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Biomedical subjects

Mark H Pollack

Publications and source records attributed to Mark H Pollack.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Persistent posttraumatic stress disorder following September 11 in patients with bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following indirect exposure to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in a cohort at high risk for adverse trauma-related sequelae as a result of having bipolar disorder. METHOD: Subjects (N = 137) were participants in the ongoing, naturalistic, longitudinal study Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) prior to September 11, 2001. The present study examined prospectively collected pre-event information about bipolar disorder and other potential predictors of PTSD, along with assessment of the level of indirect trauma exposure (i.e., via media) and peritraumatic distress in the aftermath of September 11, and their association with 9/11-related, new-onset PTSD as assessed by a self-report measure, the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale. RESULTS: Posttrauma assessments were completed a mean +/- SD of 430.6 +/- 78.7 days (range, 0.5-1.5 years) after September 11. Twenty percent (N = 27) of patients reported development of new-onset PTSD in response to the September 11 attacks. Rates of PTSD were significantly associated with the presence of a hypomanic, manic, or mixed mood state at the time of trauma (chi(2) = 4.25; p < .05); 62% of patients in these states developed PTSD. Mania/hypomania remained a significant predictor of PTSD in response to the September 11 attacks after controlling for peritraumatic exposure and distress variables, suggestive of a substantial increase in risk compared with those in recovery (OR = 17; 95% CI = 2.6 to 115.6; p = .0034). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of persistent new-onset PTSD among bipolar patients were elevated in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Our findings suggest that the presence of a manic state may be the most critical risk factor for adverse sequelae following indirect traumatic exposure in bipolar individuals.

Adult↗

Prefrontal and temporal gray matter density decreases in opiate dependence.

RATIONALE: There have been only a few structural brain-imaging studies, with varied findings, of opiate-dependent subjects. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) is suitable for studying whole brain-wise structural brain changes in opiate-dependent subjects. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the current study is to explore gray matter density in opiate-dependent subjects. METHODS: Gray matter density in 63 opiate-dependent subjects and 46 age- and sex-matched healthy comparison subjects was compared using VBM. RESULTS: Relative to healthy comparison subjects, opiate-dependent subjects exhibited decreased gray matter density in bilateral prefrontal cortex [Brodmann areas (BA) 8, 9, 10, 11, and 47], bilateral insula (BA 13), bilateral superior temporal cortex (BA 21 and 38), left fusiform cortex (BA 37), and right uncus (BA 28). CONCLUSIONS: This study reports that opiate-dependent subjects have gray matter density decreases in prefrontal and temporal cortex, which may be associated with behavioral and neuropsychological dysfunction in opiate-dependent subjects.

Adult↗

Olanzapine augmentation of fluoxetine for refractory generalized anxiety disorder: a placebo controlled study.

BACKGROUND: There has been little systematic study of "next-step" interventions for patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) who remain symptomatic despite initial pharmacotherapy. We present one of the first randomized controlled trials for refractory GAD, comprising double blind augmentation with olanzapine or placebo for patients remaining symptomatic on fluoxetine. METHODS: Patients remaining symptomatic after 6 weeks of fluoxetine (20 mg/day) were randomized to 6 weeks of olanzapine (mean dose 8.7 +/- 7.1 mg/day) or placebo augmentation. RESULTS: Twenty-four of 46 fluoxetine-treated patients were randomized. Olanzapine resulted in a greater proportion of treatment responders based on a Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale (CGI-S) end point score of 1 or 2 (Fisher's exact test [FET] p < .05) or a 50% reduction in Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA-A) score (FET p < .05). There were no other statistically significant differences for olanzapine compared with placebo augmentation in outcome measures, though rates of remission (HAM-A <or= 7) on olanzapine were higher at the level of a trend (FET, p = .1). Average weight gain for completers was greater with olanzapine than placebo augmentation (11.0 +/- 5.1 vs. -0.7 +/- 2.4 pounds: t = 6.32, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine may have a salutary effect on anxiety for some GAD patients remaining symptomatic despite initial serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy, but the emergence of significant weight gain represents an important clinical consideration.

Adult↗

Rates of isolated sleep paralysis in outpatients with anxiety disorders.

Initial research suggests that rates of isolated sleep paralysis (ISP) are elevated in individuals with panic disorder and particularly low in individuals with other anxiety disorders. To further evaluate these findings, we examined rates of ISP in a sample outpatients with primary diagnoses of panic disorder (n=24), social anxiety disorder (n=18), or generalized anxiety disorder (n=18). We obtained an overall rate of ISP of 19.7%; rates for patients with panic disorder (20.8%) fell between those with generalized anxiety disorder (15.8%) and social phobia (22.2%). Analysis of comorbidities failed to provide evidence of link between depressive disorders and ISP, but did indicate a significant association between anxiety comorbidity and higher rates of ISP. Results are discussed relative to other variables predicting variability in the occurrence of ISP.

Adult↗

Clinical and diagnostic implications of lifetime attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder comorbidity in adults with bipolar disorder: data from the first 1000 STEP-BD participants.

BACKGROUND: Systematic studies of children and adolescents with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder show that rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) range from 60% to 90%, but the prevalence and implications of ADHD in adults with bipolar disorder are less clear. METHODS: The first consecutive 1000 adults with bipolar disorder enrolled in the National Institute of Mental Health's Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) were assessed for lifetime ADHD. The retrospective course of bipolar disorder, current mood state, and prevalence of other comorbid psychiatric diagnoses were compared for the groups with and without lifetime comorbid ADHD. RESULTS: The overall lifetime prevalence of comorbid ADHD in this large cohort of bipolar patients was 9.5% (95% confidence interval 7.6%-11.4%); 14.7% of male patients and 5.8% of female patients with bipolar disorder had lifetime ADHD. Patients with bipolar disorder and ADHD had the onset of their mood disorder approximately 5 years earlier. After adjusting for age of onset, those with ADHD comorbidity had shorter periods of wellness and were more frequently depressed. We found that patients with bipolar disorder comorbid with ADHD had a greater number of other comorbid psychiatric diagnoses compared with those without comorbid ADHD, with substantially higher rates of several anxiety disorders and alcohol and substance abuse and dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Lifetime ADHD is a frequent comorbid condition in adults with bipolar disorder, associated with a worse course of bipolar disorder and greater burden of other psychiatric comorbid conditions. Studies are needed that focus on the efficacy and safety of treating ADHD comorbid with bipolar disorder.

Adult↗

Pregabalin for treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a 4-week, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of pregabalin and alprazolam.

BACKGROUND: Pregabalin inhibits release of excess excitatory neurotransmitters, presumably by binding to the alpha2-delta subunit protein of widely distributed voltage-dependent calcium channels in the brain and spinal cord. OBJECTIVE: To assess the anxiolytic efficacy of pregabalin in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. DESIGN: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, active-comparator trial. Patients were randomized to 4 weeks of treatment with pregabalin, 300 mg/d (n = 91), 450 mg/d (n = 90), or 600 mg/d (n = 89); alprazolam, 1.5 mg/d (n = 93); or placebo (n = 91). SETTING: Psychiatry research and clinic settings. PATIENTS: Outpatients meeting the DSM-IV criteria for generalized anxiety disorder, with a baseline Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) total score of 20 or greater. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change from baseline to end point in total HAM-A score in the pregabalin and alprazolam groups compared with the placebo group. The end point response criterion was 50% or greater reduction in the HAM-A total score. RESULTS: Pregabalin and alprazolam produced a significantly greater reduction in mean +/- SE HAM-A total score at last-observation-carried-forward end point compared with placebo (-8.4 +/- 0.8): pregabalin, 300 mg (-12.2 +/- 0.8, P<.001), 450 mg (-11.0 +/- 0.8, P = .02), and 600 mg (-11.8 +/- 0.8, P = .002), and alprazolam (-10.9 +/- 0.8, P = .02). By week 1 and at last-observation-carried-forward end point, the 3 pregabalin groups and the alprazolam group had significantly (P<.01) improved HAM-A psychic anxiety symptoms compared with the placebo group. Compared with the placebo group, HAM-A somatic anxiety symptoms were also significantly (P<.02) improved by the 300- and 600-mg pregabalin groups, but not by the 450-mg pregabalin (week 1, P = .06; week 4, P = .32) and the alprazolam groups (week 1, P = .21; week 4, P = .15). Of the 5 treatment groups, the 300-mg pregabalin group was the only medication group that differed statistically in global improvement at treatment end point not only from the placebo group but also from the alprazolam group. CONCLUSION: Pregabalin was significantly more efficacious than placebo for the treatment of psychic and somatic symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and was well tolerated by most study patients.

Adult↗

Patterns of comorbidity in panic disorder and major depression: findings from a nonreferred sample.

Previous findings in referred adult samples document major depression as having important moderating effects on the patterns of comorbidity for panic disorder and major depression. This study evaluated whether these patterns of comorbidity are moderated by referral bias. Panic disorder (PD) and major depression (MD) were used to predict the risk for comorbid psychiatric disorders and functional outcomes using data from a large sample of adults who had not been ascertained on the basis of clinical referral (N=1,031). Participants were comprehensively assessed with structured diagnostic interview methodology to evaluate childhood and adult comorbid psychiatric disorders. PD increased the risk for anxiety disorders, independently of MD. MD increased the risk for mania, antisocial personality disorder, psychoactive substance use disorder, disruptive behavior disorders, overanxious disorder, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder, independently of PD. These results extend to nonreferred samples' previously reported findings documenting that MD has important moderating effects on patterns of comorbidity for PD and indicate that patterns of comorbidity for PD are not due to referral bias.

Adult↗

Sleep paralysis among Cambodian refugees: association with PTSD diagnosis and severity.

Among Cambodian refugees attending a psychiatric clinic (n=100), 49% (49/100) had at least one episode of sleep paralysis (SP) in the previous 12 months. The annual and monthly SP prevalences were much higher in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than in non-PTSD patients. Among the PTSD patients, 65% (30/46) had monthly episodes of SP versus 14.85% (8/54) among non-PTSD patients (chi2[2, n=100]=26.78, P<.001). Moreover, patients with SP in the last month (n=30) versus those without SP had much higher PTSD severity scores. In the entire sample (n=100), the PTSD severity scores correlated significantly with the rate of SP in the last month. During SP, Cambodian refugees usually hallucinated an approaching figure (90%, 44/49). The rate of SP-associated and post-SP panic attacks was high, indicating the great distress caused by the phenomenon. SP seems to be a core aspect of the Cambodian refugee's response to trauma. When treating Cambodian refugees, and traumatized refugees in general, clinicians should assess for its presence.

Adult↗

A randomized controlled trial of cognitive-behavior therapy for Cambodian refugees with treatment-resistant PTSD and panic attacks: a cross-over design.

We examined the therapeutic efficacy of a culturally adapted cognitive-behavior therapy for Cambodian refugees with treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comordid panic attacks. We used a cross-over design, with 20 patients in the initial treatment (IT) condition and 20 in delayed treatment (DT). Repeated measures MANOVA, Group & times; Time ANOVAs, and planned contrasts indicated significantly greater improvement in the IT condition, with large effect sizes (Cohen's d) for all outcome measures: Anxiety Sensitivity Index (d = 3.78), Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (d = 2.17), and Symptom Checklist 90-R subscales (d = 2.77). Likewise, the severity of (culturally related) neck-focused and orthostasis-cued panic attacks, including flashbacks associated with these subtypes, improved across treatment.

Cambodia↗

Anxiety sensitivity in traumatized Cambodian refugees: a discriminant function and factor analytic investigation.

We examined the psychometric properties and factor structure of a Cambodian translation of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and an Augmented ASI (the ASI supplemented with a 9-item addendum that assesses additional Cambodian concerns about anxiety-related sensations). Both the ASI and the Augmented ASI distinguished among three diagnostic groups: highest score, PTSD with panic disorder (PP group); next, panic disorder without PTSD (P group); and then, other disorders than PTSD or panic disorder (O group). In the discriminant function analysis using the Augmented ASI, the best classificatory predictor (PP vs. P vs. O) was an Addendum item ("It scares me when I stand up and feel dizzy"). The principal component analysis (oblimin rotation) of the ASI yielded a 3-factor solution (I, Weak Heart Concerns; II, Control Concerns; III, Social Concerns) and of the Augmented ASI, a 4-factor solution (I, Weak Heart Concerns; II, Control Concerns; III, Wind Attack Concerns; IV, Social Concerns). The item clustering within the factor solution of both the ASI and Augmented ASI illustrates the role of cultural syndromes in generating fear of mental and bodily events.

Anxiety Disorders↗

Panic disorder and bipolar disorder: anxiety sensitivity as a potential mediator of panic during manic states.

BACKGROUND: Panic disorder (PD) occurs at high rates in bipolar disorder and more commonly than in unipolar depression. Reports of PD onset during hypomania and depressive mania (i.e., mixed states) raise questions about whether the affective disturbances of bipolar disorder play a specific role in the exacerbation or onset of PD. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), a risk factor for PD appears greater in bipolar disorder compared to unipolar depression, although the association of specific mood states with AS remains unknown. METHODS: We examined the association of current mood state (i.e., mixed state, mania or hypomania, bipolar depression, unipolar depression, and euthymia) with Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) scores in 202 individuals with bipolar disorder (n=110) or major depressive disorder (n=92). RESULTS: Current mood state was significantly associated with ASI score (Chi-square=21.2, df=4, p=0.0003). In multiple regression analyses, including covariates for comorbid anxiety disorders, current mania or hypomania was a significant predictor of ASI scores (p<0.04). Current mixed state tended toward a similar association (p<0.10). LIMITATIONS: Conclusions are limited by the study's cross-sectional nature and relatively small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: These findings of elevated AS during manic states, independent of comorbid anxiety disorders, provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that manic states contribute to risk for the development or exacerbation of PD, and that AS may contribute to the high prevalence and severity of PD comorbid with bipolar disorder.

Adult↗

Aripiprazole as an augmentor of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in depression and anxiety disorder patients.

More than half of anxiety and depression patients treated with an adequate course of antidepressants fail to fully improve. We retrospectively examined whether treatment-resistant depression and anxiety disorder patients responded to and tolerated augmentation with the atypical antipsychotic, aripiprazole. We report on patients with depression and anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, who had an incomplete response to a variety of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and who received augmentation with aripiprazole. The primary outcome measure was the Clinical Global Impression of Improvement (CGI-I). In the intent-to-treat analysis, the mean+/-SD CGI-S was 3.8+/-1.3 at endpoint. Fifty-nine percent of subjects received CGI-I ratings of 1 or 2, 'much improved' or 'very much improved,' in terms of their depression and anxiety symptoms at the end of 12 weeks. Several patients showed an early (weeks 1-5), as well as sustained, response to augmentation with doses of aripiprazole between 15 and 30 mg/day. The results suggest that aripiprazole may be effective as an augmentation for patients with persistent depressive and anxiety disorders despite initial SSRI treatment. Because this is a retrospective case review, further prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.

Adult↗

Baseline predictors of serious adverse events at one year among patients with bipolar disorder in STEP-BD.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about serious adverse events that occur in the context of clinical care for bipolar disorder. This study examined predictors of serious adverse events in a large cohort of patients with bipolar disorder. METHODS: Types and frequency of serious adverse events were tabulated on the basis of data from the first 1,000 participants in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD). STEP-BD follows a large cohort of patients longitudinally. Treatments are provided as deemed most appropriate by the treating psychiatrist. Logistic regression was used to identify variables present at study entry that were associated with the occurrence of a serious adverse event within one year. RESULTS: A total of 161 serious adverse events were reported among 118 participants. The most frequent serious adverse event was hospitalization for suicidal ideation (44 participants, or 27 percent). A greater number of previous psychiatric medications was predictive of the occurrence of a psychiatric serious adverse event among participants who had less than one year of study follow-up data. A history of psychosis, current substance abuse, lower household income, and a fully syndromic baseline mood state were associated with the occurrence of a psychiatric serious adverse event among participants who had one full year of follow-up data. CONCLUSIONS: These data identify clinical and demographic factors that warrant closer clinical follow-up, because these factors may be predictive of poor outcomes in the following year, even in the context of expert care.

Adult↗

'The ghost pushes you down': sleep paralysis-type panic attacks in a Khmer refugee population.

Among a psychiatric population of Cambodian refugees (N = 100), 42% had current--i.e. at least once in the last year--sleep paralysis (SP). Of those experiencing SP, 91% (38/42) had visual hallucinations of an approaching being, and 100% (42/42) had panic attacks. Among patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; n = 45), 67% (30/45) had SP, whereas among those without PTSD, only 22.4% (11/45) had SP (chi2 = 20.4, p < .001). Of the patients with PTSD, 60% (27/45) had monthly episodes of SP. The Cambodian panic response to SP seems to be greatly heightened by elaborate cultural ideas--with SP generating concerns about physical status, 'good luck' status, 'bad luck' status, sorcery assault, and ghost assault--and by trauma associations to the figure seen in SP. Case vignettes illustrate cultural beliefs about, and trauma resonances of, SP. A model to explain the high rate of SP in this population is presented. SP is a core aspect of the Cambodian refugees response to trauma; when assessing Cambodian refugees, and traumatized refugees in general, clinicians should assess for its presence.

Cambodia↗

Does recovery from substance use disorder matter in patients with bipolar disorder?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the potential impact of recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) on the course of bipolar disorder among patients diagnosed with both bipolar and substance use disorders according to DSM-IV criteria. METHOD: As part of the multicenter Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD), we examined bipolar disorder status (i.e., whether the patient is recovering or recovered), role functioning, and quality of life in the first 1000 patients to enter the STEP-BD study. We compared patients with no history of SUD, current SUD, and past SUD (i.e., lifetime SUD, but no current SUD) on these parameters. Data were collected between November 1999 and April 2001. RESULTS: A current clinical status of recovering or recovered from bipolar disorder was less likely among patients with current or past SUD compared to patients with no SUD (p < .002). Recovering/recovered status did not differ significantly between patients with current SUD versus past SUD. All 3 groups differed significantly on measures of role functioning as assessed by the Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Evaluation-Range of Impaired Functioning Tool (LIFE-RIFT), with poorest role functioning among patients with current SUD, followed by patients with past SUD (p = .0002). Patients with current or past SUD reported significantly lower quality of life as measured by the LIFE-RIFT and the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire and more lifetime suicide attempts (p < .001) than patients without an SUD; patients with past versus current SUD did not differ significantly on these measures. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that patients with bipolar disorder who experience sustained remission from an SUD fare better than patients with current SUD, but not as well as subjects with no history of SUD; differences among the 3 groups appear greatest in the area of role functioning.

Adult↗

Complicated grief and its correlates in patients with bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: While the recent loss of a loved one has been identified as a risk factor for suicide in patients with bipolar disorder, and complicated grief (CG) has been associated with elevated rates of suicidality compared with loss without CG, little is known about the frequency or impact of CG in bipolar disorder. We investigated the frequency and implications of loss of loved ones in an ongoing study of bipolar disorder. METHOD: We conducted a survey of 120 patients with well-characterized DSM-IV bipolar disorder participating in Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD), a large naturalistic study, in order to identify frequency of loss and to examine the presence of CG and its clinical correlates. Survey data were gathered from October 2003 to March 2004. RESULTS: A lifetime history of a significant loss was reported by 86% (103/120) of participants; 24.3% (25/103) of those met criteria for CG, defined as a score > or = 25 on the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), with a mean +/- SD ICG score of 33.7 +/- 6.9. The presence of CG was associated with elevated rates of panic disorder and alcohol abuse comorbidity, as well as other measures of panic symptoms and phobic avoidance. CG was also associated with a higher rate of lifetime suicide attempts, greater functional impairment, and poorer social support. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest the presence of a substantial burden of comorbid grief-related illness and impairment in patients with bipolar disorder. Further research is needed to understand the overlap of anxiety disorders and phobic avoidance in bipolar patients with complicated grief.

Adult↗

The selective GABA reuptake inhibitor tiagabine for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: results of a placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of tiagabine, a selective gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) reuptake inhibitor, in adults with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). METHOD: This 8-week, randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled study enrolled patients with GAD (DSM-IV). Tiagabine was initiated at 4 mg/day and then flexibly dosed twice a day to a maximum dose of 16 mg/day. Study drug was tapered after week 8 in decrements of 2 mg every other day. Efficacy assessments included the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) and Sheehan Disability Scale. Adverse events, sexual functioning, and change in depressive symptoms were monitored. Data were collected from May 2003 to January 2004. RESULTS: A total of 266 patients (tiagabine, N = 134; placebo, N = 132) were included in safety analyses; 260 patients (tiagabine N = 130; placebo N = 130) were included in efficacy analyses. Tiagabine reduced symptoms of GAD according to the observed case and mixed models repeated-measures (MMRM) analyses but not the primary last-observation-carried-forward (LOCF) analysis. At final visit, the reduction from baseline in mean HAM-A total score was 11.8 for tiagabine, compared with 10.2 for placebo (LOCF analysis, p = .27). In a post hoc MMRM analysis, a significant difference in the mean reduction in HAM-A total score over the efficacy evaluation period was found, favoring tiagabine over placebo (p < .01). Tiagabine had an early onset of effect, as shown by significant reduction from baseline in mean HAM-A total score compared with placebo at week 1 (observed cases, p < .05). Tiagabine was generally well tolerated and not associated with changes in sexual functioning or depressive status. Symptoms of a discontinuation syndrome during taper were not observed. CONCLUSION: The primary LOCF analysis was negative; however, results from the observed case and MMRM analyses suggest that tiagabine may be a useful treatment option for adult patients diagnosed with GAD. These findings warrant further evaluation in randomized clinical studies.

Adult↗

Benzodiazepines in clinical practice: consideration of their long-term use and alternative agents.

Despite increasing focus on the use of antidepressants and other agents for the treatment of anxiety, benzodiazepines have remained a mainstay of anxiolytic pharmacotherapy due to their robust efficacy, rapid onset of therapeutic effect, and generally favorable side effect profile. In this article, we examine issues related to the long-term use of benzodiazepines, including concerns about the development of therapeutic tolerance, dose escalation, and adverse cognitive effects. We also consider currently available alternatives to benzodiazepines and novel mechanisms of action that may prove fruitful in the development of future generations of anxiolytics.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗