Biomedical subjects

Glenn Treisman

Publications and source records attributed to Glenn Treisman.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

PTSD: a problematic diagnostic category.

Since the publication of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-III, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become a remarkably dominant theme in mental health discourse and diagnostic practice. This development has been encouraged by the diagnosis being officially presumed to exist in acute, chronic, delayed, complex, subdromal, and even "masked" forms. Here, we present an historical and clinical review that indicates how, since 1980, the term PTSD (along with its dubious embellishments) replaced established views on mental responses to trauma to the detriment of patient care and psychiatric investigation. From this historical perspective, we review and evaluate the natural course of emotional and behavioral reactions to traumatic experiences, and as well their assessment, formulation, and therapeutic management in both civilian and military situations. From this we conclude that the concept of PTSD has moved the mental health field away from, rather than towards a better understanding of the natural psychological responses to trauma. A return to prior standards of diagnostic practice and therapeutic planning would greatly benefit patient care, rehabilitative services to veterans, and epidemiologic research.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

PubMed2006

Psychotropic medications and HIV.

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome have high rates of psychiatric illness. The effective management of these psychiatric conditions can improve a patient's quality of life and may improve antiretroviral adherence. Care providers for patients with HIV infection frequently encounter clinical situations in which psychotropic medications are needed or are being used. Those clinical situations require familiarity with the broad category of medications termed "psychotropic." That familiarity should include a basic understanding of indications, adverse effects, and drug interactions. In particular, it is very important to recognize the many potential interactions based on cytochrome P450 metabolism, which is common to many psychotropics, the protease inhibitors, and the nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors. In a brief review of the use of psychotropic medications in patients with HIV infection, we discuss indications, adverse effects, and drug interactions for commonly used antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, psychostimulants, and drugs of abuse.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

PubMed2004

Does the presence of a current psychiatric disorder in AIDS patients affect the initiation of antiretroviral treatment and duration of therapy?

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric disorders are common in HIV patients, and previous work suggests that these patients experience delays in treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We investigated whether a current psychiatric disorder (1) affected the time to initiation of HAART, (2) predicted the likelihood of being prescribed HAART for at least 6 months, and (3) affected survival in urban AIDS patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of AIDS patients with no prior history of HAART who were enrolled and followed at the Johns Hopkins University HIV clinic between January 1996 and January 2002. Patients were stratified based on the presence of a psychiatric disorder. Cox proportional hazards regression models estimated the relative risk of receiving HAART and survival, whereas multivariate logistic regression models estimated the relative odds of remaining on HAART. RESULTS: During the study period, 549 patients with AIDS and no prior antiretroviral treatment were enrolled in the clinic. Eighteen percent (n = 100) were defined as having a current psychiatric disorder, 39% (n = 215) were defined as having no psychiatric disorder, and 43% (n = 34) were indeterminate. Patients with a psychiatric disorder were 37% more likely to receive HAART (Cox adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.37 [1.01-1.87]), had greater than twice the odds of being prescribed HAART for at least 6 months (adjusted odds ratio [95% CI]: 2.14 [1.24-3.69]), and were 40% more likely to survive (Cox adjusted hazard ratio [95% CI]: 0.61[0.37-0.99]) as compared with those without a psychiatric disorder. CONCLUSION: Patients with psychiatric disorders are receiving HAART and are able to reap the survival benefit by remaining on it.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗