Prevalence and Type of Functional Somatic Complaints in Patients With First-Episode Depression.

Prevalence and Type of Functional Somatic Complaints in Patients with First-episode Depression.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

East Asian Arch Psychiatry. 2012 Dec; 22(4): 146-53
Grover S, Kumar V, Chakrabarti S, Hollikatti P, Singh P, Tyagi S, Kulhara P, Avasthi A

OBJECTIVE. To study the prevalence and type of functional somatic complaints in patients with first-episode depression. METHODS. A total of 164 patients attending the outpatient department of a general hospital psychiatric unit were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). RESULTS. More than half of the sample were male (n = 85; 52%) and most of the subjects were married (n = 128; 78%). The mean (standard deviation) HDRS score was 19.9 (5.4). All patients had at least 1 functional somatic complaint, and that the mean (range) number of functional somatic complaints per patient on the PHQ-15 was 8 (1-15). The most common functional somatic complaints included feeling tired or having little energy (93%); trouble sleeping (80%); nausea, gas and indigestion (68%); headache (68%); pain in arms, legs, or joints (66%); and feeling the heart racing (65%). Total PHQ-15 scores indicated the presence of moderate-to-severe severity of functional somatic complaints. Back pain, as well as pain in arms, legs, or joints, were found to be more common in females. The number and severity of functional somatic complaints did not differ significantly in relation to other socio-demographics (locality, marital status, age, education, income) and clinical variables (duration, physical co-morbidity, and atypical features). CONCLUSIONS. Functional somatic complaints are quite prevalent in subjects with first-episode depression. Hence, clinicians should routinely evaluate patients with depression for these symptoms.
HubMed – depression

The Medial Opticocarotid Recesss: An Anatomical Study of an Endoscopic “Key Landmark” to the Ventral Cranial Base.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Neurosurgery. 2012 Dec 26;
Labib MA, Prevedello DM, Fernandez-Miranda JC, Sivakanthan S, Benet A, Morera V, Carrau R, Kassam A

BACKGROUND:: The medial opticocarotid recess (MOCR) has become an important landmark for endoscopic approaches to the cranial base. OBJECTIVE:: To examine the anatomy of the MOCR and outline its role as a “key landmark” for approaches to the sellar and suprasellar regions. METHODS:: Ten silicone-injected, cadaveric specimens and 96 dry skulls were examined. Dissections were done endoscopically and microscopically. RESULTS:: The lateral tubercular recess (LTR) is an osseous depression located at the lateral edge of the tuberculum when viewed from the sphenoid sinus. Intracranially, it corresponds to the lateral tubercular crest (LTC); a ridge situated at the superomedial aspect of the carotid sulcus. The MOCR is a teardrop shaped osseous indentation formed at the medial junction of the paraclinoid carotid canal and the optic canal. Dorsally, it is represented by a teardrop shaped area with vertices at the inferior aspect of the LTC, the medial aspect of the junction of the superior and posterior surfaces of the optic strut, and the superolateral aspect of the tuberculum. The middle clinoid process is situated inferior to the LTC. The distal osseous arch (DOA) of the carotid sulcus connects the lateral opticocarotid recess (LOCR) to the LTR and is a landmark for the paraclinoid ICA. Only 44% of the specimens had middle clinoid processes. CONCLUSION:: The MOCR and middle clinoid process are distinct structures. Because of its location at the confluence of the optic canal, the carotid canal, the sella, and the anterior cranial base, the MOCR is a “key landmark” for endoscopic approaches.
HubMed – depression

The impact of HIV status, HIV disease progression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms on the health-related quality of life of Rwandan women genocide survivors.

Filed under: Depression Treatment

Qual Life Res. 2012 Dec 28;
Gard TL, Hoover DR, Shi Q, Cohen MH, Mutimura E, Adedimeji AA, Anastos K

PURPOSE: We examined whether established associations between HIV disease and HIV disease progression on worse health-related quality of life (HQOL) were applicable to women with severe trauma histories, in this case Rwandan women genocide survivors, the majority of whom were HIV-infected. Additionally, this study attempted to clarify whether post-traumatic stress symptoms were uniquely associated with HQOL or confounded with depression. METHODS: The Rwandan Women’s Interassociation Study and Assessment was a longitudinal prospective study of HIV-infected and uninfected women. At study entry, 922 women (705 HIV+ and 217 HIV-) completed measures of symptoms of post-traumatic stress and HQOL as well as other demographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics. RESULTS: Even after controlling for potential confounders and mediators, HIV+ women, in particular those with the lowest CD4 counts, scored significantly worse on HQOL and overall quality of life (QOL) than did HIV- women. Even after controlling for depression and HIV disease progression, women with more post-traumatic stress symptoms scored worse on HQOL and overall QOL than women with fewer post-traumatic stress symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that post-traumatic stress symptoms were independently associated with HQOL and overall QOL, independent of depression and other confounders or potential mediators. Future research should examine whether the long-term impact of treatment on physical and psychological symptoms of HIV and post-traumatic stress symptoms would generate improvement in HQOL.
HubMed – depression

Living with a Black Dog: His Name Is Depression
One in four women and one in six men will suffer from depression at least once in their life. Few are immune. It was the greatly a…

How to Break the Grip of Depression: Read How Robert Declared War On Depression … And Beat It!
Depression is not an antidepressant deficiency! Depression is the most common mood disorder in the world and in all likelihood one…

HappyLight Compact Energy Lamp
Improve your mood, energy and concentration naturally with the Happy Light 2500 Energy Lamp from Verilux. As many as 1 in 7 Americ…

Related Depression Treatment Information…