the present study the effect of amisulpride on plasma levels of prolactin and the reversibility of this untoward side effect were investigated. METHODS: 17 patients with various diagnoses received amisulpride (50-800 mg/day) or a combination of amisulpride plus other medication as needed. Plasma prolactin was determined 26.7+/-9.4 days (range: 13-50 days) after initiation of treatment and in 3 cases after a much longer period, and 14-51 days following its withdrawal. RESULTS: All patients on amisulpride had hyperprolactinemia (mean+/-S.D. prolactin levels: 62.5+/-33.0 ng/ml) with females exhibiting considerably higher prolactin levels than males. Following amisulpride discontinuation prolactin levels were significantly (p<000) reduced (mean+/-S.D. prolactin levels: 12.3+/-6.7 ng/ml). No significant correlation was detected between prolactin levels and either amisulpride dosage or duration of administration. CONCLUSION: Amisulpride has a pronounced prolactin-elevating effect which appears to be independent of dosage and duration of administration. Hyperprolactinemia rapidly reverses following amisulpride discontinuation.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Association between plasma inflammatory markers and irrational beliefs; the ATTICA epidemiological study.

OBJECTIVE: Recent research data suggest that inflammation and/or depression are associated with the development and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Considering that depression may arise as a response to irrational beliefs according to the Ellis model of psychological disturbances and therapy, we sought to evaluate whether irrational beliefs are associated with plasma inflammatory factors in cardiovascular disease-free people. METHOD: From May 2001 to December 2002 we randomly enrolled 453 men (23-69 years old) and 400 women (24-71 years old) stratified by age and gender. C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, serum amyloid-A, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and white blood cells were measured in all participants. Detailed dietary characteristics of these people were assessed through a validated food frequency questionnaire. Subjects completed also the irrational beliefs inventory (IBI), which is a brief self-report measure consistent with the Ellis model of psychological disturbance and therapy and the Zung's Depression questionnaire. RESULTS: The IBI scores were similar in men and women (53+/-11 vs. 53+/-10, p = 0.83). IBI score was positively correlated with C-reactive protein (rho = 0.14, p = 0. 02), interleukin-6 (rho = 0.11, p = 0.02), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rho = 0.21, p = 0.014) and white blood cell counts (rho = 0.14, p = 0.02). These associations were confirmed even after adjusting for age, sex, years of school, body mass index, physical activity status, depression level and food items consumed by the participants. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that irrational beliefs are associated with increased inflammation process, among apparently healthy individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Short-term psychological impact on family members of intensive care unit patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the short-term psychological impact on family members of intensive care unit (ICU) patients during their stay in the unit. METHODS: Thirty-two first-degree relatives of patients treated in the ICU of two general hospitals were investigated for symptoms of early posttraumatic stress reaction, anxiety, and depression. Patients' and relatives' sociodemographic data and information pertaining to the patients' ICU treatment were collected. Family members were assessed at intake and before discharge through the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Impact of Event Scale. RESULTS: High rates of anxiety, depressive (97%), and posttraumatic stress (81%) symptoms were recorded at the initial assessment. Although symptoms remitted significantly, 87% and 59% of the sample fulfilled the criteria for a depressive and posttraumatic stress reaction, respectively, at the second assessment. Women exhibited higher levels of distress and more persisting symptoms than men did. Trait anxiety was the most significant predictor (P<.001) of the severity of depressive symptoms and the single predictor of the development of posttraumatic stress reaction (P<.000); also, state anxiety was a predictor of the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms, especially of the female gender. CONCLUSIONS: Family members of ICU patients exhibit high levels of distress that persist throughout their relatives' hospitalization. Women and individuals with high trait anxiety are at increased risk for developing such reactions. Severe early anxiety responses predicted the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Early case identification and intervention may prevent the full development of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed2005

Preattentive deficits in developmental disorders of scholastic skills.

Working memory deficiency has been implicated in developmental disorders of scholastic skills. The auditory P50 component of event-related potentials reflecting preattentive processing was investigated in 38 children with developmental disorders of scholastic skills and 19 sibling control children, as elicited during a working memory test. The P50 was evoked by two tones of low and high frequency (500 Hz and 3000 Hz). The group with developmental disorders of scholastic skills showed prolonged P50 latency induced by the low tone, located at the frontal area. The amplitude of P50 induced by the low tone exhibited significantly negative associations with both age and memory performance, whereas age and memory performance were associated positively. These findings indicate that preattentive processing deficits may be implicated not only in auditory cognition but also in developmental disorders of scholastic skills.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed2005

Anxiety in relation to inflammation and coagulation markers, among healthy adults: the ATTICA study.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is a complex feeling of uneasiness, fear and worry, which has been associated with pulmonary, cardiovascular and other adverse health conditions. The aim of this work is to examine the association of the anxious state with inflammation and coagulation factors, in persons free of cardiovascular disease. METHODS: From May 2001 to December 2002 we randomly enrolled 453 men (19 to 89 years old) and 400 women (18 to 84 years old) stratified by age and gender, from Attica area, Greece. Among others, various inflammation and coagulation markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), amyloid-A, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, white blood cell (WBC), homocysteine and fibrinogen) were evaluated in relation to the anxious state (assessed by the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory, STAI) of participants, after several adjustments made for potential confounders. RESULTS: STAI score was positively correlated with C-reactive protein (rho = 0.18, p = 0.01), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rho = 0.11, p = 0.03), interleukin-6 (rho = 0.09, p=0.03), homocysteine (rho = 0.10, p = 0.03) and fibrinogen levels (rho = 0.08, p = 0.04), in men, and positively correlated with C-reactive protein (rho = 0.22, p = 0.01), white blood cell counts (rho = 0.15, p = 0.02), interleukin-6 (rho = 0.12, p = 0.02), homocysteine (rho = 0.07, p = 0.04) and fibrinogen levels (rho = 0.07, p = 0.04), in women. These associations remained significant even after various adjustments were made. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that anxiety was associated with inflammation and coagulation markers in cardiovascular disease-free people. This may raise a hypothesis of a pathway leading to increased cardiovascular events in anxious individuals.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Sleep disorders in psychiatric practice.

Over the last years, a large body of evidence has accumulated showing that complaints of disordered sleep are quite prevalent in the community. Insomnia is by far the most common disturbance and is often associated with concurrent psychiatric illness, in particular anxiety and mood disorders. On the other hand, sleep complaints are frequently present among psychiatric patients and have been incorporated in the official diagnostic criteria for many mental disorders, such as major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and substance-related disorders. Estimates of the prevalence of sleep disorders diverge widely, because these disorders have been variously conceptualized. Currently, however, three different classifications for sleep disorders establish reliable diagnostic criteria and allow for more consistency in clinical research. In particular, the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for insomnia helped to establish a consensus among sleep specialists by defining accurately this clinical condition, i.e. by conceptualizing it as the subjective complaint of insufficient or non-restorative sleep, which is the important feature, not the actual amount of time spent asleep. Alongside the evolution of taxonomic systems, the development of specific diagnostic tools, such as rating scales for measuring clinical manifestations of sleep disorders, has contributed significantly to the growth in the field. For instance, the risk factors responsible for the development of chronic insomnia, its consequences, and the complex relationship between insomnia and psychopathology, have been considerably clarified. In terms of the polysomnographic aberrations observed in various mental disorders, these, although proven not to be pathognomonic for any of them, have been considerably refined over the last decade, and certain general sleep patterns for some specific disorders have emerged. Finally, substantial advances have been made in the elucidation of the neuropsychobiological substrate of disturbed sleep. Thus, hyperarousal has been identified as the cardinal feature of chronic insomnia, which is associated with an around-the-clock activation of both major components of the stress system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system.

Journal Article↗