Biomedical subjects

D K Subbakrishna

Publications and source records attributed to D K Subbakrishna.

58 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Post-seizure EEG fractal dimension of first ECT predicts antidepressant response at two weeks.

BACKGROUND: Duration of seizure by itself is an insufficient criterion for a therapeutically adequate seizure in ECT. Therefore, measures of seizure EEG other than its duration need to be explored as indices of seizure adequacy and predictors of treatment response. We measured the EEG seizure using a geometrical method-fractal dimension (FD) and examined if this measure predicted remission. METHODS: Data from an efficacy study on melancholic depressives (n = 40) is used for the present exploration. They received thrice or once weekly ECTs, each schedule at two energy levels - high or low energy level. FD was computed for early-, mid- and post-seizure phases of the ictal EEG. Average of the two channels was used for analysis. RESULTS: Two-thirds of the patients (n = 25) were remitted at the end of 2 weeks. As expected, a significantly higher proportion of patients receiving thrice weekly ECT remitted than in patients receiving once weekly ECT. Smaller post-seizure FD at first ECT is the only variable which predicted remission status after six ECTs. Within the once weekly ECT group too, smaller post-seizure FD was associated with remission status. CONCLUSIONS: Post-seizure FD is proposed as a novel measure of seizure adequacy and predictor of treatment response. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Seizure measures at first ECT may guide selection of ECT schedule to optimize ECT. LIMITATIONS: The study examined short term antidepressant effects only. The results may not be generalized to medication-resistant depressives.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Antidepressant efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) in melancholia: a randomized comparison with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and imipramine.

BACKGROUND: Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) is a procedure that involves essentially rhythmic hyperventilation at different rates of breathing. The antidepressant efficacy of SKY was demonstrated in dysthymia in a prospective, open clinical trial. This study compared the relative antidepressant efficacy of SKY in melancholia with two of the current standard treatments, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and imipramine (IMN). METHODS: Consenting, untreated melancholic depressives (n=45) were hospitalized and randomized equally into three treatment groups. They were assessed at recruitment and weekly thereafter for four weeks. RESULTS: Significant reductions in the total scores on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) occurred on successive occasions in all three groups. The groups, however, did not differ. Significant interaction between the groups and occasion of assessment occurred. At week three, the SKY group had higher scores than the ECT group but was not different from the IMN group. Remission (total HRSD score of seven or less) rates at the end of the trial were 93, 73 and 67% in the ECT, IMN and SKY groups, respectively. No clinically significant side effects were observed. DISCUSSION: Within the limitations of the design (lack of double blind conditions), it can be concluded that, although inferior to ECT, SKY can be a potential alternative to drugs in melancholia as a first line treatment.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Correlates of psychiatric morbidity in patients with leprosy.

The relationship between psychiatric morbidity in 30 leprosy patients under treatment as assessed by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and certain variables of their illness and psychosocial factors is examined in this paper. Physical disability and duration of illness were the illness variables considered; knowledge and adjustment were the psychosocial variables included. Bell's Adjustment Inventory (BAI) measured the latter, psychiatric morbidity was positively correlated with physical disability (p < 0.05), knowledge about the disease (p < 0.01) and social, emotional and health maladjustment (p < 0.01), but not with duration of illness (p > 0.05). The importance of appropriate knowledge, social stigma and physical disability in leprosy is discussed in addressing the psychiatric morbidity of leprosy patients.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Psychiatric morbidity in leprosy and psoriasis--a comparative study.

The psychiatric morbidity of 30 leprosy patients was compared with that of psoriasis in a clinic set-up. The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was significantly less among leprosy patients (122/1000) than among those with psoriasis (476/1000); but the severity of the problem, as measured by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), was significantly greater among leprosy patients (p < 0.05). There was no difference in the pattern of psychopathology diagnosis between the two groups. Depressive neurosis was the most common diagnosis in both the groups. The relevance of these findings in relation to leprosy is discussed.

Anxiety↗